Bing Could Rock a Mike. I don't care what you say.

[breakwall]

I'll tell you my Bing story.
When I was a little kid, my mom and dad would pull out a special record, blow the dust off of it and put it on for me to listen to.

It was called How Lovely Is Christmas, a story sang and narrated by Bing. It told of a little boy in the Kentucky woods during the pioneer days and how he fell asleep and dreamed of larger than life characters visiting him for Christmas.

It's weird how sentimentality can have such a deep effect on us. After years of looking, I finally found a copy of it on CD on eBay and bought it. It's actually one of my most prized possessions and when I decorate my house with my modest tree and humble trimmings, I always put Bing on and listen to "An Axe An Apple and a Buckskin Jacket".

*needs tissue*

 

[Hooper_X]

bing played
politics.

I'm not sure what you meant by this. My point, however, was that Bing Crosby was--at that time--the king of the world. He was a mega-star of films, recordings, and radio shows. He didn't have to do anything for anyone. I appreciate that he did irrespective of his private prejudices.

 

[drown]

I'm not sure what you meant by this. My point, however, was that Bing Crosby was--at that time--the king of the world. He was a mega-star of films, recordings, and radio shows. He didn't have to do anything for anyone. I appreciate that he did irrespective of his private prejudices.

you're
on it.

bing was just another confused
idiot;
blessed with talent.

what talent!

entertainer continues to entertain.
wow.

 

[RoryN]

I can't agree with your estimation of a "glass half empty approach." The United States--the entire country not just Hollywood--existed in a state of Apartheid. Bing Crosby's having pressured Hollywood producers to include Louis Armstrong in some of this films and having conspicuously and respectfully greeted him at the front door shaking his hand had profound meaning to black people at that time, people like my parents. Ditto for Frank's open friendship with Sammy Davis Jr. There were parts of this country where it was illegal for a white man to so much shake a black man's hand. This may be difficult for you to grasp in 2005...

Not really, considering my father was a Tuskegee Airman.

I'm not big into throwing deceased / living public figures the "conditional racism" bone. Call it prejudice on my part. *shrug*

 

[breakwall]

Is it just me, or are heated arguments about Bing Crosby kind of...weird?

 

[RoryN]

Is it just me, or are heated arguments about Bing Crosby kind of...weird?

Actually, people have been having heated arguments about Bing for years. He's always been a hot topic of discussion - particularly the juxtaposition of his actions in front of and behind the camera.

I understand where Hooper is coming from, and there's truth in saying that, in media, having those public figures show token forms of acceptance counts for something. IMHO, though, it counts for very little...and there's a Catch 22 aspect of paying lip service to integration, even if the resulting symbolism can be seen as positive.

 

[Hooper_X]

Not really, considering my father was a Tuskegee Airman.

I'm not big into throwing deceased / living public figures the "conditional racism" bone. Call it prejudice on my part. *shrug*

I'm not inclined to use beatific perfection as the litmus test for whether or not I can appreciate an act of goodwill. Lincoln's reasons for freeing my ancestors from slavery were not entirely altruistic, neither were Henry Ford's reasons for paying my grand father $5 per day at a time when most people (black and white alike) didn't make $5 in a week, nor were Lyndon Johnson's for signing into law the voting rights act. None of those people were especially enamoured of black people, least of all Henry Ford. Yet, they all bucked the conventions of their times and upbringings in at least one instance of profound and lasting impact to the lives, liberties and pursuits of happiness of millions of African Americans. So, while Henry Ford was well known for his dislike of black folks and jews for that matter, I can still acknowledge the fact that he elevated my grand father from a southern share cropper to a northern home owner--rental property owner no less--and sent my mother to law school. ...but that's just me.

 

[foxinsox]

I don't know if he is throwing down harder on this version I have of "The Whiffenpoof Song" or in "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra/ Irish Lullaby".


ge-e-e-e-entleman songsters, off on a spree.....

The backing vocals are hair raising. Like a choir of angels.

I heart men who heart Bing

 

[GeorgeWBush]

I like his music it was all great i even liked the christmas song he did with bowie it sounded great.

And how many of you knew that Danny kaye was gay but he was still a good actor.

