Faith Of Our Fathers 7. 73 on Billboard's Hot 100 Airplay chart in January 1993. White Christmas, or, as the songwriter who instigated the project would have it, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, was the big holiday movie of 1954 (and, ultimately, the highest grossing picture released during that year). 5 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema. White Christmas, or, as the songwriter who instigated the project would have it, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, was the big holiday movie of 1954 (and, ultimately, the highest grossing picture released during that year). The song "White Christmas" is a classic. [97] In 1998 Martina McBride recorded it for her album White Christmas, charting twice, reaching No. Crosby is forced to sing "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep" alone (it was a duet with Clooney in the film), but manages. 2 on Billboard's Rhythm & Blues Records chart. 1 spot during the holiday seasons of 1945 and 1946 (on the chart dated January 4, 1947), thus becoming the only single with three separate runs at the top of the U.S. charts. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be … Check out White Christmas by Bing Crosby on Amazon Music. Crosby's "White Christmas" single has been credited with selling 50 million copies, the most by any release and therefore it is the biggest-selling single worldwide of all time. The new "Snow" and the inevitable title song, done as quartets by Crosby, Kaye, Lee, and Trudy Stevens (who replaced Wood on the recording), give the score its holiday flavor. [12] Ronald D. Lankford, Jr., wrote, "During the 1940s, 'White Christmas' would set the stage for a number of classic American holiday songs steeped in a misty longing for yesteryear." [103], Original song written and composed by Irving Berlin, 1942 single by Bing Crosby with Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra, 1942 78 single release of "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby on Decca Records, 18429 A, with Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra, Matrix # DLA 3009. I’ll Be Home For Christmas (If Only In My Dreams) 6. The recording became a chart perennial, reappearing annually on the pop chart twenty times before Billboard magazine created a distinct Christmas chart for seasonal releases. 70 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in January 1995. Typically for the time, this soundtrack album consists not of recordings taken directly from the film itself, but of studio recordings made separately. In Holiday Inn, the composition won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1942. 75 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1999, and No. Crosby's version of the song also holds the distinction of being ranked No. In 1942 alone, Crosby's recording spent eleven weeks on top of the Billboard charts. Web. 18 on Billboard's pop singles chart[84] as did Freddy Martin and his Orchestra (with Clyde Rogers on lead vocal) for RCA Victor, reaching No. [7], The sun is shining, the grass is green, Lee provides an interesting contrast. Composed by Irving Berlin, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is the best-selling Christmas song of all time and the best-selling single ever. Kaye is his usual zany self on the novelty tune "Choreography" and partners with Crosby well on a couple of medleys. It was covered by Bill Perry [1], Blue Seven, Tim McKee, The Overtones [GB] and other artists. Before 1942, Christmas songs and films had come out sporadically, and many were popular. "[14], The song initially performed poorly and was overshadowed by Holiday Inn's first hit song: "Be Careful, It's My Heart". It is included on A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records, sung by Darlene Love; on Barbra Streisand's A Christmas Album; on the Carpenters' Christmas Portrait, sung by Karen Carpenter; on Neil Diamond's The Christmas Album; on Bette Midler's Cool Yule; on Libera's Christmas Album; and on Crash Test Dummies' Jingle All the Way. [17] In the film, Crosby sings "White Christmas" as a duet with actress Marjorie Reynolds, though her voice was dubbed by Martha Mears. Their romantic interests, respectively, were Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen (her singing voice dubbed by Gloria Wood). Silent Night 2. [27] In 2002, the original 1942 version was one of 50 historically significant recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 5. [85], In 1944, Frank Sinatra with a backing orchestration under the direction of Axel Stordahl for Columbia, reached No. Holiday music from Broadway shows and Broadway stars. [89] In 1980, Darts's version peaked at No. [88], In 1949, The Ravens peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's weekly Christmas Singles chart. 