Bing Crosby

In 1950, Bing Crosby ranked as the top pop recording artist in the U.S. (according to chart researcher Joel Whitburn's analysis of the Billboard charts), the fifth time he had topped the list since 1943. In 1951, Crosby would slip to 11th place, the first time he had missed the Top Ten since Billboard instituted a singles chart in 1940. But in February 1951 it must have seemed to be smooth sailing, as Crosby held marathon recording sessions prior to scheduled hospitalization for gallstones. Jonzo Records issued 51 volumes of its series The Chronological Bing Crosby, compiling Crosby's commercial recordings in chronological order, and now the series has been taken over by Sepia Records and renamed Through the Years. This second volume in the Sepia series chronicles four months in Crosby's recording career, running through June 1951. In the 24 songs (plus an alternate take of the Louis Armstrong duet "Gone Fishin'"), Crosby does what he usually did, moving from Spanish material to Broadway to Hawaiian music to old standards, and giving every selection an assured reading. By this time, the hits, such as they were, tended to come when he was paired with another act -- with the Andrews Sisters on "Sparrow in the Treetop," with his son Gary Crosby on revivals of "Moonlight Bay" and "When You and I Were Young, Maggie, Blues," and with Armstrong. (He also had a minor hit with his cover of Doris Day's "Shanghai.") But his best performances come when he finds a song that suits his mature perspective, notably the show tunes "More I Cannot Wish You" from +Guys & Dolls and "Hello, Young Lovers" from the just-opened +The King and I, songs in which he is not the ardent lover himself but instead a sage observer of young romance. "Indian Summer" (recorded for an album of Victor Herbert songs) is also a good choice for a veteran artist transitioning into the latter part of his career. (Crosby fans should note that "With This Ring I Thee Wed" and "We All Have a Song in Our Hearts" are making their CD debuts with this release.) ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide