When one thinks about Christmas and all of the songs and the artists who have recorded them, the one person who nearly everyone thinks about is Bing Crosby and “White Christmas”. He has even been called the Voice of Christmas.
And it’s hard not to agree with this fact. Although nearly every generation has a singer who is associated with Christmas. It could be Perry Como, who along with Crosby had a number of Christmas Special on broadcast TV during his life. Or Andy Williams, who along with his Brothers and another set of brothers, The Osmonds, enjoyed a run of Christmas shows on his variety show of the 1960’s.
But it’s still the songs of Bing Crosby that many remember hearing during the Christmas of their youth. It could be “White Christmas” which he first recorded in 1942 for the film “Holiday Inn”. But that wasn’t the only one. In 1943 he released “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”, which if not for the success of “White Christmas”, would be considered his classic Christmas Song. He also had a recording of “Silent Night” that reached the top of the charts as was a duet with the Andrew Sisters, “Jingle Bells” also in 1943.
Crosby also has had a few improbable Christmas pairings. One of his last recorded performance was the duet he recorded with David Bowie, “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy” for his 1977 Christmas Special. In 2012 there was an impossible duet, made possible by the wonders of modern technology, with him singing with Michael Bublé.
Bing Crosby was the biggest recording act of the 1930s and 1940s. Even though Billboard used a different method of charting, Crosby had separate charting singles in every calendar year between 1931 and 1954. He had 383 chart singles, including 41 Number 1 hits. Some of these were “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby” (1938), “I’ll Be Seeing You” and “Swinging on a Star” (Both 1943).
It’s his Christmas songs that is remembered and played. And will probably still be in a hundred years from now.