23 on Billboard's pop singles chart; Como recorded a stereo version of the song in 1959. Eric Clapton - White Christmas (Performance Video) - YouTube The version most often heard today on the radio during the Christmas season is the 1947 re-recording. "Yule Laugh, Yule Cry: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Beloved Holiday Songs (With holiday cheer in the air, "No one dreamed of a 'White Christmas' before this song", "75 years after its premiere, Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas' still enthralls listeners", "Why Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas' Is the Best Holiday Song Ever", "RIAA News Room – The American Recording Industry Announces its Artists of the Century – Nov 10, 1999", "New song list puts 'Rainbow' way up high", "Bing Crosby Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)", Offiziellecharts.de – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 52/2018", Dutchcharts.nl – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", Portuguesecharts.com – Bing Crosby / John Scott Trotter Orchestra / The Ken Darby Singers – White Christmas", Swedishcharts.com – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", Swisscharts.com – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", "Bing Crosby Chart History (Adult Contemporary)", "Bing Crosby Chart History (Holiday 100)", Australian-charts.com – Michael Bublé & Shania Twain – White Christmas", Austriancharts.at – Michael Bublé – White Christmas", "Michael Buble Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)", "Michael Buble Chart History (Canada AC)", Offiziellecharts.de – Michael Bublé & Shania Twain – White Christmas", "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 52", Dutchcharts.nl – Michael Bublé & Shania Twain – White Christmas", Portuguesecharts.com – Michael Bublé – White Christmas", Swedishcharts.com – Michael Bublé & Shania Twain – White Christmas", Swisscharts.com – Michael Bublé & Shania Twain – White Christmas", "Michael Buble Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)", "Michael Buble Chart History (Adult Contemporary)", "Michael Buble Chart History (Holiday 100)", "Michael Buble Chart History (Holiday Digital Song Sales)", "Glee Cast Chart History (Holiday Digital Song Sales)", "Gwen Stefani Chart History (Holiday Digital Song Sales)", "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Adult Contemporary)", "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)", "Danish single certifications – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998", "The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed", "British single certifications – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", "Italian single certifications – Michael Buble – White Christmas", "British single certifications – Michael Buble & Shania Twain – White Christmas", "ASCAP Announces Top 25 Holiday Songs of the Decade", "Jubilee! 20 on Billboard's pop singles chart (and again in December 1945, reaching No. The price is much lower and it is not a cd-r copy. ), According to Crosby's nephew, Howard Crosby, "I once asked Uncle Bing about the most difficult thing he ever had to do during his entertainment career… He said in December, 1944, he was in a USO show with Bob Hope and the Andrews Sisters. [94], Andy Williams recorded the song for Columbia in 1963 on The Andy Williams Christmas Album, where it reached No. "[7], The first public performance of the song was by Bing Crosby, on his NBC radio show The Kraft Music Hall on Christmas Day, 1941, a few weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Armed Forces Network was flooded with requests for the song. September 26, 2016. Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com. "Crosby, Bing." 9 on Billboard's Rhythm & Blues Records chart in January 1949 on National Records. This is my favorite Christmas song, especially when it's played in this version. 16 on Billboard magazine's pop singles chart in 1942[83] and Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra (with Garry Stevens on lead vocal) released a version for Columbia Records that reached No. It returned to the same chart in the next two years. 98. The recording is noted for Crosby's whistling during the second chorus.[9]. But Clooney, who coaxed her retired sister Betty Clooney back to duet with her on the witty "Sisters," has it all over the double-tracked Lee, whose version has none of the humor of the Clooney Sisters' rendition, and doesn't even make much sense. There has been confusion and debate on whether Crosby's record is the best-selling single, due to a lack of information on sales of "White Christmas," because Crosby's recording was released before the advent of the modern-day US and UK singles charts. 16). [citation needed], Michael Bolton performed it on his 1992 non-holiday album, Timeless: The Classics, where it peaked at No. Although Rosemary Clooney had a major part in the famous film White Christmas back in … [100] Despite not being released as a single, Marco Mengoni's version, released on the compilation album X Factor – The Christmas Album, charted at No. This song by Irving Berlin as sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time — somewhere in the vicinity of 50 million copies. [9] The song would feature in another Crosby film, the 1954 musical White Christmas, which became the highest-grossing film of 1954. Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful) 3. Not so typically, there has been a major substitution in the cast. [90], In 1952, Mantovani and his orchestra reached No. With Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen. The Guinness Book of World Records 2009 Edition lists the song as a 100-million seller, encompassing all versions of the song, including albums. The song was written by Berlin for the musical film Holiday Inn, released in 1942. [1] When the figures for other versions of the song are added to Crosby's, sales of the song exceed 100 million. [13] Dave Marsh and Steve Propes wrote, "'White Christmas' changed Christmas music forever, both by revealing the huge potential market for Christmas songs and by establishing the themes of home and nostalgia that would run through Christmas music evermore. 