Best Version of “White Christmas” December 16, 2022
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Pop Culture.Tags: 1942, 1947, Bing Crosby, Darlene Love, Drifters, Irving Berlin, White Christmas, WWII
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Let’s play a game. It’s [loosely] called “name the best version of (fill-in-the-blank Christmas song)”. After all, there are but so many Christmas songs out there, some 200 years old (or older), some 150+ years old, some 80+ years old, some 65-ish, some more recent than that. The point is, myriads of recording artists have cut their own versions of many of these songs for almost 125 years. What makes things interesting is that each singer/group/ensemble has had their own “take” on them. So, whose “take” is the best? Let us explore that answer.
Why not start with Irving Berlin’s venerable “White Christmas”? Yes, the man who wrote an estimated 1,500 songs over the course of his 101 years on this Earth, including “God Bless America” and many legendary songs from the Golden Age of the Great American Song Book (“Cheek to Cheek”, “Blue Skies”, “Puttin’ on the Ritz”, “Easter Parade”, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”, to name but a few) also gave us “White Christmas”. It is altogether fitting and proper to take a look at this sing, since this year marks the 80th anniversary of its official release to the world.
The context behind the origins of “White Christmas” are multi-layered. Just as Margaret Mitchell’s Civil War-era novel “Gone With The Wind” was a smashing success during the Great Depression, so was “White Christmas” at the dawn of America’s direct involvement in WWII. While accounts vary as to exactly when Berlin actually wrote the song (within the years 1940 or ’41), it has been established that the first public performance of the song was indeed by Bing Crosby on his NBC radio show The Kraft Music hall, on Christmas Day of 1941, only 18 days after Pearl Harbor and 17 days after FDR asked Congress to declare war on Japan.
The song made a larger debut on-screen the following year in 1942 when it was featured in the now-classic movie “Holiday Inn”. Crosby not only sang the song in the film, but also, as was customary at the time, recorded a studio version of the song on the Decca label as part of an accompanying album of songs from the movie. He was accompanied by the Ken Darby Singers and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra when they made this recording on May 29, 1942. It took them only 18 minutes to produce a rendition that satisfied everyone.
While the popularity of the 1942 movie Holiday Inn did eventually help propel record sales (it did top the charts by end of October of ’42), a stronger social undercurrent helped make the song legendary. With America having officially joined the fight against the Axis powers after Pearl Harbor, the population was mobilized onto a war footing at an unprecedented scale and pace. Yes, America had been mobilized a generation earlier in the First World War, but this new mobilization made the Allied Expeditionary Forces of old, and the industry supporting it, pale in comparison.
Within months after the fateful events of early December of 1941, many an able-bodied American man would be enlisted into service and deployed to many a spot abroad, or at least, far from home, from the deserts of North Africa to the Aleutian Islands, to air bases in England, to naval flotillas patrolling the South Pacific, and many spots in between.
The song thus spoke to them, and to their families at home, of simpler times, or deep nostalgia. The right mix of melancholy and comforting images of home during the Holidays resonated deeply with listeners during WWII, and the Armed Forces Network was flooded with requests to play this song during that time.
In its first year of recording and release, Bing Crosby’s first version of this song stayed at the top of the charts for 11 weeks. Sales carried well into early 1943, and Decca re-released the song for Christmas seasons of 1945 and ’46. For Holiday Inn, the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song of 1942.
Ironically, the version with which most of us are familiar is Crosby’s re-recording of the song in 1947, also accompanied by both the Trotter Orchestra and the Darby Singers. The addition of the flutes and a slightly more pronounced celesta helps make it audibly different from the first version without being too overtly different.
Readers may or may not be aware that Crosby’s 1942 and ’47 renditions combined add up to the greatest-selling record of all time: more so than any record by Elvis, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Elton John, or anybody. By 1968, sales had reached 30 Million alone. After much research, the Guinness Book of World Records concluded in 2007 that the record had sold at least 50 Million copies, though some estimates reach as high as 100 Million.
Twelve years after the song’s and the hit flick Holiday Inn’s initial release, Paramount was finally able to make a follow-up film for both, simply calling it “White Christmas”. It proceeded to become the most successful movie of 1954. While not as strong a film as its 1942 predecessor, it nevertheless has earned its place as a Christmas classic movie in its own right. That it was filmed in then-cutting-edge “VistaVision” has helped it translate well onto HDTV screens today. Naturally, the finale number was the movie’s namesake.
