50 years ago: Al Jolson hit #1 with Songs He Made Famous

First posted 9/29/2020.

Songs He Made Famous Al Jolson

Released: November 1946 Charted: January 18, 1947 Recorded: 1913-1946 Peak: 125 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: traditional pop

Tracks: Song Title (date when original version of song charted, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. April Showers (1/28/22, 111 US) Swanee (5/8/20, 19 US, sales: 1 million) California, Here I Come (5/3/24, 16 US) Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody (8/10/18, 18 US) You Made Me Love You (9/20/13, 17 US) Ma Blushin’ Rosie Sonny Boy (1928) My Mammy (6/9/28, 2 US)

Rating: 3.650 out of 5.00 (average of 4 ratings) Awards:

About the Album: Songs He Made Famous was a collection of songs featured in The Jolson Story, a movie musical telling the somewhat ficitionalized story of Al Jolson. The movie tells of a young Jolson discovered at a burlesque show and how he runs off to join the act after his Jewish father forbids it. He later ends up as part of a minstrel show when the blackface entertainer passes out drunk and Jolson takes his place. Jolson meets an up-and-coming dancer Julie Benson (modeled after Jolson’s real-life wife Ruby Keeler) and they fall in love. She is not fond of show business, however, and wants him to quit. He eventually does, refusing to sing for any reason. However, he is persuaded to sing the song his parents danced to at their wedding when he attends their anniversary party. He is then coaxed into going to a nightclub, where the crowd demands a song. He ends up taking over the show. Julie leaves, knowing he’s happier than he has been in a long time. The movie won Academy Awards for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, and Best Sound Recording. Songs He Made Famous featured re-recordings of Jolson’s biggest hits from 1913 to 1928 and served as the soundtrack for the movie. It was initially issued as a 4-record 78 rpm set in 1946 and rereleased as a vinyl LP in 1949. With 25 weeks at #1 and 61 weeks on the Billboard album charts, it ranks in the top 10 for albums of longevity and top 50 #1 albums from 1940-1954. JW:566-7 A second collection of re-recordings from the movie was issued as Souvenir Album and spent 10 weeks atop the album chart. The re-recorded versions of My Mammy and April Showers charted, hitting numbers 18 and 15 respectively and both selling a million copies. “The Anniversary Song” wasn’t featured on the soundtrack, but the single hit #2 and was also a million seller.

Resources and Related Links: Al Jolson’s DMDB Encyclopedia entry 45 45worlds.com PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research, Inc.: Menomonee Falls, WI. Pages 233-5. JW Joel Whitburn (2002). Billboard Pop Hits: Singles & Albums 1940-1954. Record Research, Inc.: Menomonee Falls, WI. WK Wikipedia

50 years ago: Bing Crosby charted with Christmas album

First posted 3/2/2008; updated 9/29/2020.

Merry Christmas (aka “White Christmas”) Bing Crosby

Charted: December 1, 1945 Peak: 139 US, 45 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, -- UK, 15.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: traditional pop/Christmas

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Silent Night (12/21/35, 7 US, 8 UK, sales: 10 million) Adeste Fideles (O, Come All Ye Faithful) (12/12/60, 45 US) White Christmas (with the Ken Darby Singers and the John Scott Orchestra) (10/3/42, 114 US, 110 HP, 77 CA, 11 HR, 12 GA, 3 AC, 13 RB, 5 UK, 120, sales: 56 million) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Faith of Our Fathers I’ll Be Home for Christmas (12/4/43, 3 US, 8 RB, sales: 1 million) Jingle Bells (with The Andrews Sisters & Vic Schoen) (12/25/43, 19 US) Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (with Carol Richards and John Scott Trotter & His Orchestra) (12/25/43, 22 US) Silver Bells (with Carol Richards and John Scott Trotter & His Orchestra) (12/27/52, 20 US) It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas Christmas in Killarney Mele Kalikimaka (with The Andrews Sisters & Vic Shoen) Total Running Time: 27:24

Rating: 4.159 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings) Quotable: -- Awards:

About the Album: “Try to forget the fact that Bing Crosby probably never had to record another song in his life after he immortalized White Christmas. If you can do that, you’ll find plenty more to like in this crooning Christmas collection.” AZ “White Christmas” is the best-selling song of all time, but this album didn’t too shabby either. When it comes to seasonal recordings, only Elvis Presley’s Christmas Album has sold more at 19 million copies worldwide. However, Merry Christmas reached the lofty heights of 39 whopping weeks at #1 on the Billboard album chart, thanks to multiple reissues, repackagings, and rereleases over the years. The original album was packaged as five 78 records, each with two songs. All of the songs had been released previously and were Christmas-themed with the exception of “Danny Boy.” When a second edition was released in 1947, “Danny Boy” and “Let’s Start the New Year Right” were omitted and new recordings of “White Christmas” and Silent Night from March 19, 1947 were added. WK In 1955, the vinyl reissue of the album followed the 1947 track listing and added four tracks, including Silver Bells and three tracks with the Andrews Sisters: Jingle Bells, Mele Kalikimaka, and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. The 1955 version of the album has been continually in print ever since. Only the original cast recording of Oklahoma! has been in print longer. WK It’s also this cover with Crosby in a Santa Claus stocking cap which became the standard, replacing the original cover which had Crosby’s floating head on a blue background. WK The album finds “‘Der Bingle’ in two distinctly different moods: from the solemnity of ‘Silent Night’ and Adeste Fidelis (sung in Latin and English) to the playfulness (‘gonna have a lotta fun’) on ‘Jingle Bells,’ with The Andrews Sisters providing some smiles with their ‘Ji-ji-jingle’ vocals.” AMG

Resources and Related Links: Bing Crosby’s DMDB Encyclopedia entry AMG All Music Guide review by Dennis MacDonald AZ Amazon.com review by Steve Gdula WK Wikipedia