Decca Presents Ballad for Americans Sung by Bing Crosby | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1940 | |||
Recorded | 1940 | |||
Genre | Popular, patriotic | |||
Label | Decca | |||
Bing Crosby chronology | ||||
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Ballad for Americans is a studio album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1940 featuring the popular "Ballad for Americans" sung by Crosby in an American-type patriotic style. In 1946, the two records in this album were put into a new album called What We So Proudly Hail . This was Crosby's first studio album that was not a reissue of earlier singles.
Crosby biographer Gary Giddins discussed the recording in his book Bing Crosby, A Pocketful of Dreams, The Early Years, 1903-1940:
"Bing Crosby came of age, musically speaking, in his last week’s album, Ballad for Americans," wrote New York Post critic Michael Levin. "This is the finest recorded performance Bing had done to date and shows that in the last few years he has gone beyond binging and has really learned how to sing." When he finished patronizing Bing, Levin chanced a risky comparison with Paul Robeson’s Victor set that undoubtedly gladdened the hearts of Kapp’s team: "For all of Robeson's magnificent voice, we prefer the Crosby version. The recording is better, the orchestration is better, and the chorus is better trained." [1]
These newly issued songs were featured on a 2-disc, 78 rpm album set, Decca Album No. A-134. [2] [3] "Ballad for Americans" was written by John Treville Latouche and Earl Robinson. Crosby's recordings were made on July 6, 1940, with the Ken Darby Singers and Victor Young's Decca Concert Orchestra. [4]
Disc 1 (3297): "Part One" (2:26) / "Part Four" (3:06)
Disc 2 (3298): "Part Two" (2:16) / "Part Three" (2:24)
Dixie Lee was an American actress, dancer, and singer. She was the first wife of singer Bing Crosby.
"Ballad for Americans" (1939), originally titled "The Ballad for Uncle Sam", is an American patriotic cantata with lyrics by John La Touche and music by Earl Robinson. It was written for the Federal Theatre Project production, Sing for Your Supper that opened on April 24, 1939. Congress abolished the project on June 30, 1939. The "Ballad of Uncle Sam" had been performed 60 times.
"I Wished on the Moon" is a song composed by Ralph Rainger, with lyrics by Dorothy Parker. Bing Crosby sang the song in The Big Broadcast of 1936.
For music from a year in the 1940s, go to 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49
Song Hits from Holiday Inn is a studio album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire released in July 1942 featuring songs presented in the American musical film Holiday Inn. These are the longer studio recorded versions of the songs presented in the film. For the songs that were actually in the film, see Holiday Inn (soundtrack). This album is not only notable because it is one of the greatest works of the highly regarded songwriter Irving Berlin, but it is only Crosby's third studio album. This was also the first release of Crosby's signature song "White Christmas" on shellac disc record. The 1942 version would only be released only one more time, in Merry Christmas in 1945 before the song was re-recorded and the later version became the standard.
This is a list of Bing Crosby songs he recorded twice or more during his career, excluding all of the 1954 re-recordings for Bing: A Musical Autobiography.
Christmas Music is a compilation album of phonograph records put together for the Christmas season by Decca Records in late 1940. The album features the most popular artists recording for Decca such as: Bing Crosby, Kenny Baker, Men About Town and Eddie Dunstedter. It features Bing Crosby's first commercial release of "Silent Night", the 1942 version of which went on to sell 30 million copies.
What So Proudly We Hail is a compilation album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1946 featuring songs that were sung by Crosby in an American-type patriotic style. This album featured Bing singing patriotic songs such as: "Ballad for Americans", "God Bless America" and "The Star-Spangled Banner". The songs were later presented in a 33 1/3 rpm split set with The Man Without a Country.
St. Patrick's Day is a compilation album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1947 featuring songs with an Irish theme. This includes one of Crosby's most-beloved songs, "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral" which was number four on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks, and topped the Australian charts for an entire month, on shellac disc record. This version, the 1945 re-recording, was released earlier in another Crosby album, Selections from Going My Way.
Star Dust is an album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1940 featuring songs that are sung sentimentally, being based upon the 1927 popular song "Star Dust". This album featured his 1939 Decca recording of the song, not the 1931 recording he made for Brunswick.
Selections from Road to Rio is a studio album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters released in 1948 featuring songs that were presented in the American comedy film Road to Rio.
Cowboy Songs is a compilation album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1939 featuring Western songs.
Victor Herbert Melodies, Vol. 1 is a studio album featuring five 78 rpm phonograph records recorded by artists Bing Crosby, Frances Langford, Florence George and Rudy Vallee celebrating the music of Victor Herbert. The recordings were made in December 1938 by Decca Records, who were probably aware that a film called The Great Victor Herbert was being made by Paramount Pictures. Victor Young and His Orchestra provided the musical accompaniment to all of the tracks. The album was followed by a sequel Victor Herbert Melodies, Vol. 2
Victor Herbert Melodies, Vol. 2 is a compilation album of phonograph records, recorded by Bing Crosby, Frances Langford, Florence George and Rudy Vallee celebrating the music of Victor Herbert. Most of the recordings were made in December 1938 by Decca Records, who were probably aware that a film called The Great Victor Herbert was being made by Paramount Pictures. An album titled Victor Herbert Melodies, Vol. 1 had been issued earlier in 1939. Victor Young and His Concert Orchestra provided the musical accompaniment to all of the tracks.
Patriotic Songs for Children is a compilation album of three 78rpm phonograph records. The recordings are all of American patriotic songs sung by Bing Crosby and Frank Luther.
Selections from The Bells of St. Mary's is a studio album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1946 featuring songs that were presented in the American musical comedy-drama film The Bells of St. Mary's.
The Happy Prince is a studio album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby and Orson Welles of the Oscar Wilde short story The Happy Prince.
Bing Crosby Sings the Song Hits from Broadway Shows is a Decca Records compilation 78rpm album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby featuring some of the hits from Broadway musicals.
Way Back Home is a Decca Records compilation 78rpm album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby featuring sentimental and homely songs.
'Bing and the Dixieland Bands is a Decca Records album by Bing Crosby featuring songs with a Dixieland flavour which was issued as a 10” LP with catalog No. DL5323 and as a 4-disc 78rpm box set (A-852) and as a 4-disc 45rpm set (9–232).