To broaden the scope: in the 80 years since it was first recorded, “White Christmas” has been cut more than 500 times, making it the most-recorded Christmas song. As mentioned in the beginning, many artists have offered their own “take” on it. For example, while Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters’ version [also] from 1954 is always a fun listen, it still is not has great as Bing’s original version.
That said, a solid runner-up is Darlene Love’s rendition on the also-classic album, Phil Spector’s “A Christmas Gift For You” from 1963. As the first track of this perennially strong album, Love’s rendition packs much more of a virtual “punch” than people usually expect from the song, aided in part by Spector’s “Wall of Sound” audio effect, but also by the singer’s soulful efforts. Also notable of this version is that it includes the prelude verse that many other artists skip singing.
The real question is, which is really better, Bing’s 1942 version, or the 1947 remake? Most folks would likely side with the latter, since that is the one with which they are familiar. One cannot blame them, for that version is wonderful and timeless. My vote is for the 1942 version: the one that started it all. It has a sharpness that the remake lacks, and the historian in me reflects on how it spoke to people’s hopes, fears, and comforts as we were beginning to take on a worldwide menace on an unprecedented scale.
The lasting legacy of Crosby’s 1942 version is grander than one might expect. Its success on the charts legitimized the market for Christmas music. To be sure, more than a few excellent versions of Christmas songs were recorded before this landmark cut, including notable examples by Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, and Glenn Miller. But Crosby, paired with Berlin’s incredible contribution to the Great American Christmas Songbook, finally opened the recording industry’s eyes to the potential goldmine they were sitting on with regard to recording music for the Christmas season. In short, Crosby and Berlin, with White Christmas, paved the way for the bulk of popular Christmas music we have to enjoy today.
Best Christmas Records of the Swing Era December 17, 2020
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Pop Culture.Tags: Benny Goodman, big band, Bing Crosby, Bunny Berigan, Christmas, Gene Krupa, Glenn Miller, Larry Clinton, Paul Whiteman, recordings, records, songs, Swing, Tommy Dorsey, Vaughn Monroe
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“Jingle Bells” by Benny Goodman (1935)
Hands-down the best version of “Jingle Bells” ever. Okay, so this version lacks lyrics. Fine. Since when does “best” mean “perfect”? Benny Goodman and his band cut this track on July 1, 1935, in the same incredible session in which they also recorded “King Porter Stomp” (the tune that launched the Swing Era), “Sometimes I’m Happy”, and “Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”. Interestingly, while these last three songs are all Fletcher Henderson arrangements, “Jingle Bells” was arranged by Spud Murphy. This track shows that ol’ Spud, too, was quite adept arranging, for it’s fit to be the perfect killer-diller for an opening or closing number on a live [Christmastime] gig. Yes, also like the other three tracks, this record, too, includes a memorable Bunny Berigan trumpet solo. Berigan was clearly at the top of his game at this time, and produces a solo that sounds eternally youthful, complete with his key-changing modus operandi that he occasionally allowed to surface.
Not to be ignored are some classic Gene Krupa staccato drum punctuations at just the right time, and Art Rollini’s tenor sax solo is a fine, nay integral contribution as well.
Granted, this song is not always given to such an upbeat swinging tempo, but BG demonstrates, it works incredibly well, and provides further proof that Bunny Berigan was the G.O.A.T. of jazz trumpeters, and that Goodman was the King of Swing.
Interesting Fact: RCA Victor paired this track as the flip side to Dorsey’s “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” (Victor 25145B and 25145A, respectively).
“Santa Claus Came In The Spring” by Benny Goodman (1935)
Goodman and his band cut this record on Sept. 27, 1935 in Hollywood, during the last few days of their historic engagement at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles. Their original one-month engagement almost doubled in light of their sudden and smashing success. And to think that all it took was the playing of “King Porter Stomp”!
Unlike BG’s version “Jingle Bells” from earlier the same year, this record has lyrics, with vocals provided by Joe Harris. One appealing feature of many for this record is that the lyrics were written by none other than Johnny Mercer.