62 on the same chart in 2000[98], Bette Midler's version, released on her non-holiday album, Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook, reached No. The big difference was that Bing Crosby, again leading the cast, was paired not with Fred Astaire, but with Danny Kaye. [9] It has often been noted that the mix of melancholy—"just like the ones I used to know"—with comforting images of home—"where the treetops glisten"—resonated especially strongly with listeners during World War II. [5][9] At first, Crosby did not see anything special about the song. If all the versions of the song are put together, the figure rises to 100 million. The orange and palm trees sway. Doo Wop Christmas Songs. [4][5] Crosby's holiday collection Merry Christmas was first released as an LP in 1949, and has never been out of print since. It was certainly a familiar entertainment, distinctly reminiscent of Holiday Inn (1942), with which it shared not only that setting at an inn in New England and the song "White Christmas," but also a full song score by Berlin combining newly written numbers and old standards. 6)[86] Jo Stafford reaching No. Re-released by Decca, the single returned to the No. "White Christmas" is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. 48 on the UK singles chart. [89] while Ernest Tubb, with female backing vocals by The Troubadettes on Decca, peaked at No. Sung by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and chorus. However, "the popular culture industry had not viewed the themes of home and hearth, centered on the Christmas holiday, as a unique market" until after the success of "White Christmas" and the film where it appeared, Holiday Inn. [96] Garth Brooks version included on his first holiday album, Beyond the Season, peaked at No. C F C F G G Gb F I'm dreaming of a white Christmas F G C G With every Christmas card I write, C C7 F Fm7 "May your days be merry and bright C G C G7 C And may all your Christmases be white." Grove Music Online. These are the formats and track listings of single releases of "White Christmas". Watch the video for White Christmas from The Drifters's Definitive Soul: The Drifters for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Since its release, "White Christmas" has been covered by multiple artists, with the version sung by Bing Crosby being the world's best-selling single with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide. But when I did ‘White Christmas’ he came to life and said ‘Irving, you won’t have to worry about that one.’ " "We didn’t even think ‘White Christmas’ was the big song of the picture,” Berlin told Earl Wilson (December 12, 1953).“We started exploiting ‘Be Careful It’s My Heart,’ which was the Valentine song. The original version also hit number one on the Harlem Hit Parade for three weeks,[15] The song also topped the following weekly charts in the same year: Songs with Most Radio Plugs, National record sales, and National sheet music sales. He subsequently recorded the song with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers and for Decca Recordsin 18 minutes on May 29, 1942, and it was released on … White Christmas is a 1954 American musical film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen.Filmed in Technicolor, it features the songs of Irving Berlin, including a new version of the title song, "White Christmas", introduced by Crosby in the 1942 film Holiday Inn.. Jingle Bells 8. The music and lyrics for White Christmas were written by Irving Berlin in 1942 and originally featured in the movie Holiday Inn starring Bing Crosby. But it turns out America's favorite Christmas carol has a pretty sad back story. [6] He often stayed up all night writing. The songs of the 20th century's most-successful composer. They did an outdoor show in northern France… he had to stand there and sing 'White Christmas' with 100,000 G.I.s in tears without breaking down himself. There's never been such a day Tons of versions of classic holiday pop standards. Todd Decker. Crosby re-recorded the track on March 19, 1947, accompanied again by the Trotter Orchestra and the Darby Singers, with every effort made to reproduce the original recording session. "White Christmas" is the most-recorded Christmas song; there have been more than 500 recorded versions of the song, in several different languages. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (1963) Written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry Published by Mother Bertha Music, Inc. administered by ABKCO Music, Inc., Universal-Songs of PolyGram Int., Inc. o/b/o Steeplechase Music and Malt Shoppe Music and Trio Music Company Performed by Darlene Love Courtesy of Phil Spector Records, Inc. Oxford University Press. It remained in that position until well into the new year. 2 on the "Songs of the Century" list, behind only Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow," as voted by members of the RIAA. 16 on the Portuguese Singles Chart. The Irving Berlin Songbook. But it's December the twenty-fourth,— Silver Bells The Christmas SongJingle Bells Silent Night, Holy Night God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow I'll Be Home For Christmas Adeste Fideles White Christmas Joy to the World The First Noel Good King Wenceslas Away In a Manger Deck the Halls O Little Town of Bethlehem Silver Bells [9] By the end of October 1942, "White Christmas" topped the Your Hit Parade chart. 