Join Bing and Sing Along

Join Bing and Sing Along
Studio album by Bing Crosby
Released	1960
Recorded	December 16/17, 1959
Genre	Vocal
Label	Warner Bros.
Bing Crosby chronology
Say One for Me (1959) Join Bing and Sing Along (1959) El Señor Bing (1960)

Join Bing and Sing Along is a long-playing vinyl album issued first by RCA Victor (LPM/LSP-2276)^[1] and immediately thereafter by Warner Bros. Records (W/WS-1363)^[2] in 1960. The album consists of twelve medleys of old songs in a singalong format. Bing Crosby sings on all of the tracks except those marked with an asterisk. The chorus and orchestra is conducted by Jack Halloran and their tracks were pre-recorded on November 9 & 13, 1959^[3] with Crosby over-dubbing his vocals. Orchestral arrangements were by Bob Thompson.

The album entered the UK album charts on October 8, 1960 and reached a peak position of No. 7 in an 11-week stay.

Hallmark Records issued the album on CD in 2011 No. 710082.

Reception

Variety magazine reviewed the album saying “Every company seems to be getting into the “Sing Along” act that Mitch Miller started for Columbia in the spring of 1958. Warner Bros. has a good scoring chance with their Bing Crosby version. He leads the vocal chorus through 33 familiar items and he has a way that makes it easy to join along.”^[4]

Billboard liked it. "Of course, this is imitation, as are so many of the recent sing-along sets, but it is a first-rate one due to the presence of the old master, Bing Crosby. The grand collection of 33 old-time tunes is made to order for the old Groaner, and he sings them infectiously so that everyone is sure to sing along with him. If exploited this could be a good seller."^[5]

Crosby expert, Fred Reynolds, writing in his book The Crosby Collection, 1926–1977 summed it up as follows: "Bing makes little attempt at subtlety of phrasing, ornamentation, niceties or nuances of any kind and his vocals, backed by hearty voices, create only a mechanically jolly atmosphere of a party get-together. There was a criticism, not without justification, that the album was too lightweight for a singer of his calibre but in mitigation it can be fairly claimed that it is a pleasant, happy sound with well chosen classic old songs brought back to life."^[6]

Track listing

Side one

1. ”Take Me Out to the Ball Game / Meet Me in St. Louis / Peggy O'Neil” (Harry Pease, Ed Nelson, Gilbert Dodge) - 3.22
2. ”K-K-K-Katy / Mairzy Doats / Old MacDonald Had a Farm” - 3.21
3. ”Aura Lea / Cuddle up a Little Closer” - 2.56
4. ”Daisy Bell / The Bowery / After the Ball” - 2.54
5. ”Long, Long Ago / On the Banks of the Wabash* / Seeing Nellie Home” - 3.29
6. “Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me / Oh, Dem Golden Slippers / On the Road to Mandalay” - 3.13

Side two

1. ”Give My Regards to Broadway / Mary's a Grand Old Name* (George M. Cohan) / You're a Grand Old Flag” - 3.13
2. ”When You Wore a Tulip (Percy Wenrich, Jack Mahoney) / You Were Meant for Me” - 3.12
3. ”Goodbye, My Lady Love (Joseph E. Howard) / Linger Awhile (Harry Owens, Vincent Rose) / Heart of My Heart” - 3.28
4. ”Doodle Doo-Doo (Mel Stitzel, Art Kassel) / All I Do Is Dream of You” - 3.14
5. ”Alice Blue Gown* (Harry Tierney, Joseph McCarthy) / I Love You Truly* / When I Grow Too Old to Dream” - 3.16
6. ”There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight / Toot, Toot, Tootsie, (Goo'bye) (Ernie Erdman, Dan Russo, Gus Kahn) / Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay”* - 3.01

• *Non-Bing – orchestra and chorus only

References

1. "discogs.com". discogs.com. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
2. "discogs.com". discogs.com. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
3. "BingCrosby.com". BingCrosby.com. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
4. "Variety". March 2, 1960.
5. "Billboard". February 22, 1960.
6. Reynolds, Fred. The Crosby Collection 1926-1977 (Part Four 1951-1960 ed.). pp. 268–269.