Posted on 12/10/2017 4:36:14 PM PST by Twotone
Welcome to the first of our December celebrations of the big hits from the Christmas songbook.
We start with one of the most beloved seasonal numbers, which celebrates its 75th birthday this holiday season: In December 1942, the Number One hit on the Billboard chart was the very first record of this song by Bing Crosby. This special Song of the Week audio edition includes rare material from the Steyn archive and a special live performance of "White Christmas". Mark visits the home of Mary Ellin Barrett, daughter of the man who gave us "God Bless America", "Blue Skies", "Easter Parade" and many more. (That's Mary Ellin with her father at right.) Mark and Mary Ellin gather round Irving Berlin's old piano, the one with the special lever that enabled him to change key while still playing in F sharp. Mary Ellin recalls childhood Christmases in the Berlin household and the mistake her mother found in the verse of "White Christmas", as well as the tragic events of Christmas Day 1928 and the long shadow they cast over the Berlin family. And we'll hear how Irving Berlin's great song sounds on his very own keyboard.
All that plus vintage Bing, a wartime warbling by the composer himself, other Berlin songs including the heart-rending "When I Lost You" - and a special live performance by Monique Fauteux, one of the great treasures of Québec music, who last joined Mark for their bilingual rendition of "Roses Of Picardy".
To listen to this Song of the Week audio edition, simply click the link above.
(Excerpt) Read more at steynonline.com ...
Mark is a hoot
My two favorites: “Do You Hear What I Hear” by Bing Crosby and “Little Drummer Boy” by the Harry Simone Chorale.
/s
Mark Is more American than most Americans
Thanks very much.
L
The audio is well worth listening to.
Maybe not entirely...wasn't "White Christmas" written by Irving Berlin?
I love Mark Steyn. It’s obvious he’d much rather have been a singer. His voice is not bad but he doesn’t have much range. He sings anyway. Sweet.
bookmark
Irving Berlin certainly wasn’t a kneeler.
God bless these old timer’s, in Heaven.
Bring us back to those virtues and values, please.
Range Shmange I have a voice like goose farts on a foggy morning :)
Mine isn’t that bad, but like Mark I have only a middling range. And I wish I could sing! What was the joke about Katherine Hepburn...? “She has a range from A to B!” Yea, something like that.
Yes...THOSE virtues :-)
my old man said never be ashamed of your voice
Christmas Gift
Love that silliness
Thank you so very much for posting this.
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