23 on Billboard's pop singles chart[85] while The Drifters showcased the talents of lead singer Clyde McPhatter and the bass vocals of Bill Pinkney in 1954, peaking at No. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town 9. 9 on Billboard's pop singles chart in 1946, with backing vocals by the Lyn Murray Singers and backing orchestration by Paul Weston for Capitol. He just said "I don't think we have any problems with that one, Irving. 21 on Billboard's pop singles chart the same year[87] while Perry Como, with backing orchestration by Lloyd Shaffer, recorded the song for RCA Victor in 1947 and reached No. Christmas Standards. Sung by Bing Crosby. 1. The 1942 master was damaged due to frequent use. [82] The following have received some charting success. Holiday on Broadway. [5] One story is that he wrote it in 1940, in warm La Quinta, California, while staying at the La Quinta Hotel, a frequent Hollywood retreat also favored by writer-director-producer Frank Capra, although the Arizona Biltmore also claims the song was written there. White Christmas 4. In 1999, National Public Radio included it in the "NPR 100", which sought to compile the one hundred most important American musical works of the 20th century. in Beverly Hills, L.A. In the script as originally conceived, Reynolds, not Crosby, would sing the song. (uncredited) Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin. If you’re looking for … [102], In 2020, a version by Meghan Trainor, featuring Seth MacFarlane, went to No. [16] Crosby's first-ever appearance on the black-oriented chart. [5] He subsequently recorded the song with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers and for Decca Records in 18 minutes on May 29, 1942, and it was released on July 30 as part of an album of six 78-rpm discs from the musical film Holiday Inn. In 2004, it ranked No. For example, her "Love You Didn't Do Right by Me" has much more of a blues feel than Clooney's. And I am longing to be up North—[30], ^shipments figures based on certification alonesales+streaming figures based on certification alone, sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. The legal album also includes two more complete albums: "A Christmas Songbook" by The Living Voices and "The Spirit Of Christmas" by The Living Strings. Reprised at the end of the film. Of course, a lot of those boys were killed in the Battle of the Bulge a few days later."[18]. [84] Eddy Howard and his Orchestra released a version on the Majestic label that reached No. A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general. [7] The re-recording is recognizable by the addition of flutes and celesta in the beginning. Oxford Music Online. The song White Christmas was written by Irving Berlin and was first recorded and released by Bing Crosby with Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra in 1942. What’s the Christmas season without a little doo wop of a popular standard? INSTRUMENTAL C F C F G G Gb F I'm dreaming of a white Christmas F G C G Just like the ones I used to know. General Waverly's Columbia Inn in fictional Pine Tree, Vermont, made it's debut a decade before, in Holiday Inn. 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Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be … Check out White Christmas by Bing Crosby on Amazon Music. Crosby's "White Christmas" single has been credited with selling 50 million copies, the most by any release and therefore it is the biggest-selling single worldwide of all time. The new "Snow" and the inevitable title song, done as quartets by Crosby, Kaye, Lee, and Trudy Stevens (who replaced Wood on the recording), give the score its holiday flavor. [12] Ronald D. Lankford, Jr., wrote, "During the 1940s, 'White Christmas' would set the stage for a number of classic American holiday songs steeped in a misty longing for yesteryear." [103], Original song written and composed by Irving Berlin, 1942 single by Bing Crosby with Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra, 1942 78 single release of "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby on Decca Records, 18429 A, with Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra, Matrix # DLA 3009. I’ll Be Home For Christmas (If Only In My Dreams) 6. The recording became a chart perennial, reappearing annually on the pop chart twenty times before Billboard magazine created a distinct Christmas chart for seasonal releases. 70 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in January 1995. Typically for the time, this soundtrack album consists not of recordings taken directly from the film itself, but of studio recordings made separately. In Holiday Inn, the composition won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1942. 