His recording of "White Christmas" is the biggest-selling record of all time, and was first heard on a radio broadcast on Christmas Day, 1941. Soon after, the song appeared in the Bing Crosby movie called Holiday Inn. This version of White Christmas is from a 1954 film called White Christmas also starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye.
"The Small One" is one of the most loved Christmas stories. The story was written by Charles Tazewell and was first produced for a radio show in 1939. This version narrated by Bing Crosby was recorded in 1947.
This is the Disney version of The Small One from 1972.
It's a story set in Mexico where a young boy called Pablo is complaining because his donkey is so stubborn. The narrator (Bing Crosby) tells him it's not stubbornness but pride, and he goes on to tell Pablo the story of another donkey in another country a long time ago . . .
Here's some vocabulary to help you understand the story:
drowse - doze or snooze berating - growling at disreputable - not respectable
stout - big and stocky aloof - keeping distant destiny - future
envy - jealousy drooped - sagged or dropped
tanner - person who makes leather out of animal skins homage - respect
Spanish vocabulary:
el camino del norte - the road north
siesta - an afternoon nap
estupido - stupid
Buenos días - good morning
si - yes
amigos - friends
Listen to the background music of the story.
Can you hear how the music changes to match the mood of the story?
How does the music represent the happy and sad parts of the story?
How is the sound of the donkey's hooves represented by music?
How does the music represent the donkey's ear that stick up, the ear that droops, and the leg that limps?
Can you work out what well known Christmas carol is used as a theme for the background music?
This is a video from 1970of Bing Crosby singing a Christmas duet with David Bowie.
This week's dances:
Run Run Run Rudolph ( Chuck Berry - with lyrics)
Run Run Rudolph Lynyrd Skynyrd Cover
Run Run Rudolph
Keith Richards Cover
Our favourite Christmas songs:
In a one-horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight!
(chorus)
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
A day or two ago
I thought I'd take a ride
And soon, Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side,
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
He got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot.
And just for fun - here's a video of Mr Bean conducting the Salvation Army Band performing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
Watch how the musicians follow his moves exactly.
