RECORD SPOTLIGHT: BING CROSBY'S TREASURY

Bing Crosby's Treasury – The Songs I Love is an LP set by Bing, issued in both mono and stereo formats by a mail-order firm, The Longines Symphonette Society, which was an educational service from the Longines-Wittnauer Watch Company. A similar LP set had been issued in 1966 (Bing Crosby's Treasury – The Songs I Love), and this updated version had a total of 36 Crosby vocals.

Very similar to the 1966 set, this was a six-LP album comprising seventy-one tunes chosen by Bing Crosby. The previous set had sixteen Crosby vocals and for this set he over-dubbed his voice to another twenty of the original orchestral tracks. The remaining tracks on the album were orchestral. On each side of all six LPs there were included three Crosby recordings and with the set there was an additional free "souvenir" LP (Bing Crosby's All Time Hit Parade) which consisted of 1930s and 1940s recordings by Crosby. The cost in the UK was £7.18.6d plus 8/6d postage and payment for it could be made in monthly instalments of £1 for seven months plus a final payment of 18/6d.

The director of the Society, Mishel Piastro, described as "Dean of American conductors, famed violin virtuoso and leader of the sessions" seemed, implicitly, to be the conductor of the orchestra and such was assumed until several years later when the popular British conductor and arranger Geoff Love revealed that he had made the arrangements and orchestral recordings in England. Crosby over-dubbed his voice later at Coast Recorders, San Francisco.

Ralph Harding writing in the fanzine "The Crosby Collector" said: "I have played and replayed all these tracks and paid particular attention to the 'new' and previously unissued tracks. The recording is excellent and quite up to the standard of the first 16 sides on the first Longines album issue. Without a doubt, they have captured a very pleasant and happy balance. No real complaints in this direction. And it would be impossible to choose any one side that towers above all. Each and every track is good and excellent Bing. Crosby appears perfectly at home on these oldies – 'standards' if you like – because they occupy a firm niche in any catalogue...

SONGS SUNG BY BING ON THE ALBUMS:

1. That Old Gang Of Mine

2. Marie

3. River, Stay Away From My Door

4. What'll I Do

5. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street

6. Ballin' The Jack

7. Ole Buttermilk Sky

8. The Song Is Ended

9. I've Heard That Song Before

10. Remember

11. Puttin On The Ritz

12. Always

13. Thank You For A Lovely Evening

14. Love Makes The World Go Round

15. All Alone

16. Coqueete

17. Sentimental Gentleman From Georgia

18. Lonesome And Sorry

19. There's Danger In Your Eyes, Cherie

20. Say It Isn't So

21. Tenderly

22. South Of The Border

23. Say Si Si

24. Friendly Persuasion

25. Amapola

26. I Hear Music

27. In The Chapel In The Moonlight

28. Stormy Weather

29. How Come You Do Me Like You Do

30. My Prayer

31. Rock-a-Bye Your Baby 

32. Dance With A Dolly

33. Isn't This A Lovely Day

34. The Breeze And I