Moderately uptempo, Gene Krupa’s classic staccato/syncopated drum beats are there for all to hear and enjoy. His liberal use of cymbals during Bunny Berigan’s muted trumpet solo (Berigan’s last recording with the band before leaving it) is an awesome touch, too.
This sublime, semi-obscure Christmas record is a sheer delight, and it highlights Goodman’s versatility as the King of Swing.
“Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town” by Tommy Dorsey (1935)
Recorded on September 26, 1935, when this ever-popular song was only a year old on paper. It is also hands-down the best version of this song. Don’t believe me? Give it a listen. Dorsey’s band was always highly versatile, and this record in particular demonstrates how adept they were on the hard-swinging end of the spectrum. No “Sentimental” ballads here, no sir. Featuring the vocal talents of both Cliff Weston and Edythe Wright, they take turns in covering all the verses, even the prelude to the main verse that we all know and love. Great solos from all the sections abound. Even Dorsey’s rhythm guitarist has his own solo, which was a rarity for the time (though not unheard of). No matter how much you love this song before hearing this version, you’ll love it all the more after hearing this one.
“White Christmas” by Bing Crosby (1942)
All versions of this beloved Christmas song began with this one. Bing first sang it in the wonderful 1942 film “Holiday Inn”, featuring songs written by Irving Berlin, who wrote it in the context of WWII and American servicemen longing for home as they were sent abroad to combat existential evils of the day.
No matter how many talented artists have offered their own “take” on the classic, none have topped Bing Crosby’s rendition(s) of it. Indeed, there are two versions, with the 1947 re-make the [ironically] more famous of the two. But make no mistake about it, the original 1942 version – a studio recording version cut in tandem with the film, as was customary of the era – is the stronger version, if not by much.
Combined, both versions amount to the greatest selling record of all time, topping Elvis, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, and any other multi-platinum recording artist. According to the Guiness Book of World Records, the two combined records have sold an estimated 50 Million copies. How very appropriate for someone who created the template for the legendary recording soloist and who exuded class (and subtle humor) in the process.
“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” by Vaughn Monroe (1945)
There is a general sentiment among many folks that the original is often the best. While that is not always the case, it nevertheless often is, as Bing Crosby’s aforementioned version of “White Christmas” clearly attests. So it is the case with Vaughn Monroe’s version, which frankly defines the song itself. Noted songwriters Jule Steyn (music) and Sammy Cahn (lyrics) collaborated on this piece in Hollywood during a heat wave in 1945 as they envisioned cooler conditions. Yes, Mel Torme wrote “The Christmas Song” that same year in the same area under similar circumstances, except he thought it up by the side of a swimming pool.
The song itself feels as though it was “built” for the big band treatment, and “Foghorn” Monroe delivers well in that department. Moreover, his distinctive baritone vocals do the lyrics justice, too. Just as the Christmas season feels incomplete without giving Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” and Bing’s “White Christmas” a few good listens, so too is Christmastime incomplete without hearing Monroe’s “Let It Snow” a few times as well. He closed out the Swing Era well with this one.
Fun Fact: Both movies “Die Hard” and sequel “Die Harder” begin closing credits with a later version of Monroe’s “Let It Snow”, a rendition likely recorded in the late 1960s prior to the bandleader’s untimely death in 1971.
“Silent Night” by Bing Crosby (1935)
Many people are familiar with Crosby’s 1947 re-recording. While this version is all well and poignant, what most people don’t know is that Crosby cut an even stronger, even more poignant version 12 years earlier. This is arguably the best version of one of the most beloved Christmas carols of all time. Both Bing and the Guardsmen Quartet that accompanies him have you believing the song by its end, even notwithstanding the use of a rarely-utilized alternate third verse.
“What Will Santa Claus Say” by Louis Prima (1936)
This song is vintage Louis Prima in his youthful prime. It delivers his characteristic exuberance, albeit in a sufficiently refined manner. The youthful energy is clearly there in any case, and in the process, he has delivered a great, one-of-a-kind, swinging Christmas song for [eight decades and counting of] posterity to enjoy.
Fun fact: Also in 1936, Prima wrote the legendary swing song “Sing, Sing, Sing”, which Benny Goodman elevated to immortal status the following year.
“Winter Weather” by Benny Goodman (1941)
Make no mistake, this vintage of Goodman is considerably different, for good or ill, from his gutsy, hard-swinging Mid-Thirties vintage years. Big Band itself evolved to a more polished, less energetic (in most cases) form by this time, and it shows in this record. Still, it’s a fine track all the same, and Peggy Lee’s and Art London’s vocals are perfect for the piece.
