Track Listing

1. Where the Blue of the Night (Meets the Gold of the Day) - Bing Crosby,
2. Stardust - Bing Crosby
3. Blue Hawaii - Bing Crosby, Lani McIntyre and His Hawaiians
4. Pennies from Heaven - Bing Crosby, Georgie Stoll & His Orchestra
5. Sweet Leilani - Bing Crosby, Lani McIntyre and His Hawaiians
6. You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby - Bing Crosby, Bob Crosby
7. Home on the Range - Bing Crosby, Victor Young & His Orchestra
8. White Christmas - Bing Crosby, , John Scott Trotter & His Orchestra
9. Sunday, Monday or Always - Bing Crosby, Ken Darby Singers
10. Swinging on a Star - Bing Crosby, , John Scott Trotter & His Orchestra
11. Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's an Irish Lullaby) - Bing Crosby, , John Scott Trotter & His Orchestra
12. Don't Fence Me In - The Andrews Sisters, Bing Crosby, Vic Schoen & His Orchestra
13. Road to Morocco - Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Vic Schoen & His Orchestra
14. It's Been a Long, Long Time - Bing Crosby, Les Paul
15. MacNamara's Band - Bing Crosby, Bob Haggart
16. Alexander's Ragtime Band - Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, Morris Stoloff & His Orchestra
17. Now Is the Hour (Maori Farewell Song) - Bing Crosby, Ken Darby Choir & Instrumental Group
18. Dear Hearts and Gentle People - Perry Botkin's String Band, Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires, Bing Crosby
19. Play a Simple Melody - Bing Crosby, Matty Matlock's All Stars
20. In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening - Bing Crosby, Four Hits & A Miss, Matty Matlock's All Stars, Jane Wyman
21. Ol' Man River - Buddy & His Trio Cole, Bing Crosby
22. Around the World (In Eighty Days) - Buddy Cole & His Orchestra, Bing Crosby

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1951 in Music
• Released on: 2006-01-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Customer Reviews

fine collection that's best used as a primer to the great Bing Crosby
The Definitive Collection is a single CD retrospective of some of Bing Crosby's finest artistry. Naturally, a single CD with twenty-two tracks can't possibly be all of the very "best of" Bing's work; but as a single CD compilations it's one of the stronger ones out there. The sound quality is pretty good and the artwork is very nicely done.

"Where The Blue Of The Night (Meets The Gold Of The Day)" starts the CD off with Bing singing his very best--and really, when you think about it, was there ever a time when he DIDN'T sing his very best? SMILE Bing sings this very sweetly and although there's some minor surface noise it doesn't really interfere much with the beauty of this track. "Stardust" is another earlier recording by Bing; and he sings this beyond perfection. He also gets to show off his wide vocal range on "Stardust" and the musical accompaniment works well for "Stardust." There's also Bing performing "Pennies From Heaven;" Bing sings this with panache and it's no wonder he was considered the best crooner ever! (Well, maybe with the lone exception of Frank Sinatra.)

"You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" features Bing's vocals squarely in the spotlight; and this version of this popular tune gets a fine big band style arrangement that uses the brass to great advantage. "White Christmas" is one of the best selling records of all time; and Bing was the only crooner who could ever have made this so. Bing delivers this melancholy ballad with all his heart and soul; and this impresses me greatly. "Swinging On A Star" puts Bing in the center and the backup vocalists sing perfectly as well.

"Don't Fence Me In" showcases Bing's vocals and you won't be disappointed! The Andrews Sisters join up with Bing for this number and they do a wonderful job of singing along with Bing. "It's Been A Long, Long Time" also shines like pure gold when Bing performs this classic ballad; I predict that you'll enjoy "It's Been A Long, Long Time" very much.

"Alexander's Ragtime Band" has Al Jolson singing this duet with Bing; and together these two superb singers render this tune fresh, energetic and enjoyable every time you hear it! Al and Bing never sounded better! "In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening" sounds like a more recent recording by Bing, Jane Wyman with Four Hits And A Miss; and he sings this with his buddies in grand style.

In short, Bing Crosby fans will want this album--it's really very good. I will take off one star for the surface noise on the first several tracks and the slightly misleading title that claims this single CD is a "definitive" collection when a true "definitive" collection would have to include so much more. I also recommend this CD for fans of classic pop vocals.

Pretty Good Late Collection
Calling a single disc "definitive" with an entertainer as protean and prolific as Crosby is presumptuous if not misleading. I love Crosby's early work in the '30s, from the melodramatic ("Out of Nowhere") to the jazz and scat ("Shine"). None of that material is represented here. Also missing is his later sterling performance with Bob Scobey's jazz band, including his early, arguably best, version of "Mack the Knife." Nevertheless, this collection at least begins to represent the remarkable multicultural and stylistic diversity of a singer who, far more than the "modern ironical temperament" represented by the individualist Sinatra, sang for and of the "community." Still, the single disc "Bing's Gold Records," a chronological presentation of all 21 recording-breaking records, is the more representative, useful approach toward Crosby's versatility and singular appeal.

Bing Crosby, the crooner!
A very good disk, but you have to be a certain age to really appreiate it. Bing was the best for many years and this is a pleasant way to remember the old boy. It's well worth the money to bring back the memories. Some of you younguns could benefit by listening to the King. In Prescott, AZ have a good day.