Customer Reviews

United Artist Sessions

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"Bing Crosby: The Complete United Artists Sessions" is a magnificent compilation of the great entertainer's work for that label. Packaged within 3 compact discs are the albums "That's What Life Is All About" (1975), "At My Time Of Life" and "Beautiful Memories" (both 1976). Also included is the 1975 album "A Couple Of Song And Dance Men" which reunited Bing with his co-star of the Irving Berlin musicals "Holiday Inn" and "Blue Skies", Fred Astaire. On top of all that, the set also includes selections from the 1976 release "Bing Crosby: Live At The London Palladium", two duets from the late 1950s with fellow "Road" companion Bob Hope and some previously unreleased studio session chatter between Bing and producers, technicians, etc. while working on the UA albums represented here. Mr. Crosby may have been in the twilight of his career on these albums and his range may not have been what it once was, but his vocals are as beautiful as ever. His croon has a resonance and soothing sound that few vocalists have ever, EVER been able to duplicate. Whether he's singing reflective songs ("That's What Life Is All About", "No Time At All") or hits of the '70s ("The Way We Were", "Send In The Clowns") or classics ("Great Day", "I Got Rhythm"), King Bing conquers all and leaves pretenders to the throne in the dust. Bing Crosby remains one of the greatest natural entertainers who ever graced our world and this superb set is proof positive of that!

This set of recordings is at the top of my list of material by Bing Crosby. First-rate sound. First-rate material. And Crosby sounds as good as ever. Even though these songs were put on tape 25 years ago, they sound as if they recorded in the last 12 months. It you're going to have only on set of CD's by Bing, this is the set to get.

This set contains all of Bing's recordings on the United Artists label between 1974 and 1976. Recorded mainly in the UK the sound quality of all tracks is first rate.The booklet contains full details of all tracks including date and place of recording. Although Bing was in the autumn of his years, his voice sounds rich and clear. There is also the added pleasure of Rosemary Clooney and Fred Astaire on cd 2. This cd will appeal to both Bing fans and fans of great songs and great singing!. Bing even carries off some of the "new" songs of the period including "The Way We Were" and "What I Did For Love".Buy this cd, it's a pleasure to listen to.

First off: Grab it while you can! This is essential Bing, rejuvenated vocally, artistically and commercially for these 1970s sessions, elegantly produced by Ken Barnes - who seemed to have a magic touch with veteran performers. (Check out Ken's other LPs from this period with Johnny Mercer and Fred Astaire.) Unfortunately, you had to do some real sleuthing to find these in US record stores during the 1970s. (During the 1974-76 period covered here, Sinatra was hardly recording, Bennett was struggling to get his short-lived Improv label off the ground, and stores had virtually zero interest in carrying what is now revered as "classic pop.") If you weren't able to get the original United Artists LPs, this 3-CD set will do nicely. I do have qualms about the amount of "new", alternate material being remixed into the original tracks. To my ear, none of the inserts (sometimes little more than an 8-bar phrase or less by Bing here and there) equal, much less surpass, the original choices Barnes made for the UA LP issues. "Looking at You" is especially harmed by the use of lesser Bing, as are some of the Bing-Astaire duets ("Pick Yourself Up"). The good news is that the bonus material (outtakes from Bing's historic appearance at the London Palladium, or studio chatter) is highly entertaining. "The Complete United Artists Sessions," while not precisely a substitute for the original UA recordings, is a must-have just the same. Combine this with "Feels Good, Feels Right" and "Seasons" for a picture of just how dedicated and truly great Bing Crosby was during his final years.

I have always enjoyed Bing Crosby's rich and deep basso-baritone voice, but I sometimes found some of his earlier recordings' sound quality annoying. When I found this set on Amazon, I ordered it right away, and now that I have it, I very seldom stop playing it. All of his duets with Fred Astaire are excellent, and the live recordings and re-recordings of his music are all incredible. However, what I like even more is the then-modern music covers. With songs like 'I'll Never Fall In Love Again', and 'What I Did For Love' he showed that no matter what the era, no matter what the material, he could master it. Frank Sinatra did the same thing with excellent results, though Bing often employed more modern sounding instuments including distorted guitars and electric bass. It is very different than the classic Crosby that most are used to. However, the set is priced extremely well and I reccommend it to anyone that likes Bing Crosby, or to anyone who simply enjoys great repeated-listening music.

I love Crosby's voice. I could listen to it all day-it's such a wonderful, mellow baritone. This is a great set, and even though Crosby was in his seventies when he recorded it, his voice is as great as ever. The sound quality is very good, and I especially love his duets with Fred Astaire and Bob Hope-they're so much fun to listen to.

This material was recorded around 1975. That means excellent sound. And the orchestrational backup is first rate - witty when appropriate, and mellow in the ballads (never schmaltzy). The voice is that of Crosby at the end of his career. But he handles his instrument so well that you never think you're listening to someone who's "over the hill." He makes every song a delight.

It seems that most reviews I come across extoll Crosby's material from the 30's and 40's. While his voice may have been in its prime then, I find the backup arrangements out-of-date and the sound grungy and faded. This collection has the Bing I enjoy listening to.

I have a lot of Crosby on CD. This collection is the last one I would give up. I know this is a 3-CD set, and not cheap, but nearly every track you hear is a "keeper." This is one collection you'll never grow tired of.

I was just a young kid in the 1970s when these songs were recorded. I knew of Bing from his Christmas recordings and movies but I was not into his early pop songs from decades past. Although I was not a fan of early Bing, I still recognized his great voice...and what a voice! I just recently discovered these 1970s recordings and they are the BEST..a must have for any fan of 50s 60s and 1970s pop music. If you are into those three decades of pop music, than you know great singers and Bing takes a stab at pop songs of this later era and shows he clearly still had what it took to move someone with great music. This is one of the best CD buys I ever made, it sits in there with my Elvis, Eagles, Beach Boys, Sinatra and other great artist and songs of that era.
Music Matty October 21, 2007

People can say what they want about Bing's voice in his 70s, but I think it was a wonder -- much better preserved than say, Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald in their '70s. This CD features some of his best work from that late period. Amazing, to me, that he recorded so much during the last few years of his life. The arrangements here are never overbearing, nor as dated as some of his older works. They were recorded well, and have been remastered perfectly. My only qualm would be that the original albums were not put together in that order. But this is still a set for ANY Crosby fan!

We Crosby fans are thankful for Ken Barnes' vision here - his lushly produced albums of Bing's in the 70s gave us a glimpse of a slightly more sentimental Bing than we'd seen before, perhaps because of his time of life. Bing's voice is strong and sure, deep and resonant. A great bookend to some of Bing's earliest recordings from 50 years earlier!