Bing Crosby’s Merry Christmas Album: The Legacy of ‘White Christmas’ Explored!

[@TorontoJon]

Any time I spot Bing Crosby's 'Merry Christmas' record albums at thrift stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army Thrift Stores, and Value Village), I scoop them up. I have a couple of the early Decca issued albums (the DL 8128 mono version as well as the DL 78128 stereo version) as well as two of the later MCA reissues (MCA-15024). I was lucky enough to find them in excellent, practically scratch-free condition (and I generally avoided any copies that were scratched or severely scratched). I think I have a 78 rpm record featuring Bing's 'White Christmas' song too, presumably the 1947 recording and not the 1942 recording, but I have to admit that I think I prefer the sound of the 1947 version anyway since it's the most familiar sound and arrangement. :)

[@ralphreinhardt6020]

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours Record-ology guy and Rain !! 🌲🧑‍🎄👍🌲

[@Recordology]

Merry Christmas to you too!

[@TorontoJon]

There is no doubt that Bing Crosby's 'Merry Christmas' is an iconic Christmas album. It's definitely one of my top five Christmas albums and probably is at the top of my Top Five list. Although, Nat King Cole's 'The Christmas Song' album and the 'Merry Christmas' album by Johnny Mathis are definitely in the running (as well as the 'Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer' soundtrack album; both the Decca version as well as the later MCA version). :)

[@khaz606]

Those 10" versions are from 1945, which contain the 1942 version. Here's a copy of notes on Discogs - Bing Crosby's original 1945 Christmas album, containing the classic 1942 recording of 'White Christmas'. The album was repackaged as a 10" vinyl record and a 45RPM box set at the dawn of the LP age, but by 1955 the set got replaced by the LP release Merry Christmas, which itself was frequently reissued across numerous audio formats, sometimes with different artwork and various titles, including White Christmas. This album is still in print. Several tracks from the 1945 album were omitted or re-recorded for the 1955 version, including 'White Christmas', whose 1942 master recording was worn out by the end of World War II, so the 1947 re-recording was used instead. This database entry is specifically for the 1945 release and its subsequent reissues, which can be told apart from the 1955 album by its format (as noted above), its packaging, and the inclusion of only eight Christmas songs. The first pressing did, however, include the songs 'Let's Start The New Year Right' and 'Danny Boy', but they were left off all subsequent pressings. Merry Christmas to you, yours and your viewers.

[@Recordology]

oooh awesome!

[@imatexan3]

I actually just got my grandparents original Bing Crosby- Merry Christmas album, the rainbow one. Album cover isn’t in the best shape and it sounds very staticky, but I love having it now. Also have that cassette.

[@gregsnarke610]

I love ❤️ that album 💿 Merry Christmas 🎁 album 💿

[@midchris]

Aw hell yeah i remember on a live stream u said u have so many different releases i love this album thank you for this

[@Recordology]

It’s a classic!

[@jasonadams371]

I have 3 copies of this album the 10" and the 1958 release with the silver and black Decca label and the 1960 release with the color line upgrade to the label I also had a 78 until about a year ago it unfortunately broke the 78 last Christmas

[@maiconvengrzennunesbusolog4864]

👏👏🎄🎄🧑‍🎄🙏

[@BrentFla]

Love this album. It makes me wonder if the Crosby estate receive any of the money from continued album sales and streaming or does it all go to the record companies. Merry Christmas everyone

[@Recordology]

Merry Christmas to you! They absolutely benefit from the official releases.

[@GeneSavage]

That "a new world of sound on DECCA" paper sleeve sure brings back memories of my parents' record collection from when I was growing up! (The ones I saw were likely from my mom's Bert Kaempfert albums.) I had NO idea about the Chesterfield's Bing Crosby pic!!! That's an incredible bit of trivia. That picture disc is an amazing find, too! BTS & Bing wasn't on my 2024 Crosby bingo card. 😄 Although it's been said, many times, many ways: merry Christmas to you!!!

[@Recordology]

Merry Christmas my friend! :)

[@markmarkofkane8167]

Thanks for the heads up! I just ordered the picture disc. I hope it's better than our somewhat battered record. I have my Dad's "original " album. It says Decca with the rainbow colors. I think he bought it in the early 70's. Unfortunately, it has some flaws. Some songs skips. They were not given perfect treatment. It's processed stereo. My dad was a fan of Bing, Como, Sinatra, etc. My father also had the 8-Track. It's long gone, though.

[@DarkMetalSpider-II]

I like how you call that pink cd a "cassette" single @19:41 , that was too funny Lol😁 but seriously though, I never knew I needed a Bing Crosby Merry Christmas picture disc, until you showed it! I got it in my cart, soon as my check hits, I'm 💯% def buying it!🤗 I really enjoyed watching your video, it was a lot of fun!

[@Recordology]

Did I really?!?! LOL thats funny - I was tired! Glad you are getting one, its really a fun disc.