75 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1999, and No. Crosby's version of the song also holds the distinction of being ranked No. In 1942 alone, Crosby's recording spent eleven weeks on top of the Billboard charts. Web. 18 on Billboard's pop singles chart[84] as did Freddy Martin and his Orchestra (with Clyde Rogers on lead vocal) for RCA Victor, reaching No. [7], The sun is shining, the grass is green, Lee provides an interesting contrast. Composed by Irving Berlin, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is the best-selling Christmas song of all time and the best-selling single ever. Kaye is his usual zany self on the novelty tune "Choreography" and partners with Crosby well on a couple of medleys. It was covered by Bill Perry [1], Blue Seven, Tim McKee, The Overtones [GB] and other artists. Before 1942, Christmas songs and films had come out sporadically, and many were popular. "[14], The song initially performed poorly and was overshadowed by Holiday Inn's first hit song: "Be Careful, It's My Heart". It is included on A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records, sung by Darlene Love; on Barbra Streisand's A Christmas Album; on the Carpenters' Christmas Portrait, sung by Karen Carpenter; on Neil Diamond's The Christmas Album; on Bette Midler's Cool Yule; on Libera's Christmas Album; and on Crash Test Dummies' Jingle All the Way. [17] In the film, Crosby sings "White Christmas" as a duet with actress Marjorie Reynolds, though her voice was dubbed by Martha Mears. Their romantic interests, respectively, were Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen (her singing voice dubbed by Gloria Wood). Silent Night 2. [27] In 2002, the original 1942 version was one of 50 historically significant recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 5. [85], In 1944, Frank Sinatra with a backing orchestration under the direction of Axel Stordahl for Columbia, reached No. Holiday music from Broadway shows and Broadway stars. [89] In 1980, Darts's version peaked at No. [88], In 1949, The Ravens peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's weekly Christmas Singles chart. 23 on Billboard's pop singles chart; Como recorded a stereo version of the song in 1959. Eric Clapton - White Christmas (Performance Video) - YouTube The version most often heard today on the radio during the Christmas season is the 1947 re-recording. "Yule Laugh, Yule Cry: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Beloved Holiday Songs (With holiday cheer in the air, "No one dreamed of a 'White Christmas' before this song", "75 years after its premiere, Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas' still enthralls listeners", "Why Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas' Is the Best Holiday Song Ever", "RIAA News Room – The American Recording Industry Announces its Artists of the Century – Nov 10, 1999", "New song list puts 'Rainbow' way up high", "Bing Crosby Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)", Offiziellecharts.de – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 52/2018", Dutchcharts.nl – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", Portuguesecharts.com – Bing Crosby / John Scott Trotter Orchestra / The Ken Darby Singers – White Christmas", Swedishcharts.com – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", Swisscharts.com – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", "Bing Crosby Chart History (Adult Contemporary)", "Bing Crosby Chart History (Holiday 100)", Australian-charts.com – Michael Bublé & Shania Twain – White Christmas", Austriancharts.at – Michael Bublé – White Christmas", "Michael Buble Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)", "Michael Buble Chart History (Canada AC)", Offiziellecharts.de – Michael Bublé & Shania Twain – White Christmas", "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 52", Dutchcharts.nl – Michael Bublé & Shania Twain – White Christmas", Portuguesecharts.com – Michael Bublé – White Christmas", Swedishcharts.com – Michael Bublé & Shania Twain – White Christmas", Swisscharts.com – Michael Bublé & Shania Twain – White Christmas", "Michael Buble Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)", "Michael Buble Chart History (Adult Contemporary)", "Michael Buble Chart History (Holiday 100)", "Michael Buble Chart History (Holiday Digital Song Sales)", "Glee Cast Chart History (Holiday Digital Song Sales)", "Gwen Stefani Chart History (Holiday Digital Song Sales)", "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Adult Contemporary)", "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)", "Danish single certifications – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998", "The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed", "British single certifications – Bing Crosby – White Christmas", "Italian single certifications – Michael Buble – White Christmas", "British single certifications – Michael Buble & Shania Twain – White Christmas", "ASCAP Announces Top 25 Holiday Songs of the Decade", "Jubilee! 20 on Billboard's pop singles chart (and again in December 1945, reaching No. The price is much lower and it is not a cd-r copy. ), According to Crosby's nephew, Howard Crosby, "I once asked Uncle Bing about the most difficult thing he ever had to do during his entertainment career… He said in December, 1944, he was in a USO show with Bob Hope and the Andrews Sisters. [94], Andy Williams recorded the song for Columbia in 1963 on The Andy Williams Christmas Album, where it reached No. "[7], The first public performance of the song was by Bing Crosby, on his NBC radio show The Kraft Music Hall on Christmas Day, 1941, a few weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Armed Forces Network was flooded with requests for the song. September 26, 2016. Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com. "Crosby, Bing." 9 on Billboard's Rhythm & Blues Records chart in January 1949 on National Records. This is my favorite Christmas song, especially when it's played in this version. 