Bing Crosby stands as a monumental figure in 20th-century music, a vocalist whose commercial success and influence are undeniable. For those just beginning to explore his vast musical landscape, the sheer volume of recordings can be daunting. Where does one even begin with Bing Crosby Songs? Like many prolific artists from the 78 era, finding a clear entry point beyond generic greatest hits compilations can be a challenge. My own journey into Crosby’s discography began with a similar sense of being overwhelmed, initially sampling some older, creakier 1920s recordings with Paul Whiteman’s orchestra. However, spurred by Gary Giddins’ insightful biography, A Pocketful of Dreams: The Early Years, 1903-1940, my curiosity was reignited, leading me to delve deeper into the world of Bing Crosby songs.
Navigating the Bing Crosby Discography: A Collector’s Conundrum
The challenge of exploring Bing Crosby songs stems partly from the complexities of early recording history. The pre-World War II era saw shifts in recording rights, particularly during the Great Depression, leaving a legacy where original recordings were not always systematically preserved or reissued. While the LP era brought nostalgia-driven re-releases, comprehensive and organized compilations of older material were rare. RCA Victor’s excellent 1970s double LPs are a notable exception. Decca Records, however, made a couple of noteworthy attempts at career-spanning box sets for artists like Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby, offering potential pathways through their extensive catalogs. Serendipitously, I recently acquired a copy of Bing: A Musical Autobiography, hoping it could serve as a more focused introduction to Bing Crosby songs.
‘Bing: A Musical Autobiography’: A Curated Journey Through Bing Crosby Songs
My prior experience with Louis Armstrong’s Satchmo: A Musical Autobiography box set provided a useful reference. This 1956 set featured Armstrong offering spoken introductions to songs before launching into re-recorded versions. Due to Armstrong’s recordings across various labels before Decca, the Satchmo set primarily featured 1950s re-recordings, stopping curiously at 1934. Despite this, Satchmo remains a compelling recording, offering a legend’s mature take on his formative work. Interestingly, it was Bing Crosby’s 1954 box set, Bing: A Musical Autobiography, that served as the model for Satchmo.
In Bing, Crosby adopts a similarly self-deprecating, conversational style between songs, some of which are presented in shortened versions, particularly on the first four sides of the five-disc set, which cover his early career. Crucially, like Armstrong’s set, the initial discs of Bing largely consist of newly recorded versions of earlier Bing Crosby songs, featuring the Buddy Cole Trio. The set then transitions to the original Decca recordings starting around 1938, offering a blend of both new interpretations and vintage classics.
The Intimacy of Re-recorded Early Bing Crosby Songs
The decision to re-record the early Bing Crosby songs proves to be a strength of the Bing box set. The simpler arrangements, often just the Buddy Cole Trio, put Crosby’s effortlessly smooth vocal style at the forefront. This focus aligns well with the period Gary Giddins explored in A Pocket Full of Dreams, emphasizing the early development of Crosby’s signature sound. These new recordings offer a cohesive listening experience, presenting these formative Bing Crosby songs in a way that scattered compilations often cannot.
The Vintage Charm of Original Bing Crosby Recordings
The shift to original 78 recordings in Bing from 1938 onward adds another layer of appreciation. The transition is marked by the inclusion of “Yes Indeed,” a vibrant duet with Connee Boswell from 1941, showcasing a more dynamic and jazz-infused side of Bing Crosby songs. These original recordings reveal the fascinating stylistic breadth of Crosby’s Decca output. He seamlessly blended pop sensibilities with country and western themes, Hawaiian and Irish melodies, and jazz influences. His vocal artistry effortlessly bridged these diverse genres, creating a unique and enduring sound. Remarkably, the curated selection of Bing Crosby songs in Bing avoids descending into sentimentality, maintaining a level of musical integrity throughout.
Your Gateway to Bing Crosby Songs: ‘Bing: A Musical Autobiography’
While Bing: A Musical Autobiography may not be a definitively exhaustive overview of Bing Crosby’s sprawling career up to 1954 – a near impossible task given the sheer volume of his output – it serves as an exceptional entry point for anyone wanting to explore Bing Crosby songs. For newcomers, it provides a thoughtfully curated and accessible introduction. The accompanying booklet’s discography, with its references to a “Collector’s Classics” series of 10-inch LPs and Decca’s numerous reissue LPs from the 50s and 60s, also hints at the deeper rabbit hole available for dedicated collectors. For now, Bing: A Musical Autobiography remains the most rewarding starting point I’ve found in my ongoing exploration of Bing Crosby songs, and a worthwhile find for anyone curious about this iconic voice. (Decca DX-151, 1954)
