BING AND HIS V-DISCS

The V-Disc was a product of the War Department of the U.S. government during World War II and for a short time afterward. They were performed by the biggest names in the entertainment industry supporting the military effort and were used extensively by the Armed Forces Radio Service. They were unique transcriptions, many from radio air checks and motion picture soundtracks. They were not made for the general public, and after they were deemed at the end of their usefulness they were ordered destroyed, which most of them were. Once in a while some are discovered and provide a wonderful snapshot in sound of a bygone era. They are sometimes saved for posterity as on a recent CD set of V-Discs by Frank Sinatra.

The Bing Crosby V-Discs are from a variety of sources, many from his transcribed radio broadcasts. A great source of the information used in this listing comes from the V-Disc Discography section in "The Road to Bing Crosby", a 4-volume work by Richard Harding, Fred Reynolds, Bob Roberts and Derek Parkes published in 1980 by Greenwood Press, and Richard S. Sears' book, "V-Discs: A History and Discography". Unless otherwise noted, the orchestra is conducted by Bing's long time musical collaborator, John Scott Trotter...

ADESTE FIDELIS (From 12-21-44 Kraft Music Hall).
Skitch Henderson, piano. Intro. by Bing and Ken Carpenter. Audience joins in on second verse. (From 12-25-46 Philco Radio Time)

ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND Al Jolson, Intro. by Bing and Al. (From 5-7-47 Philco Radio Time )

ALL BY MYSELF (Film: Blue Skies). Al Jolson, intro by Bing and Al. (From 5-7-47 Philco Radio Time)

ALL YOU WANT TO DO IS DANCE (From 3-15-45 Kraft Music Hall).  

ALWAYS (Parody). Dick Haymes, Andy Russell, Dennis Day, Phil Harris Orch (From 3-16-47 Jack Benny Lucky Strike Radio Show)

AMOR (From 5-18-44 Kraft Music Hall)

ARTHUR MURRAY TAUGHT ME DANCING IN A HURRY Intro. by Bing and Ken Carpenter. (From 5/17/45 Kraft Music Hall rehearsal)

BLESS 'EM ALL (From 5-25-41 Kraft Music Hall)

BLUE HAWAII(Film: Waikiki Wedding). Intro. by Bing. (From 12-7-44 Kraft Music Hall)

BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON Charioteers, James Sherman, piano (From 4-15-43 Kraft Music Hall) 

BY THE WATERS OF THE MINNETONKA Community sing, with male chorus, piano and Hammond organ, led by Bing. 

CHRISTMAS SONG Skitch Henderson, piano, Intro. by Bing and Ken Carpenter. (From 12-25-46 Philco Radio Time)

CLEMENTINE Music Maids & Hal Hopper(From 6-14-41 Decca master DLA-2437)

COUNTRY STYLE (Film: Welcome Stranger). Chorus(From 5-7-47 Philco Radio Time)

DARLING, JE VOUS AIME BEAUCOUP (From 4-1-43 Kraft Music Hall)

DEAR OLD DONEGAL (From 3-14-46 Kraft Music Hall rehearsal)

DEAR OLD GIRL Charioteers, James Sherman, piano. Introd. by Bob Burns and Bing.

DOWN BY THE RIVER (Film: Mississippi). Henderson Choir(From 1-18-45 Kraft Music Hall)

DOWN THE OLD OX ROAD(Film: College Humor). Henderson Choir,(From 1-11-45 Kraft Music Hall)

EASTER PARADE (Film: Holiday Inn). Al Jolson,. (From 5-7-47 Philco Radio Time)
EMPTY SADDLES (Film: Rhythm on the Range)Ken Lane Singers Intro. by Bing. (From 12-28-44 Kraft Music Hall)
FOR ME AND MY GAL Community Sing, with male chorus, piano and Hammond organ, led by Bing. 