16 on Billboard magazine's pop singles chart in 1942[83] and Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra (with Garry Stevens on lead vocal) released a version for Columbia Records that reached No. It returned to the same chart in the next two years. 98. The recording is noted for Crosby's whistling during the second chorus.[9]. But Clooney, who coaxed her retired sister Betty Clooney back to duet with her on the witty "Sisters," has it all over the double-tracked Lee, whose version has none of the humor of the Clooney Sisters' rendition, and doesn't even make much sense. There has been confusion and debate on whether Crosby's record is the best-selling single, due to a lack of information on sales of "White Christmas," because Crosby's recording was released before the advent of the modern-day US and UK singles charts. 16). [citation needed], Michael Bolton performed it on his 1992 non-holiday album, Timeless: The Classics, where it peaked at No. Although Rosemary Clooney had a major part in the famous film White Christmas back in … [100] Despite not being released as a single, Marco Mengoni's version, released on the compilation album X Factor – The Christmas Album, charted at No. This song by Irving Berlin as sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time — somewhere in the vicinity of 50 million copies. [9] The song would feature in another Crosby film, the 1954 musical White Christmas, which became the highest-grossing film of 1954. Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful) 3. Not so typically, there has been a major substitution in the cast. [90], In 1952, Mantovani and his orchestra reached No. With Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen. The Guinness Book of World Records 2009 Edition lists the song as a 100-million seller, encompassing all versions of the song, including albums. The song was written by Berlin for the musical film Holiday Inn, released in 1942. [1] When the figures for other versions of the song are added to Crosby's, sales of the song exceed 100 million. [13] Dave Marsh and Steve Propes wrote, "'White Christmas' changed Christmas music forever, both by revealing the huge potential market for Christmas songs and by establishing the themes of home and nostalgia that would run through Christmas music evermore. 62 on the same chart in 2000[98], Bette Midler's version, released on her non-holiday album, Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook, reached No. The big difference was that Bing Crosby, again leading the cast, was paired not with Fred Astaire, but with Danny Kaye. [9] It has often been noted that the mix of melancholy—"just like the ones I used to know"—with comforting images of home—"where the treetops glisten"—resonated especially strongly with listeners during World War II. [5][9] At first, Crosby did not see anything special about the song. If all the versions of the song are put together, the figure rises to 100 million. The orange and palm trees sway. Doo Wop Christmas Songs. [4][5] Crosby's holiday collection Merry Christmas was first released as an LP in 1949, and has never been out of print since. It was certainly a familiar entertainment, distinctly reminiscent of Holiday Inn (1942), with which it shared not only that setting at an inn in New England and the song "White Christmas," but also a full song score by Berlin combining newly written numbers and old standards. 6)[86] Jo Stafford reaching No. Re-released by Decca, the single returned to the No. "White Christmas" is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. 48 on the UK singles chart. [89] while Ernest Tubb, with female backing vocals by The Troubadettes on Decca, peaked at No. Sung by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and chorus. However, "the popular culture industry had not viewed the themes of home and hearth, centered on the Christmas holiday, as a unique market" until after the success of "White Christmas" and the film where it appeared, Holiday Inn. [96] Garth Brooks version included on his first holiday album, Beyond the Season, peaked at No. C F C F G G Gb F I'm dreaming of a white Christmas F G C G With every Christmas card I write, C C7 F Fm7 "May your days be merry and bright C G C G7 C And may all your Christmases be white." Grove Music Online. These are the formats and track listings of single releases of "White Christmas". Watch the video for White Christmas from The Drifters's Definitive Soul: The Drifters for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Since its release, "White Christmas" has been covered by multiple artists, with the version sung by Bing Crosby being the world's best-selling single with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide. But when I did ‘White Christmas’ he came to life and said ‘Irving, you won’t have to worry about that one.’ " "We didn’t even think ‘White Christmas’ was the big song of the picture,” Berlin told Earl Wilson (December 12, 1953).