[@DarkMetalSpider-II]

@Recordology yeah Lol🤭, I was like 'wait... what? what'd he say?', I went back a few seconds and I was like wait, oh that's so funny! yeah, I think my dad used to have Bing Crosby's Christmas album, back then, well I mean in the 70s, me as a small child then. but, the records I remember more listening to, was Glen Campbell's That Christmas Feeling, and dad's favorite all-time record (he had given me before he passed away about 6 years ago) Gene Autry sings Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I was really surprized not to see Gene Autry on your favorite Christmas albums. dad was more a Sinatra fan (as far as crooners go), so I never heard of Perry Como until I heard his version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" back in I think it was back in 2003, fell in love with his voice, and became an instant huge fan of Mr. Como! his Seasons Greetings Christmas album is one of my favorite albums of his! I'm fairly new to your channel, been watching alot of your back videos, and I'm def having alot of fun watching them! my record player that I play all my records on is a big, blue Califone school record player, I love it so much, and great sound too!

[@paultidwell7544]

Fun video, thanks for sharing. I pick these up at estate sales when I find them in good condition. I think my best copy right now is on MCA stereo.

[@Recordology]

Very nice!

[@paultidwell7544]

@@Recordology You inspired me to sort through my Christmas record collection and I forgot I had a sealed MCA version of this record. It's probably from the early 1980s.

[@markmarkofkane8167]

Oh, I'll add: I think they couldn't duplicate masters because they didn't use Recording tape yet. I think if it was on tape, they could have made more master disks for stampers. And, I also read somewhere that Bing was instrumental in using magnetic tape to record his Radio shows to broadcast later. I am not sure if my memory is accurate. But I have a book about the history of recording, from Edison to Records to analog tapes. It was published in the 70's I think .

[@Recordology]

That is correct.....also he invested in video tape!

[@scott-b.2161]

I have a japanese mca version of the album but the track listing is a bit different with a couple of different songs on it. Also there is a import cd i don't remember what it's called but it has the 1942 version of White Christmas on it by Bing.

[@allen-rp3gm]

Last year I found a stunning copy of the 10" version with the same cover art as your 78 set. I mean it was simply beautiful cover and disc both visually strong EX. I was so so pissed when I discovered a tiny pinhole scratch that caused a skip.

[@gregsnarke610]

Last year a friend of mine gave a Christmas 🎄 picture record with old blue eyes 👀 him self Frank Sinatra!

[@Recordology]

Awesome!

[@bluewheels3980]

I collect vinyls if it's something I really love. As a result I have very few but I mostly collect CDs because they're a lot more durable and as of right now at least they're much cheaper my question to you as someone who does not have this album in any form available yet is as far as the CD version that you showed is that in the inferior stereo version for your preferred Superior mono version? And what version is currently on Apple music?

[@Recordology]

Fake stereo fell out of favor by the early 70's so any release after that typically uses the good old mono.

[@bluewheels3980]

@Recordology one of the things I'm kicking myself for now as an adult is Iowa 16 when the first classic iPod came out with the big hard drive and at that point I was working full time after school and on weekends at a used CD and DVD store across the street from my apartment building so between thaat andd being an avid Columbia House and BMG kid I had a collection of probably no less than 400 CDs and I ripped all of them to my computer impromptu i got rid of them as soon as I bought the iPod for myself. Looking back, I'm so mad at myself for doing that. The only solace I have is that I still have all those music files backed up on various SSDs now

[@lizdoyle7158]

Bing crosby christmas song on you tube The secret of Christmas 🎁is as good as White Christmas 🎄its another gem from Bing 🎅🎅🎅🎅🎅

[@MuzikJunky]

How many post-2003 versions (ie, Geffen/UMe/Universal) versions of this album do you have? Peace.

[@georgeprice4212]

Ironically, I have yet to see a version on Geffen/UMe!

[@chriswitney6]

Hi, and thank you for this very informative Bing/Merry Christmas segment. I really enjoyed it. I'm a collector (in England), and I wanted to let you know there is a Merry Christmas missing from your collection, and it's the Jukebox 7inch Decca 331/3 mini Lp. I found it in a Junk shop over here many years ago though it is an American pressing. I would have added some pics but it doesn't seem to be possible. Any hoo, Merry Christmas to you. Kind regards. Chrissy.

[@Recordology]

That’s really interesting! Thank you for sharing. You can always email pictures to us. [e-mail].

[@ronaldweed6103]

Merry Christmas to you and yours. Love those vinyls.

[@danielarick2105]

Interesting history of " Holiday Inn ", the title of this movie was the inspiration behind the hotel chain. Two men were trying to come up with a suitable name for their new business, when this movie came along, True Story.

[@Recordology]

Amazing!

[@gregsnarke610]

Hey don’t forget about when Bing Crosby white Christmas 🎄👍

[@travingalloverthemap8375]

I know that there was a vinyl record but I think it was an unlicensed one that said White Christmas I seen it one time at a flea market or yard sale I never thought about buying it but now I wish I did. It did not have the official logos or anything it was just a plain looking record it has the same artwork as the other records too. With Bing Crosby on the front

[@Recordology]

Interesting!

[@edp9821]

Call me odd but I tended to enjoy the reprocessed stereo mixes of BCs Decca recordings over the mono ones.