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Sunday, 4 December 2016
BING'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS...
Continuing our Yuletide theme, here's BING CROSBY letting us all
know that he'll be home for Christmas. Wonder if it'll be a white one?
I love ALL of Bing's Christmas songs and there have been a LOT of them! He used to do an annual Christmas special on the TV or radio throughout the forties and many of the recordings from these broadcasts can still be heard on some of the budget cds that have been released in recent times. They sound very atmospheric and take you back to how Christmases must have felt for our parents' times. For me, the definitive version of "White Christmas" was the original from the black and white film "Holiday Inn", which year after year, seems to be overlooked by the TV schedule planners! Now then, everybody sing along with me, ...." bu- bu- bu-bu-bum "!
Funnily enough, much as I like Bing's version of White Christmas, I tend to favour Jim Reeves' version as it's the one I've heard more of since buying the 12 Songs of Christmas album in 1977. And possibly even stranger is the fact that I don't even think it's one of Jim's best songs. Andy Williams does a really nice version of the song too.
I assume John means that Bing sings and Walt disnae. The best ever version of White Christmas was sung by Keith Harris & Orville (only joking). I watched Holiday Inn on DVD a few years ago - there were 2 discs with a choice of watching the original black & white version or a colourized version. I chose black & white. I love the scene from Holiday Inn where Bing is singing White Christmas by a roaring fire and he taps the little bells on the Christmas tree with his pipe.
I've got the 'It's A Wonderful Life' DVD double disc set, with the b&w and colourized versions. I actually like the colour version. It's years since I last saw Holiday Inn - I'll have to catch up on it again sometime soon, hopefully.
I think I would have chosen the B&W version too, Col. That's my favourite version you describe, but Marjorie Reynolds' voice wasn't actually used in the the film/soundtrack. Her part was dubbed by Martha Mears. This was common practice in musical movies.
Ach, I've seen the b&w one countless times, JP, so a change is as good as a rest. The colours aren't garish and the movie actually looks very nice in that format. You should give it a try.
I just heard yesterday that the BBC actually BANNED this record during the war! Can you believe that? Apparently, they objected to the line, "If only in my dreams." They wanted more positive messages for our troops during wartime, like "...I KNOW we'll meet again some sunny day."
Silly BBC, JP - America had no such qualms and it was a top ten hit over there. Looking forward to going home, even if only in dreams - until the day it hopefully becomes reality - is what I would call a positive message. And, funny thing is, the song isn't only relevant to the period in which it was written (nor is it confined to it) - it has a much wider application to any era, and speaks for anyone away from home for whatever reason.
12 comments:
I love ALL of Bing's Christmas songs and there have been a LOT of them! He used to do an annual Christmas special on the TV or radio throughout the forties and many of the recordings from these broadcasts can still be heard on some of the budget cds that have been released in recent times. They sound very atmospheric and take you back to how Christmases must have felt for our parents' times.
For me, the definitive version of "White Christmas" was the original from the black and white film "Holiday Inn", which year after year, seems to be overlooked by the TV schedule planners!
Now then, everybody sing along with me, ...." bu- bu- bu-bu-bum "!
....And I STILL can't remember the difference between Bing Crosby and Walt Disney!
Funnily enough, much as I like Bing's version of White Christmas, I tend to favour Jim Reeves' version as it's the one I've heard more of since buying the 12 Songs of Christmas album in 1977. And possibly even stranger is the fact that I don't even think it's one of Jim's best songs. Andy Williams does a really nice version of the song too.
Yes, he does , but have you heard Louis Armstrong's? I love that version too!
Yup, got it on a Christmas CD somewhere.
I assume John means that Bing sings and Walt disnae. The best ever version of White Christmas was sung by Keith Harris & Orville (only joking). I watched Holiday Inn on DVD a few years ago - there were 2 discs with a choice of watching the original black & white version or a colourized version. I chose black & white. I love the scene from Holiday Inn where Bing is singing White Christmas by a roaring fire and he taps the little bells on the Christmas tree with his pipe.
I've got the 'It's A Wonderful Life' DVD double disc set, with the b&w and colourized versions. I actually like the colour version. It's years since I last saw Holiday Inn - I'll have to catch up on it again sometime soon, hopefully.
I think I would have chosen the B&W version too, Col.
That's my favourite version you describe, but Marjorie Reynolds' voice wasn't actually used in the the film/soundtrack. Her part was dubbed by Martha Mears.
This was common practice in musical movies.
Another lovely film for this time of year, Kid, but again I think I would have chosen to watch the B&W.
Ach, I've seen the b&w one countless times, JP, so a change is as good as a rest. The colours aren't garish and the movie actually looks very nice in that format. You should give it a try.
I just heard yesterday that the BBC actually BANNED this record during the war! Can you believe that?
Apparently, they objected to the line, "If only in my dreams." They wanted more positive messages for our troops during wartime, like "...I KNOW we'll meet again some sunny day."
Silly BBC, JP - America had no such qualms and it was a top ten hit over there. Looking forward to going home, even if only in dreams - until the day it hopefully becomes reality - is what I would call a positive message. And, funny thing is, the song isn't only relevant to the period in which it was written (nor is it confined to it) - it has a much wider application to any era, and speaks for anyone away from home for whatever reason.
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