Music Review: White Christmas by Bing Crosby

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: "White Christmas" and the fun second half

Cons: Slow start and the static

The Bottom Line:

Bing and "White Christmas"

Make disc worth getting alone

Fun second half helps

Christmas Songs from a Master

One Christmas, a friend and I got into an argument about whose Christmas releases were better, Bing Crosby or Johnny Mathis. I proposed that we each buy the recommended CD from the other's artist, and proceeded to buy White Christmas. The result? I got a fun addition to my collection.

Of course, I had heard of Bing Crosby before. Most people consider his version of "White Christmas" to be the definitive version. And it's hard to argue with that. Bing has a rich baritone, and listening to him croon the familiar lines will give you goose bumps. Bing is accompanied by an orchestra and a choir comes in after the first time through the song and sings with him.

And that's the thing that stands out most about the disc. The twelve songs here are dated. I don't have an original recording date (my copy just has a copyright date of 1998), but I would have to guess it was the late 40's or early 50's. Why do I say that? Because of the style. Almost all the tracks feature an orchestra and choir backing Bing. And let's face it, that's not today's style of background vocals. Still, if you can get past that, you've got some great tunes here.

My real problem with the disc is the layout. The first six songs are slow. And I do mean slow. Granted, I don't expect much else out of "Silent Night." And "White Christmas" and "I'll be Home for Christmas" work wonderfully well this way. But I'm used to an upbeat version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," and that song always irritates me. And I must ask, what is "Faith of Our Fathers" doing here? I've never heard it as a Christmas song before.

My biggest problem with "Adeste Fideles" isn't the speed. Or the fact that he starts in Latin before switching to English. It's the sound quality. Several of the tracks have static in the background, but it is the most obvious on this track and every time I hear it, it distracts me.

If you're looking for the more upbeat songs, skip right to the second half. Here, Bing sings with special guests. On three of the six tracks, he is joined by the Andrews Sisters, and for "Silver Bells" he is joined by Carole Richards. On these tracks, the choir takes a break, although the orchestra still does a great job of accompanying the singing.

The second half kicks off with a high energy version of "Jingle Bells." This has an infection swing version. Throw in the Andrews Sisters, and you can picture people listening to this one during World War II. And if they didn't, it sure feels like they would have.

Equally fun is "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town." It's slightly slower, but would certainly still lots of fun. They throw in some new phrases that make me smile, too.

The disc ends with two tracks I hadn't heard before. "Christmas in Killarney" is a fanciful description of a Christmas celebration in Ireland. It even sounds slightly like an Irish tune. Yes, the orchestra is still there, but they feature an Irish fiddle and what sound like bagpipes (which can be Irish, too) to help with the feeling.

Finally comes "Mele Kalikimaka." The Andrews Sisters join Bing on last time to wish us a Merry Christmas from Hawaii. Once again, the music sets the mood. It truly feels like a traditional Hawaiian song, complete with an ukulele bridge.

I realize the first part of my review sounds harsh. There are some good tracks in the first half. But there are a couple that annoy me. Fortunately, the second half is strong, fun, and unique. I'm sorry that Bing Crosby's White Christmas wasn't in my Christmas collection sooner. If you don't have it, get it this year. You'll enjoy it for years to come.

CD Length: 34:06

Tracks:

1. Silent Night

2. Adeste Fideles

3. White Christmas

4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

5. Faith of Our Fathers

6. I'll be Home for Christmas

7. Jingle Bells

8. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

9. Silver Bells

10. It's beginning to Look Like Christmas

11. Christmas in Killarney

12. Mele Kalilimaka (Merry Christmas)