“Happy Holidays” by Bing Crosby (1942)
Another wonderful Irving Berlin song that came out of the sublime film “Holiday Inn” from the same year, this one has also given rise to many cover versions. Yes, Crosby broke this one as well.
“Jingle Bells” by Glenn Miller (1941)
To be sure, this rendition is not nearly as strong as Goodman’s from 1935, but Miller had such a mass appeal with his arrangements that this version nevertheless deserves a place in the rankings. What really makes this version stand out is the alternate lyrics-verse proferred by Ernesto Carceres, a saxophonist in Miller’s band at the time.
“Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” by Larry Clinton (1939)
Long before The Crystals recorded their version of this song for Phil Spector’s “A Christmas Gift For You” album (1963), and even longer before Harry Connick Jr. recorded his own version of said song (1993), Larry Clinton led the way in offering a version for the Big Band Era. But he was not the first outright. Far from it. The English lyrics to what was originally an instrumental character piece (composed by Leon Jessel in 1897) were written by Ballard MacDonald in 1922. Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra cut his own (instrumental) version of the song the following year, he being one of three major bands to record it along between 1922 and ’23. But in the Swing Era, it was Larry Clinton’s rendition that was the period’s representing version of this oddly-placed song in the Christmas music repertoire (perhaps the song’s association with toys and thus gift-giving is what associates it with the holiday season in the mind of the public).
Other Christmas Records by Bing Crosby, 1942-1945:
There is little argument in saying that Bing Crosby’s [singing] voice has become practically synonymous with the Christmas season itself. His aforementioned versions of “White Christmas” and “Silent Night” clearly are a large reason for that, but he recorded a number of other fine, timeless Christmas songs as well during the last few years of the Big Band Era. Those include:
Adeste Fideles (1942)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (with the Andrews Sisters)
Jingle Bells (1945)
This version, while not a strong and swinging arrangement like that of Benny Goodman’s from 1935, is nevertheless delightful. Indeed, it surpasses Glenn Miller’s rendition in its peppiness, and also contributes well as a piece of the bookend of an era as it came to a close.
The Top Three Greatest Christmas Albums December 18, 2014
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Pop Culture.Tags: album, Baby Please Come Home, Bethlehem, Bing Crosby, Bob B. Soxx, Capitol, Christmas, Darlene Love, Dean Martin, Deck the Halls, Frank Sinatra, Gordon Jenkins, Hark, Herald Angels, Jingle Bells, Judy Garland, king, Mistletoe and Holly, music, Nat Cole, Nelson Riddle, Phil Spector, Ronettes, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Sleigh Ride, The Christmas Song, The Christmas Waltz, The Crystals, White Christmas, Winter Wonderland
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No. 1: Nat King Cole: The Christmas Song. What merits this as number one? Start with the fact that the title cut of the album is perhaps the most iconic recording of a secular Christmas song. Add in the fact that A) this is Nat “King” Cole, whose vocal talents just feel perfect for music to promote Yuletide cheer, and B) this is a Capitol Records album, produced at the time (1960, specifically) when the label included not only Cole, but also both Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin as his stablemates and thus the label pretty much owned the mainstream popular music market in that era. But Cole mixes well the secular and religious songs, making fun, upbeat versions with some (e.g., “Deck the Halls” and “Hark! The Herald Angels”) and poignant versions with others (e.g., “O Tannenbaum” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem”), making for a compilation that spans the proper emotional gamut during this sentimental time of year.
The only irony is that it does not contain the best version of “The Christmas Song,” a tune that Cole himself would record officially at least three different times, but that is a discussion for another day.
No. 1a: A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra. Make no mistake about it, this album was cut in 1957, when Ol’ Blue Eyes was on top of his game, only a year or so removed from recording his two greatest albums ever (“Songs for Swinging Lovers” and “A Swingin’ Affair”). It shows in this album, too. Just as the previously mentioned album introduced me to Nat “King” Cole, so too did this particular album introduce me to Sinatra at a very early age.