“We started exploiting ‘Be Careful It’s My Heart,’ which was the Valentine song. The original version also hit number one on the Harlem Hit Parade for three weeks,[15] The song also topped the following weekly charts in the same year: Songs with Most Radio Plugs, National record sales, and National sheet music sales. He subsequently recorded the song with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers and for Decca Recordsin 18 minutes on May 29, 1942, and it was released on … White Christmas is a 1954 American musical film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen.Filmed in Technicolor, it features the songs of Irving Berlin, including a new version of the title song, "White Christmas", introduced by Crosby in the 1942 film Holiday Inn.. Jingle Bells 8. The music and lyrics for White Christmas were written by Irving Berlin in 1942 and originally featured in the movie Holiday Inn starring Bing Crosby. But it turns out America's favorite Christmas carol has a pretty sad back story. [6] He often stayed up all night writing. The songs of the 20th century's most-successful composer. They did an outdoor show in northern France… he had to stand there and sing 'White Christmas' with 100,000 G.I.s in tears without breaking down himself. There's never been such a day Tons of versions of classic holiday pop standards. Todd Decker. Crosby re-recorded the track on March 19, 1947, accompanied again by the Trotter Orchestra and the Darby Singers, with every effort made to reproduce the original recording session. "White Christmas" is the most-recorded Christmas song; there have been more than 500 recorded versions of the song, in several different languages. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (1963) Written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry Published by Mother Bertha Music, Inc. administered by ABKCO Music, Inc., Universal-Songs of PolyGram Int., Inc. o/b/o Steeplechase Music and Malt Shoppe Music and Trio Music Company Performed by Darlene Love Courtesy of Phil Spector Records, Inc. Oxford University Press. It remained in that position until well into the new year. 2 on the "Songs of the Century" list, behind only Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow," as voted by members of the RIAA. 16 on the Portuguese Singles Chart. The Irving Berlin Songbook. But it's December the twenty-fourth,— Silver Bells The Christmas SongJingle Bells Silent Night, Holy Night God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow I'll Be Home For Christmas Adeste Fideles White Christmas Joy to the World The First Noel Good King Wenceslas Away In a Manger Deck the Halls O Little Town of Bethlehem Silver Bells [9] By the end of October 1942, "White Christmas" topped the Your Hit Parade chart. 23 on Billboard's pop singles chart[85] while The Drifters showcased the talents of lead singer Clyde McPhatter and the bass vocals of Bill Pinkney in 1954, peaking at No. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town 9. 9 on Billboard's pop singles chart in 1946, with backing vocals by the Lyn Murray Singers and backing orchestration by Paul Weston for Capitol. He just said "I don't think we have any problems with that one, Irving. 21 on Billboard's pop singles chart the same year[87] while Perry Como, with backing orchestration by Lloyd Shaffer, recorded the song for RCA Victor in 1947 and reached No. Christmas Standards. Sung by Bing Crosby. 1. The 1942 master was damaged due to frequent use. [82] The following have received some charting success. Holiday on Broadway. [5] One story is that he wrote it in 1940, in warm La Quinta, California, while staying at the La Quinta Hotel, a frequent Hollywood retreat also favored by writer-director-producer Frank Capra, although the Arizona Biltmore also claims the song was written there. White Christmas 4. In 1999, National Public Radio included it in the "NPR 100", which sought to compile the one hundred most important American musical works of the 20th century. in Beverly Hills, L.A. In the script as originally conceived, Reynolds, not Crosby, would sing the song. (uncredited) Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin. If you’re looking for … [102], In 2020, a version by Meghan Trainor, featuring Seth MacFarlane, went to No. [16] Crosby's first-ever appearance on the black-oriented chart. [5] He subsequently recorded the song with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers and for Decca Records in 18 minutes on May 29, 1942, and it was released on July 30 as part of an album of six 78-rpm discs from the musical film Holiday Inn. In 2004, it ranked No. For example, her "Love You Didn't Do Right by Me" has much more of a blues feel than Clooney's. And I am longing to be up North—[30], ^shipments figures based on certification alonesales+streaming figures based on certification alone, sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. The legal album also includes two more complete albums: "A Christmas Songbook" by The Living Voices and "The Spirit Of Christmas" by The Living Strings. Reprised at the end of the film. Of course, a lot of those boys were killed in the Battle of the Bulge a few days later."[18]. [84] Eddy Howard and his Orchestra released a version on the Majestic label that reached No. A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general. [7] The re-recording is recognizable by the addition of flutes and celesta in the beginning. Oxford Music Online. The song White Christmas was written by Irving Berlin and was first recorded and released by Bing Crosby with Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra in 1942. What’s the Christmas season without a little doo wop of a popular standard? INSTRUMENTAL C F C F G G Gb F I'm dreaming of a white Christmas F G C G Just like the ones I used to know. General Waverly's Columbia Inn in fictional Pine Tree, Vermont, made it's debut a decade before, in Holiday Inn. 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