1946 compilation album by Bing Crosby
What So Proudly We Hail is a compilation album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1946 featuring songs that were sung by Crosby in an American-type patriotic style. This album featured Bing singing patriotic songs such as: "Ballad for Americans", "God Bless America" and "The Star-Spangled Banner". The songs were later presented in a 33 1/3 rpm split set with The Man Without a Country.
Background to "Ballad for Americans" recording
Crosby did not approach the project lightly. He studied the work before the session, and his concentration in the studio was intense. Usually, Crosby would record up to five tunes in two hours or so, rarely taking more than two takes, but with "Ballad for Americans", he devoted an hour to each of the four segments. New York Post critic Michael Levin wrote:
- This is the finest recorded performance Bing had done to date and shows that in the last few years he has gone beyond binging and has really learned how to sing.
Levin made a comparison with Paul Robeson’s Victor set that would have pleased Decca chief Jack Kapp’s team:
- For all of Robeson’s magnificent voice, we prefer the Crosby version. The recording is better, the orchestration is better, and the chorus is better trained.[1]
Track listing
These previously issued songs were featured on a 3-disc, 78 rpm album set, Decca Album No. DA-453.
| Side / Title |
Writer(s) |
Recording date |
Performed with |
Time
|
| Disc 1 (23579):
|
| A. "The Star-Spangled Banner" |
Francis Scott Key, John Stafford Smith |
March 22, 1939 |
John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra and Max Terr's Mixed Chorus |
2:46
|
| B. "God Bless America" |
Irving Berlin |
March 22, 1939 |
John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra and Max Terr's Mixed Chorus |
3:12
|
| Disc 2 (23580):
|
| A. "Ballad for Americans – Part One" |
John La Touche, Earl Robinson |
July 6, 1940 |
The Ken Darby Singers and Victor Young's Decca Concert Orchestra |
2:26
|
| B. "Ballad for Americans – Part Four" |
John La Touche, Earl Robinson |
July 6, 1940 |
The Ken Darby Singers and Victor Young's Decca Concert Orchestra |
2:16
|
| Disc 3 (23581):
|
| A. "Ballad for Americans – Part Two" |
John La Touche, Earl Robinson |
July 6, 1940 |
The Ken Darby Singers and Victor Young's Decca Concert Orchestra |
2:24
|
| B. "Ballad for Americans – Part Three" |
John La Touche, Earl Robinson |
July 6, 1940 |
The Ken Darby Singers and Victor Young's Decca Concert Orchestra |
3:06
|
Other releases
The album with all of the same selections was transferred to a Dual 10" LP along with The Man Without a Country 78 rpm set in 1950 with the catalogue number DL 8020.[2]
