St. Patrick's Day (album)

Last updated
St. Patrick's Day
A-495 St. Patrick's Day.jpg
Compilation album by
Released1947 (original 78rpm album)
1949 (10" LP album)
1949 (45rpm album)
Recorded1940, 1945, 1946
Genre Popular, Irish
Length28:54 (original 78rpm release)
22:49 (10" LP release)
22:47 (45rpm release)
Label Decca
Bing Crosby chronology
Bing Crosby – Jerome Kern
(1946)
St. Patrick's Day
(1947)
Bing Crosby – Victor Herbert
(1947)

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, [1] on shellac disc record. This version, the 1945 re-recording, was released earlier in another Crosby album, Selections from Going My Way .

Contents

Reception

Billboard liked it:

Aiming at maximum holiday sales, this package of five platters brings together 10 Erin faves cut at varying times by Bing Crosby, getting vocal assist on some of the sides from the Jesters and the King's Men, while the music making belongs to Bob Haggart, Victor Young and John Scott Trotter. Der Bingle in good Erin form for each of the sides and song selections are tops ... Photo of the smiling Bing on the album cover, with notes on the singer and the songs in the accompanying booklet. [2]

Down Beat was not impressed however saying:

Bing's album, despite his usual graceful ease of interpretation, lacks his old fullness of voice. If Crosby is going to keep on making records with his evident sloppiness and lack of interest, it would be better if he would stop now and let his millions of fans remember him by his older and far better discs. [3]

The album quickly reached No. 3 in Billboard's best-selling popular record albums chart in March 1947 [4] and was still selling well the following year when it reached No. 1 in the same chart on 20 March 1948. It was 18th in the annual chart of top selling record albums for 1948. [5]

Original track listing

These previously issued songs were featured on a 5-disc, 78 rpm album set, Decca Album No. A-495. [6]

Side / TitleWriter(s) Recording datePerformed withTime
Disc 1 (23495):
A. "McNamara's Band"Shamus O'Connor and John J. StamfordDecember 6, 1945the Jesters, and Bob Haggart and His Orchestra2:40
B. "Dear Old Donegal"Steve GrahamDecember 6, 1945the Jesters, and Bob Haggart and His Orchestra2:35
Disc 2 (23786):
A. "Who Threw the Overalls in Mrs. Murphy's Chowder?"George L. GieferDecember 6, 1945the Jesters, and Bob Haggart and His Orchestra2:27
B. "It's the Same Old Shillelagh"Pat WhiteDecember 6, 1945the Jesters, and Bob Haggart and His Orchestra2:44
Disc 3 (23787):
A. "Did Your Mother Come From Ireland?"Jimmy Kennedy, Michael CarrDecember 9, 1940The King's Men and Victor Young and His Orchestra3:10
B. "Where the River Shannon Flows"James J. RussellDecember 9, 1940The King's Men and Victor Young and His Orchestra3:06
Disc 4 (23788):
A. "The Rose of Tralee"Charles W. Glover, E. Mordaunt SpencerJuly 17, 1945 John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra3:15
B. "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" Chauncey Olcott, George Graff Jr. May 7, 1946John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra2:52
Disc 5 (23789):
A. "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral" James Royce Shannon July 17, 1945John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra3:17
B. "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" Thomas P. Westendorf July 17, 1945John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra2:48

[7]

LP track listing

The 1949 10" LP album issue Decca DL 5037 consisted of eight songs on one 33 1/3 rpm record. It left out two of the songs, "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" and "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral". [8] The album reached the No. 3 spot in Billboard's album charts in March 1951. [4]

Side 1

  1. "McNamara's Band"
  2. "Dear Old Donegal"
  3. "Who Threw the Overalls in Mrs. Murphy's Chowder?"
  4. "It's the Same Old Shillelagh"

Side 2

  1. "Did Your Mother Come From Ireland?"
  2. "Where the River Shannon Flows"
  3. "The Rose of Tralee"
  4. "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" [8]

Other releases

In 1949, the album along with the LP, was released on a set of four 45 rpm records on Decca 9–49. This version left out the songs "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" and "The Rose of Tralee" Many of Crosby's Irish songs have been released on other newer albums, but no further incarnations of this album were produced.

Related Research Articles

<i>Merry Christmas</i> (Bing Crosby album) 1945 compilation album by Bing Crosby

Merry Christmas is a Christmas-themed compilation album by Bing Crosby that was released in 1945 on Decca Records. It has remained in print through the vinyl, CD, and downloadable file eras, currently as the disc and digital album White Christmas on MCA Records, a part of the Universal Music Group, and currently on vinyl as Merry Christmas on Geffen Records. It includes Crosby's signature song "White Christmas", the best-selling single of all time with estimated sales of over 50 million copies worldwide. The album was certified 4× Platinum by RIAA for selling over 4 million copies in United States. The original 1945 release and subsequent re-releases and re-packages spent a total of 39 weeks at no. 1 on the Billboard pop albums chart.

