A Little Bit of Irish (soundtrack)

A Little Bit of Irish (soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by Bing Crosby
Released 1993 (1993)
Recorded September 1966
Genre Vocal
Label Golden Olden Recordings (GORCD101)
Producer George O'Reilly
Bing Crosby chronology
Bing Crosby's Treasury - The Songs I Love
(1965)		 A Little Bit of Irish (soundtrack)
(1966)		 Thoroughly Modern Bing
(1968)

A Little Bit of Irish (soundtrack) has some of the songs from the TV special starring Bing Crosby which was shown on network television in the USA and the UK to coincide with St. Patrick's Day, 1967.[1][2] The CD was originally issued in short form by Atlantic Records[3] and an expanded version was issued by Golden Olden Records in 1993. Songs by the Irish-born composer, Victor Herbert were added to the expanded CD[4] as was a segment featuring Irish tenor, John McCormack, together with other Irish themed songs by Bing Crosby from his various radio series.[5]

Background

During personal discussions and correspondence over several years, culminating in early 1966, Bing Crosby agreed to feature and co-operate with Irish entrepreneur, George O'Reilly, in the making of a television show in Ireland, in Irish locations and with Irish artists, music, and song. The recording of this hour-long event was finally scheduled for a week in September in 1966 and four locations were chosen for the outside filming. The show opened with Crosby standing on a small platform at O'Connell Bridge overlooking O'Connell Street in Dublin and then moving to the grounds and interior of Howth Castle at Deerpark, Co. Dublin. The second main segment was filmed on the stage of the world-famous Abbey Theatre in Dublin with The Little Dublin Singers; and the final segment was filmed amongst the kieves and vats at the Guinness Brewery in James's Street, Dublin with the Guinness Choir.[6]

The orchestra was the Radio Eireann Light Orchestra conducted by co-director Buddy Bregman, and they recorded the music in the O'Connell Hall, Dublin. Bing added his voice at the Eamonn Andrews Studios, Henry Street, Dublin and also contributed some items "live" on location during the actual filming. He also scripted the programme himself and featured his wife, Kathryn, in the Howth Castle and Abbey Theatre segments.[6]

Reception

Variety reviewed the TV special saying: "Hosted by Bing Crosby at his most nonchalant, this pleasing songalog was presented as an affectionate tribute to Ireland, using local talent to give samples from its musical backlog. . . Crosby himself strolled effortlessly though such numbers as ‘Dublin Bay’ (sic), ‘Molly Malone’, 'Come Back to Erin’, and other folk standards, and wife Kathryn occasionally acted as hostess with suitable charm. . . Crosby wandered through the Guinness factory and other venues, like a kindly guide and dodged most of the pitfalls of sentimentality inherent in the subject. With the U. S. bulging with Irishmen, and with the Kennedy connection still to the fore, the show should foster nostalgia and mild pleasure in that particular mart."[7]

Track listing

FROM TV SHOW - all by Bing Crosby except where marked.

No. TitleWriter(s)Artists Length
1. "Molly Malone"  Traditional  2:08
2. "Come Back to Erin"  Charlotte Alington Barnard  2:20
3. "Galway Bay"  Arthur Colahan  2:40
4. "Molly Malone (reprise)"  Traditional  0.56
5. "Isle of Innisfree"  Dick Farrelly  2:03
6. "Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms"  Traditional, Thomas MooreGuinness Choir only 1:29
7. "The Boys of Wexford"  Arthur Warren Darley, Patrick Joseph McCallGuinness Choir only 2:21
8. "McNamara's Band"  Shamus O'Connor, John J. StamfordBing Crosby, Milo O'Shea and Dermot O'Brien 2:31
9. "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling"  Ernest Ball, Chauncey Olcott, George Graff Jr.  2:18

The Victor Herbert Compositions - all commercial recordings for Decca Records (except track 16), and all by Bing Crosby except where marked.

No. TitleWriter(s)Artists Length
10. "When You're Away"  Victor Herbert, Henry Blossom  2:59
11. "Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life"  Victor Herbert, Rida Johnson Young  2:48
12. "Sweethearts"  Victor Herbert, Harry B. Smith  3.12
13. "Thine Alone"  Victor Herbert, Henry Blossom  2:58
14. "Gypsy Love Song"  Victor Herbert, Harry B. SmithBing Crosby, Frances Langford 3:02
15. "I'm Falling in Love with Someone"  Victor Herbert, Rida Johnson YoungBing Crosby, Frances Langford 3:08
16. "Indian Summer"  Victor Herbert, Al DubinBing Crosby, Dorothy Kirsten 2:35

Songs from various radio shows - all by Bing Crosby.

No. TitleWriter(s)Artists Length
17. "The Donovans"  Alicia Adélaide Needham, Walter Kent, Francis Fahy  2:23
18. "St. Patrick's Day Parade"  Johnny Lange, Hy Heath  2:22
19. "Top o' the Morning"  Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke  1:37
20. "That Tumbledown Shack in Athlone"  Monte Carlo, Alma Sanders, Richard W. Pascoe  3:08
21. "Dear Old Donegal"  Steve Graham  2:35
22. "Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral"  James Royce Shannon  3:57
23. "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?"  Burton Lane, E. Y. Harburg  3:27

The Bing Crosby / John McCormack Segment - Kraft Music Hall, May 13, 1937

No. TitleWriter(s)Artists Length
24. "Dialogue"   Bing Crosby, John McCormack, Lionel Stander 5:17
25. "So Do I Love You"  R. Veasey, Haydn WoodJohn McCormack 2:03
26. "Dialogue"   Bing Crosby, John McCormack, Edwin Schneider 0:38
27. "Shannon River"  Kathleen Egan, Reginald MorganJohn McCormack 2:16
28. "Dialogue"   Bing Crosby 0:11

References

  1. ↑ "BING magazine". BING magazine. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Amazon". Amazon.com. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  4. ↑ "A Bing Crosby Discography". A Bing Crosby Discography. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  5. ↑ "And Here's Bing". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  6. 1 2 O'Reilly, George. The Making of the Television Show "A Little Bit of Irish". Printcomp. p. 1.
  7. ↑ "Variety". Variety. March 22, 1967.

External links

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