FRIEND OF YOURS (Source unknown)
GOING MY WAY (Film: Going My Way) (From 6-29-44 Kraft Music Hall)
I CAN'T ESCAPE FROM YOU (Film: Rhythm on the Range) Intro. by Bing. (From 12-28-44 Kraft Music Hall)
I PROMISE YOU(Film: Here Come the Waves). Henderson Choir (From 11-30-44 Kraft Music Hall)
I REMEMBER YOU Henderson Choir Intro. by Bing and Ken Carpenter. (From 5-17-45 Kraft Music Hall)
I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Henderson Choir. (From 12-7-44 Kraft Music Hall)
I'LL GET BY, AS LONG AS I HAVE YOU Paul Weston O. (Source unknown)
I'M AN OLD COWHAND (Film: Rhythm on the Range)Intro. by Bob Hope and Bing. (From 12-28-44 Kraft Music Hall
IN A LITTLE HULA HEAVEN (Film: Waikiki Wedding). Henderson Choir Intro. by Bing. (From 12-7-44 Kraft Music Hall)
IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME Community Sing, with male chorus, piano and Hammond organ, led by Bing VP1235-D5TC188. V-Disc 203-A (Navy); 423-A
IN THE LAND OF BEGINNING AGAIN (Film: The Bells of St. Mary's). Henderson Choir Intro. by Bing. (From 2-14-46 Kraft Music Hall rehearsal)
IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO Dinah Shore, Gordon Jenkins Orch ( Aug. 1943 Dinah Shore Program)
IT CAN'T BE WRONG (From 6-24-43 Kraft Music Hall)
IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU (From 5-18-44 Kraft Music Hall)
IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY Dinah Shore, Gordon Jenkins Orch (2-24-43 Command Performance No. 54)
IT'S EASY TO REMEMBER (Film: Mississippi). Henderson Choir(From 1-18-45 Kraft Music Hall)
I'VE GOT MY CAPTAIN WORKING FOR ME NOW (Film: Blue Skies). MGM Orch (From film soundtrack)

JINGLE BELLS Ken Lane Singers(From 12-21-44 Kraft Music Hall)
JINGLE BELLS Charioteers, Henderson Choir, Skitch Henderson, piano(From 12-25-46 Philco Radio Time)
JUNE IN JANUARY (Film: Here Is My Heart). Henderson Choir (From 11-30-40 Kraft Music Hall)
KENTUCKY BABE Charioteers, James Sherman, piano (From 8-26-43 Kraft Music Hall)
LAST ROSE OF SUMMER (Film: Dixie). Rise Stevens; intro. by Bing. (From 11-23-44 Kraft Music Hall)
LAST ROUNDUP Lennie Hayton Orch (From 9-27-33 Brunswick master LA-20)
LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! (2-14-46 Kraft Music Hall)
LET ME CALL YOU SWEETHEART Community Sing, with male chorus, piano and Hammond organ, led by Bing. (From Army Signal Corps film soundtrack).
LET'S TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME (Film: Here Come the Waves) (From 1-4-45 Kraft Music Hall)
LOUISE (From 5-25-44 Kraft Music Hall)
LOVE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER (Film: Here Is My Heart) Charioteers (From 11-30-44 Kraft Music Hall)
MOONLIGHT BAY Charioteers, James Sherman, piano. (From 8-5-43 Kraft Music Hall)
MR. PAGANINI. (Film: Rhythm on the Range). Charioteers(From 12-28-44 Kraft Music Hall)
MY HEART AND I (Film: Anything Goes) Henderson Choir (From 3-8-45 Kraft Music Hall)
ONE ALONE Trudy Erwin, Orch. (From 11-22-43 AFRS rec. session)
ONE I LOVE BELONGS TO SOMEBODY ELSE Al Jolson (From 1-15-47 Philco Radio Time)
ONE MORE DREAM Charioteers (From 3-21-46 Kraft Music Hall)
ONE, TWO, BUTTON YOUR SHOE (Film: Pennies from Heaven). Ken Lane Singers Intro. by Bing. (From 11-16-44 Kraft Music Hall)
ONLY FOREVER (Film: Rhythm on the River). Henderson Choi(From 1-18-45 Kraft Music Hall)
PENNIES FROM HEAVEN (Film: Pennies from Heaven). Tommy Dorsey Orch (From 6-18-44 All Time Hit Parade)
PLEASE (Film: The Big Broadcast of 1932) (From 7-29-43 Kraft Music Hall rehearsal)
POINCIANA (SONG OF THE TREE) (From 11-22-43 AFRS rec. session)
SHE'S FROM MISSOURI (Film: Dixie). Charioteers Intro. by Bing. (From 11-23-44 Kraft Music Hall)
SHOO FLY PIE AND APPLE PAN DOWDY Charioteers, Eddie Duchin, piano Intro. by Bing. (From 3-14-46 Kraft Music Hall rehearsal)
SILENT NIGHT Kraft Choral Club(From 12-21-44 Kraft Music Hall)
SILENT NIGHT Henderson Choir(From 12-25-46 Philco Radio Time)
SIOUX CITY SUE. Charioteers (Source unknown)
SKELETON IN THE CLOSET (Film: Pennies from Heaven). Charioteers, James Sherman, pianoIntro. by Bing, (From 11-16-44 Kraft Music Hall)
SMALL FRY (Film: Sing You Sinners). Tommy Dorsey Orch Intro. by Bing. (From 6-18-44 All Time Hit Parade)
SMALL FRY Johnny Mercer, Paul Weston Orch (From 7-27-44 Johnny Mercer's Music Shop)
SO DO I (Film: Pennies from Heaven). Eugenie Baird Intro. by Bing. (From 11-16-44 Kraft Music Hall)
SOMEONE STOLE GABRIEL'S HORN Dorsey Bros. Orch (from Brunswick master)
STRANGE MUSIC (From 12-28-44 Kraft Music Hall)
SUMMERTIME Dinah Shore, Gordon Jenkins Orch (From August 1943 Dinah Shore Program)
SUNDAY, MONDAY, OR ALWAYS (Film: Dixie) Intro. by Bing. (From 11-23-44 Kraft Music Hall)
SWEET LEILANI (Film: Waikiki Wedding). Henderson Choir Intro. by Bing. (From 12-7-44 Kraft Music Hall)
SWING  LOW, SWEET CHARIOT (Film: Dixie). Charioteers, Henderson Choir. Intro. by Bing (From 11-23-44 Kraft Music Hall