<i>Go West Young Man</i> (Bing Crosby album) 1950 compilation album by Bing Crosby The Andrews Sisters

Go West Young Man is a compilation album of songs on one 10" vinyl record by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters released in 1950 featuring songs that were sung by Crosby and the Sisters with a Western-type genre. This album is one of the first by Crosby to not be released on 78 rpm records before going straight to an LP or set of 45s. The album includes several songs which had already enjoyed Billboard chart success. “Along the Navajo Trail” reached the No. 2 position in 1945 and "One Hundred and Sixty Acres", "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" and "Quicksilver" also charted.

<i>Song Hits from Holiday Inn</i> 1942 studio album by Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire

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.

<i>Selections from Going My Way</i> 1945 studio album by Bing Crosby

Selections from Going My Way is a studio album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in late 1945 featuring songs that were presented in the American musical comedy-drama film Going My Way. This was the first release of one of Crosby's best songs throughout his career, "Swinging on a Star", on shellac disc record.

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.

<i>Auld Lang Syne</i> (Bing Crosby album) 1948 compilation album by Bing Crosby

Auld Lang Syne is a compilation album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1948 featuring songs that were sung by Crosby and also by Fred Waring and his Glee Club. The songs were later presented in 33 1/3 rpm and 45 rpm sets, respectively. This set featured many of Bing's great hits such as: Silver Threads Among the Gold and Now Is the Hour.

<i>Blue Skies</i> (Decca album) 1946 studio album by Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire and Irving Berlin

Blue Skies is a studio album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire released in 1946 featuring songs that were presented in the American musical film Blue Skies. Like Song Hits from Holiday Inn, the entire 78 rpm album would be composed of Irving Berlin songs written specifically for the film. This was the first release of one of Astaire's greatest songs, "Puttin' On the Ritz", on shellac disc record.

<i>Favorite Hawaiian Songs, Vol. One</i> 1946 album

Favorite Hawaiian Songs, Volume One is a compilation album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1946 featuring songs that were sung in a Hawaiian-type genre. This was the fourth Hawaiian-themed album release for Crosby.

<i>Favorite Hawaiian Songs, Vol. Two</i> 1946 album

Favorite Hawaiian Songs, Volume Two is a compilation album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1946 featuring songs that were sung in a Hawaiian-type genre. This was the fifth Hawaiian-themed album release for Crosby.

<i>Dont Fence Me In</i> (Decca album) 1946 compilation album by Bing Crosby,, The Andrews Sisters

Don't Fence Me In is a compilation album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters released in 1946 featuring Country and Western songs. This album contained the enormously popular record "Pistol Packin' Mama", which sold over a million copies and became the first number one hit on the then-new Juke Box Folk Song Records Chart that was later renamed the Hot Country Songs Chart.

<i>South Pacific</i> (Decca album) 1949 compilation album by Bing Crosby

South Pacific is a compilation album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Ella Fitzgerald and Evelyn Knight released in 1949 featuring songs from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, South Pacific. The album was placed 8th in Billboard's chart of best-selling popular record albums in July 1949.

<i>A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court</i> (album) 1949 studio album by Bing Crosby

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a studio album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby and other stars of the Paramount movie A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court featuring songs from the film. All of the songs were written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke.

<i>Selections from The Bells of St. Marys</i> 1946 studio album by Bing Crosby

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.

<i>The Emperor Waltz</i> (album) 1948 studio album by Bing Crosby

The Emperor Waltz is an album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby of songs featured in his film The Emperor Waltz.

<i>St. Valentines Day</i> (album) 1948 compilation album by Bing Crosby

St. Valentine's Day is a 1948 Decca Records compilation album of recordings by Bing Crosby.

<i>Christmas Greetings</i> (album) 1949 studio album by Bing Crosby

Christmas Greetings is a studio album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1949 featuring popular Christmas songs.

<i>Songs from Mr. Music</i> 1950 studio album by Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Dorothy Kirsten

Songs from Mr. Music is a Decca Records studio 78rpm album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters and Dorothy Kirsten of songs from the film Mr. Music.

<i>Bing Crosby Sings the Song Hits from Broadway Shows</i> 1948 compilation album by Bing Crosby, Trudy Erwin

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.

<i>Bing Crosby Sings Cole Porter Songs</i> 1949 compilation album by Bing Crosby

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.

<i>Way Back Home</i> (Bing Crosby album) 1951 compilation album by Bing Crosby

Way Back Home is a Decca Records compilation 78rpm album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby featuring sentimental and homely songs.

References

  1. "Song artist 4 – Bing Crosby".
  2. "Billboard". Billboard: 106. 8 March 1947.
  3. "Down Beat". Down Beat. 26 March 1947.
  4. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel. Joel Whitburn's Top LP's, 1945 – 1972. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 39.
  5. "Billboard". Billboard. 1 January 1949.
  6. "DECCA (USA) 78rpm numerical listing discography: 23500 – 24000".
  7. "A Bing Crosby Discography - part 1b: Commercial Recordings - The Decca Years" . Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Bing Crosby and the Jesters – St. Patrick's Day".