Reply #216: you're confusing Crosby with his movie persona

[jacksonian]

in Hollywood Bing was an insufferable "i'm so much better than anyone" jerk making the same stale jokes over and over again with Bob Hope.

Before that, during the Depression, Crosby revolutionized pop singing, taking the operetta aspects out of it and replacing it with blues phrasing. Crosby was one of the first, if not the first, to have a string of recording hits, had a hugely innovative voice and a profoud impact on all later male crooners, singers like Sinatra and Presley - you can sure hear a lot of Crosby in Presley's phrasing for example.

Sinatra was always WAY overrated as a singer. He goes up, he goes down, and without Nelson Riddle or some master composer arrainging for him he ain't doodily. His 1940's work with Axel Stordahl that established him is embarrassing today. Hell, Id rather listen to Dean Martin, for cristsakes, at least Deano enjoys singing - I never got the impression Sinatra cared a twit until really late in his career after the voice was a shambles. Sinatra, though, was a much better movie actor than Crosby or Martin for what that's worth.

In the world of pop music, however, Bing Crosby should have a face on Mt. Rushmmore.