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Track Listing 1. Sweet Leilani 2. New San Antonio Rose 3. White Christmas 4. Silent Night, Holy Night 5. Sunday, Monday, Or Always 6. Pistol Packin' Mama 7. Jingle Bells 8. I'll Be Home For Christmas 9. Swinging on a Star 10. Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra (That's an Irish Lullaby) 11. Don't Fence Me In 12. I Can't Begin to Tell You 13. MacNamara's Band 14. South America, Take It Away 15. Alexander's Ragtime Band 16. Whiffenpoof Song 17. Now Is the Hour 18. Galway Bay 19. Dear Hearts and Gentle People 20. Play a Simple Melody 21. Sam's Song
Album Notes Personnel includes: Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Al Jolson, Fred Waring, Carmen Gavallaro. Includes liner notes by Bing Crosby and F.B.Wiggins. With music from the era before LPs (much less "concept albums"), there's nothing to lose by pulling together a pop artist's greatest hits--you're not hearing the material out of context in any way, since single releases were the context for a singer's work in the '30s and '40s. Bing Crosby was extremely successful as a singer, but singing and making records was something he did in the greater context of being an entertainer. As a result, a cross-section of his work reveals a variety of repertoire and production styles that would probably prove career-imploding in these modern times. While Crosby did at times record with jazz musicians and do Tin Pan Alley material, GOLD RECORDS leans toward the kind of repertoire that now is generally qualified as "novelty." Sprightly female background singers, strings, whistling, and percussion serve as sound effects. Not surprisingly, GOLD RECORDS includes (as do many collections) "White Christmas," as well as "Silent Night," "Jingle Bells," and "I'll Be Home for Christmas." Documentation includes commentary on each of the recordings, as well as recording dates and guest vocal credits.
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