SWINGING ON A STAR (Film: Going My Way). Charioteers (Source unknown)
TANGERINE Intro. by Bing Crosby and Ken Carpenter (From 5-17-45 Kraft Music Hall rehearsal)
THAT SLY OLD GENTLEMAN (Film: East Side of Heaven). Henderson Choir (From 4-26-45 Kraft Music Hall rehearsal)
(THERE'LL BE A) HOT TIME IN THE TOWN OF BERLIN Andrews Sisters, Vic Schoen Orch (From 6-30-44 Decca master L-3449)
THERE'S A SMALL HOTEL Eddie Duchin, piano Intro. by Bob Hope. (From 2-28-46 Kraft Music Hall rehearsal)
THESE FOOLISH THINGS (REMIND ME OF YOU) Charioteers, Henderson Choir (From 2-7-46 Kraft Music Hall)
THESE FOOLISH THINGS (REMIND ME OF YOU) Frank Sinatra(from 11-16-44 Kraft Music Hall)
TOO-RA-LOO-RA-LOO-RAL (Film: Going My Way). (From 6-22-44 Kraft Music Hall)
TOO ROMANTIC (Film: Road to Singapore) Henderson Choir (From 3-22-45 Kraft Music Hall)
WAIT 'TIL THE SUN SHINES, NELLIE (Film: Birth of the Blues). Community Sing(From Army Signal Corps film soundtracks)
WAITER AND THE PORTER AND THE UPSTAIRS MAID (Film: Birth of the Blues) Mary Martin & Jack Teagarden with Jack Teagarden Orch
WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE INFANTRY? Chorus(From 8-5-43 Kraft Music Hall rehearsal)
WHITE CHRISTMAS (Films: Holiday Inn and White Christmas) (From 12-14-44 Kraft Music Hall broadcast)
WHITE CHRISTMAS (From 12-25-46 Philco Radio Time)
WITH EVERY BREATH I TAKE  (Film: Here Is My Heart)(From 11-30-44 Kraft Music Hall
YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE (From 2-24-43 Command Performance No. 54)
YOU CALL EVERYBODY DARLIN' Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires (From 11-3-48 Philco Radio Time)