| Le Bing: Song Hits of Paris | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1953 | |||
| Recorded | May 16, 1953 | |||
| Studio | Paris | |||
| Genre | Vocal | |||
| Length | 24:15 | |||
| Label | Decca | |||
| Bing Crosby chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Internet Museum | B link |
Le Bing is a 1953 album by Bing Crosby. It was Crosby's first studio album and was released by his longtime label, Decca Records. Le Bing is a concept album where all the songs are sung in French.
Crosby recorded the album in Paris on May 16, 1953, [1] during an extended visit to Europe that spring. He had filmed parts of the movie Little Boy Lost in France the previous year. [2] The orchestrations were by Paul Durand, a French arranger who also worked with Édith Piaf, among others.
"Embrasse-Moi Bien" and "Mademoiselle de Paris" were recorded separately in English at the May 16 session but weren't released on Le Bing. All 10 tracks were released by Sepia Records on the 2010 CD Through the Years: Volume Five (1953). In 2013, the entire album (including the two previously mentioned tracks sung in English) was re-issued on CD by Bing Crosby Enterprises and distributed by Universal Music as a 60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. [3] This contained many additional radio tracks with a French theme.
In 1958, after Crosby had left Decca, the label issued a compilation album titled Bing in Paris, subtitled "Bing Crosby Sings the French Hits." Unlike Le Bing, some songs on Bing in Paris are sung in English.
Billboard magazine called it "very nice," saying: "This set could move very well." [4]
Record producer, Ken Barnes, wrote: "According to the discographical information, this remarkable album was recorded in a single day. The orchestrations and conducting are uncredited (although it sounds like John Scott Trotter's work). Unfortunately, the string sound is a little thin and the intonation of the violins is somewhat insecure on one or two tracks - notably on 'Embrasse-moi bien'. But the same can never be said of Mr Crosby whose pitching is unerringly accurate throughout all eight titles. Of his French accent, Bing remarked at the time that any complaints should be sent 'to the back door of the United Nations'." [5]
All recordings made with Paul Durand Et Son Grand Orchestre.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mademoiselle de Paris" ("Mademoiselle from Paris") | Paul Durand, Henri Contet | 3:11 |
| 2. | "Embrasse-moi bien" ("Kiss Me Right") | André Grassi | 3:35 |
| 3. | "Mon Cœur est un Violon" ("My Heart is a Violin") | Maria Laparcerie | 2:58 |
| 4. | "La Vie en rose" ("Life in Pink") | Louiguy, Édith Piaf | 2:54 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "La Seine" ("The Seine") | Guy Lafarge, Flavien Monod | 2:38 |
| 2. | "Au bord de l'eau" ("At the Water's Edge") | Paul Durand, Henri Contet | 2:22 |
| 3. | "La Mer" ("The Sea") | Charles Trenet | 3:37 |
| 4. | "Tu ne peux pas te figurer" ("You Cannot Imagine") | Paul Misraki | 3:00 |
"White Christmas" is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. The song was written by Berlin for the 1942 musical film Holiday Inn. The composition won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 15th Academy Awards. Bing Crosby's record topped the Billboard chart for 11 weeks in 1942 and returned to the number one position again in December 1943 and 1944. His version would return to the top 40 a dozen times in subsequent years.
Some Fine Old Chestnuts was Bing Crosby's second studio album for Decca Records, recorded and released as a 10" LP in 1954.
Bing: A Musical Autobiography was Bing Crosby's fourth Decca vinyl LP, recorded and released in 1954.
Songs I Wish I Had Sung the First Time Around was Bing Crosby's fourth album for Decca and his fifth LP, recorded and originally released in 1956 on vinyl as Decca DL 8352.
Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings was Bing Crosby's sixth LP, his first album for Verve, recorded and released in a mono format in 1956.
New Tricks was Bing Crosby's eighth long-playing album and sixth vinyl LP for Decca Records, originally released in 1957 as number DL-8575.
That Travelin' Two-Beat is a duet album by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney recorded in 1964 and released on Capitol Records in 1965.
"I Love Paris" is a popular song written by Cole Porter and published in 1953. The song was introduced by Lilo in the role of La Mome in the musical Can-Can. A line in the song's lyrics inspired the title of the 1964 movie Paris When It Sizzles.
Seasons is a 1977 album by Bing Crosby which was issued by Polydor Records under catalogue No. 2442 151. It was the final studio album completed before Crosby's death on October 14, 1977; it was released posthumously, and was marketed with the tagline "The Closing Chapter". Crosby was backed by Pete Moore and his Orchestra and the Johnny Evans Singers. Moore also did all the arrangements for the album, which was recorded at CBS Studios, Whitfield Street, London on September 12,13 & 14 1977 - except for one song "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year" which was recorded at United Western Recorders, Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood on January 19, 1976. This song was also produced by Ken Barnes and arranged by Pete Moore.
A Couple of Song and Dance Men is a 1975 vinyl album made by Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby for United Artists. It was recorded with Pete Moore and his Orchestra, and the Johnny Evans Singers in July 1975 at the Music Centre, Wembley.
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 be released only one more time, in 1945's compilation album, Merry Christmas, before the song was re-recorded in 1947. 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.
After Bing Crosby's long-term Decca Records contract was up, he signed many short-term contracts with a wide variety of labels. These included many popular labels such as Reprise, RCA, Verve, Decca (again), United Artists, Capitol and more.
I Wish You a Merry Christmas is a long-playing vinyl album of Christmas themed songs recorded by Bing Crosby for his own company, Project Records, and issued by Warner Bros. (W-1484) in 1962.
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.
A Southern Memoir is a 1975 vinyl album recorded by Bing Crosby at his own expense at TTG Studios, Los Angeles, California in January 1975. He was accompanied by Paul Smith and his Orchestra. Crosby leased the tracks to the English branch of Decca following negotiations with producer Geoff Milne and the album was issued on Decca's London label.
At My Time of Life is a 1976 vinyl album recorded by Bing Crosby for United Artists, mostly at Chappells Studios in London in February 1975. He was accompanied by Pete Moore and his Orchestra.
Bingo Viejo is a 1975 vinyl album recorded by Bing Crosby at his own expense during two sessions in 1975 at United Recorders, Hollywood. "Viejo" means "old" in Spanish. He was accompanied by Paul Smith and his Orchestra. Crosby, who called the LP his "Mexican album," leased the tracks to the English branch of Decca following negotiations with producer Geoff Milne and the album was issued on Decca's London label.
Feels Good, Feels Right is a 1976 vinyl album recorded by Bing Crosby for Decca Records during four morning sessions in 1976 at Decca Studio No.3, Broadhurst Gardens, London. He was accompanied by Alan Cohen and his Orchestra. Cohen also did all the orchestral arrangements.
Bing Sings the Hits is a Decca Records album by Bing Crosby of hit songs from the early 1950s. It was issued as a 10-inch LP with catalog number DL 5520.