Certain songs grab you in such a way that you remember where you were the first time you heard them. For me, it was Christmastime while I was in kindergarten when I first heard the opening track, “Jingle Bells,” on this album, and it stuck with me ever since. The song is so well-known as to be trite, but every once in a while, one hears a version that is so well-rendered as to rise above the triteness. This is one of those songs.
But if you are first grabbed by that opening track, you stay for “Mistletoe and Holly.” To this day, few have attempted to cover it because Sinatra did it so well the first time. But two additional tracks truly cement the album’s timelessness. Sammy Cahn’s “The Christmas Waltz” truly helps define the song collection, and no Christmas season is complete without enjoying this track a few times. Others have tried to duplicate Frank’s efforts with this song over the years, but each time, they keep coming up short.
The other track that seals the album’s greatness for all time is Sinatra’s definitive version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Sinatra truly captures the essence of the song itself, arguably outdoing the other definitive version by Judy Garland from 1944. Listening to this song proves to any discerning listener why Frank Sinatra was indeed the singing voice of the 20th Century.
The religious songs on the latter part of the album are not too shabby, either. Recent re-releases of the album include an alternative version of “The Christmas Waltz,” which is not quite as good as the official rendition, but it remains a good listen nonetheless (it being a Nelson Riddle arrangement, compared to the Gordon Jenkins arrangements that populate the rest of the track line-up).
No. 3: Phil Spector’s A Christmas Gift For You (1963). One unique aspect of this album is that it does not center on one artist, but rather on several artists/groups that were the talent pool on Spector’s label at the time. The recording effect that defined the legendary producer’s records came to be known as the “Wall of Sound,” (a primer for those unfamiliar with this effect of recorded sound) and while that effect lifted many Spector-produced tracks to legendary status and made for a definitive element in some music from 1960s, one could argue that this effect was perfected on this very album. If that exceeds credibility in the minds of some readers, I invite them to listen to the last several bars of instrumentation of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” by The Crystals: it’s Phil Spector at his finest (this is not to mention that the song’s arrangement has been copied by many artists in the 50+ years since).
There is not a bad track in the line-up, and they include some of the most iconic versions of certain secular Christmas songs. The Ronettes’ version of “Sleigh Ride”, for example, remains the definitive version of this song – in most circles – to this day, though ironically paced with a shuffle beat (one of the oldest rhythmic patterns in popular music). Bob B. Soxx’s rendition of “Here Comes Santa Claus” is a fresh take on that song, too. Indeed, there is a timeless “hipness” to these tracks, which is what makes the album so classic.
Of course, Darlene Love contributed the lion’s share of musical gems. Her version of “White Christmas” is the closest one to rival Bing Crosby’s eternally popular 1942 and 1947 versions. “Baby Please Come Home” has become an iconic song in its own right, and her multi-dubbed vocals on “Winter Wonderland” have made it arguably the best version of that winter-themed song to date. With such a strong line-up of recordings, it almost makes “Marshmallow World” get lost in the mix, but an attentive listen reveals that this track is the most underrated on the album. This is easily the greatest version anybody has made of the song, and the energy that Love puts into the vocals on this track are positively contagious. Moreover, if one focuses just on Love’s contributions to this song compilation, one cannot help but conclude that these make up the very cornerstone to her musical legacy.
Put all three albums together, and you have a solid trifecta of timeless Christmas music that has stood the test of time for more than five decades, which is all too fitting for a holiday season partially defined by timeless traditions.
America’s Greatest Music: You’re a Sweet Little Headache September 12, 2013
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Pop Culture.Tags: 1938, 75, American, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, big band, Bing Crosby, Cole Porter, diamond anniversary, Disney, golden age, Helen Forrest, Indiana Jones, Irving Berlin, Last Crusade, Martha Tilton, pop culture, RCA, standard, swing era, The Rocketeer, You're a Sweet Little Headache
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In a slight change of pace, this particular tune does not merit itself into the Great American Songbook. Nevertheless, it is a lovely little ditty, one that a few bands recorded during the Swing Era. The main reason we highlight this tune right now is because it was recorded on this day (Sept. 12) 75 years ago.
One thing is for certain, and that is that Benny Goodman’s “sound” certainly did the tune justice. An uptempo “businessman’s bounce” — something at which Benny’s band excelled — this record is also a good example of the lilting tone effect heard in Goodman’s woodwind section, something he practically perfected that year.
