Bing Crosby Sings Cole Porter Songs
Bing Crosby Sings Cole Porter Songs is a Decca Records studio 78rpm album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby featuring the songs of Cole Porter.
Bing Crosby had enjoyed unprecedented success during the 1940s with his discography showing six No. 1 hits in 1944 alone. His films such as Going My Way and The Bells of St. Mary’s were huge successes as were the Road films he made with Bob Hope. On radio, his Kraft Music Hall and Philco Radio Time shows were very popular. Decca Records built on this by issuing a number of 78rpm album sets, some featuring freshly recorded material and others utilizing Crosby’s back catalogue. Ten of these sets were released in 1946, nine in 1947 and eleven more in 1948.
Bing Crosby Sings Cole Porter Songs includes several songs which had already enjoyed chart success. “I Love You” was a No. 1 hit in 1944 and “Night and Day” charted too.
Billboard reviewed the album saying: “Crosby singing Porter standards is calculated to be a sure-fire formula, and this album will doubtless enjoy a good sale. Sides were all cut in recent years, however, and some of them aren’t top calibre for the Groaner. However, the incomparable Crosby intelligence and projection are there, even if the voice sometimes isn’t, and his interpretations are impressive. This is his second album of Porter tunes, but the selection is fine, with all the ditties familiar favorites, with the possible exception of “I Never Realized”. Subdued and competent backgrounds by John Scott Trotter. Retail rating 80.
Track listing
These songs were featured on a four-disc, 78 rpm album set, Decca Album No. A-691.
Disc 1: (23972)
“Begin the Beguine” recorded May 3, 1944 with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra.
“Night and Day” recorded February 11, 1944 with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra.
Disc 2: (24201)
“I’ve Got You Under My Skin” recorded December 24, 1947 with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra.
“Easy to Love” recorded December 24, 1947 with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra.
Disc 3: (25400)
“Just One of Those Things” recorded January 21, 1945 with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra.
“I Love You” recorded February 11, 1944 with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra.
Disc 4: (24202)
“Rosalie” (Cole Porter) recorded December 3, 1947 with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra.
“I Never Realized” (Cole Porter / Melville Gideon) recorded August 10, 1936 with Victor Young and His Orchestra.
LP release
The songs were also featured on a 10” LP album, Decca DL 5064 issued in 1949.
Track listing
Side 1
“Begin the Beguine”
“Night and Day”
“I’ve Got You Under My Skin”
“Easy to Love”
Side 2
“Just One of Those Things”
“I Love You”
“Rosalie”
“I Never Realized”