Selections From Irving Berlin's White Christmas [Original recording reissued, Soundtrack]

White Christmas | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 1, 1994)
• Original Release Date: October 14, 1954
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Soundtrack
• Label: Musicrama/Koch
• ASIN: B000003PBJ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #381,316 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Old Man/Gee I Wish I was Back In The Army - Bing Crosby & Danny Kaye with Orchestra and Chorus

2. Sisters - Peggy Lee with Orchestra and Chorus

3. The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing - Danny Kaye with The Skylarks, Orchestra and Chorus

4. Snow - Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Peggy Lee, Trudy Stevens with Orchestra and Chorus

5. Blue Skies / Mandy - Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye with Orchestra and Chorus

6. Choreography - Danny Kaye with The Skylarks and Orchestra

7. Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep - Bing Crosby with Orchestra

8. Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me - Peggy Lee with Orchestra

9. What Can You Do With The General - Bing Crosby with Orchestra

10. White Christmas - Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Peggy Lee, Trudy Stevens with Orchestra and Chorus

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the "original soundtrack", December 16, 2004

By 

Pope (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Selections From Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Audio CD)

Although this album is advertised as the "original soundtrack" of Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS, it is not so. It is merely a STUDIO RECORDING of the songs from the film. The two male leads are heard on this album but the leading ladies are not. Rosemary Clooney was not allowed to appear on this album as she was under contract to Columbia, and the soundtrack rights were controlled by Decca. Her numbers are done by Peggy Lee, who does a commendable job with them. Trudy Stevens steps in for Vera-Ellen. Incidently, Vera-Ellen's voice is not heard in the film anyway, as her singing was dubbed in all her musical pictures.

The arrangements and performances on the album are super, but as I stated they are not the actual soundtrack recordings. Sound quality isn't bad, but its not great, and we'll forgive that shortcoming, considering these recordings are over 50 years old. Those who bemoan that this album is out of print and rare and always has many "buyers waiting" -- THIS ALBUM HAS BEEN RERELEASED, in its entirety, on MCA as a 2-on-1 disc, paired with songs from another Irving Berlin film, HOLIDAY INN. I repeat--it contains the exact same WHITE CHRISTMAS album you are reading about here. It is currently in print and, lo and behold, Amazon does carry it!

Those who are awaiting an "original soundtrack" release will be waiting indefinately as there is no original soundtrack album and never has been, and it will likely remain that way for some time. The HOLIDAY INN/WHITE CHRISTMAS album from MCA will suffice for now.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Have the album & am waiting for the cd!!, October 26, 2001

By 

AbeStreet (Mayfield Heights, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Selections From Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Audio CD)

Back in the mid eighties I was fortunate enough to find this album....I am a big fan of the movie WHITE CHRISTMAS and was blessed to find an old and then unopened version of this album. The album has a 1958 copyright on it even though the movie was released in 1954. A fan of this film once e-mailed me after I requested to know why this album replaced Rosemary Clooney with Peggy Lee. He believes that the reason Ms. Clooney was replaced was because of contract problems between the company that held Ms. Clooney's singing contract and the company who had the rights to the soundtrack. This probably explains why the cover artwork for this album shows only pictures of Kaye and Crosby. I only pass this along because it seems to be a common question for those who have the soundtrack.

Despite the loss of Clooney the soundtrack is excellent. The songs are almost indistinguishable from the films songs. My personal favorites are "The Best Things Happen While Your Dancing" and "Snow." I would have given this album 5 out of 5 stars except that I think many fans will be disappointed at finding Ms. Clooney was replaced, regardless of the good performances by Lee. Release the cd!!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm dreaming of a White Christmas CD, November 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Selections From Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Audio CD)

Please bring back this CD! I have been looking for a soundtrack to my favorite holiday movie and am disappointed to see one is not available. I do hope in the near future it is released.