While Benny Goodman did not have a monopoly on this song, his is arguably the definitive version, what with his aforementioned sound, combined with his gutsy style of play. Martha Tilton’s vocals make for a very nice addition, too. With all that said, other prominent recording stars took their stab at this song around the same time, including RCA stablemate Artie Shaw (who recorded it with Helen Forrest singing the lyrics that same year [1938])*, and even Bing Crosby lent his vocal talents to the ditty in question the following year.
A more modern pop cultural reference to this recording can be heard in the ever-popular film “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” during the apartment scene in Venice, where one can hear the Elsa Schneider character play the tune on an acoustic phonograph (making the recording sound 10-15 years older than it actually was!).
So while the lyrics do not rate the song itself as highly as a good Cole Porter or Irving Berlin standard, it nevertheless merits our attention as a solid record during the golden age of American popular culture — enjoy!
*The Artie Shaw version one can briefly heard in the very underrated 1991 Disney Film “The Rocketeer,” which also takes place in 1938.
America’s Greatest Music: You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby August 15, 2013
Posted by intellectualgridiron in Pop Culture.Tags: 1938, Al Jolson, America, Artie Shaw, Baby, Beautiful, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Bobby Vee, Bunny Berigan, caricature, cartoon, Chick Bullock, Dave Clark Five, Dean Martin, Decca, Der Bingle, Eddie Cantor, Edythe Wright, Elmer Fudd, Frank Sinatra, Greatest, Harry Warren, Johnny Mercer, Joni James, Lee Wiley, Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, Michael Buble, music, Perry Como, record, Rosemary Clooney, Russ Morgan, song, Songbook, The Crew Cuts, Tommy Dorsey, Vic Damone, Vocalion, Warner Brothers, What's Up Doc, You Must Have Been
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Whenever you meet a girl whom you instantly recognize as a cut above the rest, this tune instantly enters your mind. You know that even further when this tune pops up on the radio (assuming you’re tuned in to the SiriusXM 40s on 4 channel) and without hesitation you start singing along to the record. But the question becomes, along with which version do you sing?
Such is a valid question. After all, like many legendary tunes in the Great American Songbook, it has been recorded by many a legendary artist throughout the ages. At different times, Artie Shaw, Lee Wiley, Perry Como (1946), Rosemary Clooney, The Crew Cuts — who made their mark on the business by doing cover versions of early ’50s R&B and doo-wop hits — Vic Damone, Joni James, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra have all taken their individual cracks at this song. Let us also not forget Bobby Vee, Bobby Darin (1961), The Dave Clark Five (1967), or Michael Bublé (2001, which, compared to the years of the previous records, might as well be literally yesterday).
But this does not even acknowledge the spate or recordings made of this song when it was written (1938) by Harry Warren (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics — figures!). That year, Tommy Dorsey recorded his version with Edythe Wright on the vocals. Chick Bullock — who provided the vocals for some of Bunny Berigan’s small group recordings on the Vocalion label in 1936 — also rendered his version that same year, as did Russ Morgan.
Yet the version that clearly stands out above all others was also recorded the same year the song in question was written (1938, in case you skipped the previous paragraph), and it was sung by none other than Bing Crosby (recorded on the Decca label, of course!). It is this version that sticks out in one’s mind when a guy meets a girl that stands out from all the rest; it is this version that you joyous sing along with in your car when it comes on the radio….and it swings!
For anybody who doubts that Crosby owns the definitive version of this song, take a moment to notice its reference elsewhere in popular culture. In the Looney Tunes cartoon “What’s Up Doc?” (1950) featuring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, an obvious reference to this record surfaces in the middle of the show.
A scene depicts Elmer Fudd coming across, by happenstance, a down-and-out Bugs. Of the four characters that Fudd passes up before reaching Bugs, the first is a caricature of Al Jolson (“mammy” being a lyric often found in some of his songs), the third is a caricature of Eddie Cantor, and the fourth is obviously a satirical depiction of Der Bingle himself, singing a line of from the featured recording of this very article. Watch for yourself!
Such humorous references to contemporary pop culture were a hallmark, and indeed, a distinctive competency (to borrow a business term) of the Warner Brothers’ Merrie Melodies cartoons! But as hinted previously, this very reference also demonstrates that Crosby’s version stands apart from all others, much like that special lady.
intellectualgridiron 