 

[foxinsox]

And how many of you knew that Danny kaye was gay but he was still a good actor.

I don't think being gay and being a good actor are mutally exclusive, though you prolly didn't mean it to come out that way

 

[GeorgeWBush]

I don't think being gay and being a good actor are mutally exclusive, though you prolly didn't mean it to come out that way

No i am gettimg sleepy i guess it is time to say good nite.

 

[RoryN]

I'm not inclined to use beatific perfection as the litmus test for whether or not I can appreciate an act of goodwill. Lincoln's reasons for freeing my ancestors from slavery were not entirely altruistic, neither were Henry Ford's reasons for paying my grand father $5 per day at a time when most people (black and white alike) didn't make $5 in a week, nor were Lyndon Johnson's for signing into law the voting rights act. None of those people were especially enamoured of black people, least of all Henry Ford. Yet, they all bucked the conventions of their times and upbringings in at least one instance of profound and lasting impact to the lives, liberties and pursuits of happiness of millions of African Americans. So, while Henry Ford was well known for his dislike of black folks and jews for that matter, I can still acknowledge the fact that he elevated my grand father from a southern share cropper to a northern home owner--rental property owner no less--and sent my mother to law school. ...but that's just me.

I agree wholeheartedly.

But, I'd acknowledge Henry Ford for those facts - and make sure I included his racist background (if it were pertinent to the discussion) in order to characterize him in full.

Saying "Bing Crosby broke barriers" without that context is misleading. I didn't happen to see any of it in your post about what he'd done in film to that effect. But maybe you mentioned it earlier.

 

[Hooper_X]

Saying "Bing Crosby broke barriers" without that context is misleading. I didn't happen to see any of it in your post about what he'd done in film to that effect. But maybe you mentioned it earlier.

I disagree with your basic premise that there was a racist context to Crosby's relationship with Armstrong. Even if I stipulated to the veracity of the article you cited, Der Bingle Technology by Steve Schoenherr--and I don't--I wouldn't necessarily agree with your conclusions. By the way, another article, Ambi‐diegetic Music in the Movies: The Crosby Duets in High Society claims that Crosby rarely invited anyone to his home. What I find most unbelievable isn't that Armstrong was never a guest at Bing's home, but the spurious claim that he died bitter about it. That seems wholly out of character for Louis Armstrong, especially when one considers the grace with which he dealt with much more overt and ubiquitous institutional racism of his day. What is of significance to me is that Crosby publicly admitted that his vocal stylings were based on Armstrong's playing, and that he used his clout get Louis Armstrong gigs in films for which he wouldn't otherwise have been considered. Crosby could have easily "pulled an Elvis" and just appropriated Armstrong's style, crowned himself the the King of Jazz and never acknowledged who his chief influence was. Pat Boone's entire career was based on shamelessly ripping off Little Richard, and he never so much as let Richard open for him. Crosby publicly revered Armstrong. You can see it when they appear on camera together, and you can hear it in the dozens of recordings they made together. Everything I've ever read about Crosby's relationship with Armstrong indicates that he treated him with a respect that he reserved for few others.

 

[Solid Muldoon]

I fucked him.

 

[RoryN]

What I find most unbelievable isn't that Armstrong was never a guest at Bing's home, but the spurious claim that he died bitter about it. That seems wholly out of character for Louis Armstrong, especially when one considers the grace with which he dealt with much more overt and ubiquitous institutional racism of his day.

Some would interpret that grace as him being an "Uncle Tom". (Hell, many people interpreted it that way. Many people who knew him well too, like Billie Holiday.)

I'm biased, because my father was not a fan of Armstrong's for that reason as well. I'm not apt to heap praise on someone like Crosby, who could say kind things about an Uncle Tom type of figure. For me, that puts his deeds in a context.

 

[LJ_Reloaded]

Not really, considering my father was a Tuskegee Airman.

I'm not big into throwing deceased / living public figures the "conditional racism" bone. Call it prejudice on my part. *shrug*

LOL!!! No way, really. You really did say this you pathetic fraud.

 

[Luk]

LOL!!! No way, really. You really did say this you pathetic fraud.

F R A U D​