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Song titles have been used for the poetic purpose of the biography and may not necessarily relate to the context of the songs or the period. They may also be slightly amended or shortened to accommodate the meter. Dates in brackets in the notes refer to original release dates.
Title description: Croon - a soft low voice or tone, especially in a sentimental manner.

Harry Lillis 'Bing' Crosby Jnr. was born in 1903 in Tacoma, Washington and moved to Spokane in Eastern Washington state when he was 6 years old. He was the fourth of seven children in this middle class family.

Stanza 1 - Stardust (1950)

Stanza 2 - Young at Heart (1953)
He earned his famous nickname when he was about seven, probably from a neighbour. It comes from a comic strip he loved called The Bingville Bugle. His mother, however, always called him Harry.

Stanza 3 - Day by Day (1946 jazz album)
With the move to Spokane came the purchase of a revolutionary device called the phonograph (an early version of the gramophone). He loved playing music on this, especially the work of Al Jolson (singer, actor and vaudevillian) and this hobby may well have triggered his later business interest in the introduction of recording tapes.

Stanza 4 - *Amor (1944 Love); True Love (1956)
He was brought up and schooled in the Catholic faith, reflecting his mother's deep, religious devotion. While attending Gonzaga University, Crosby, he abandoned his aspirations to become a lawyer for his dreams of musical stardom.

Stanza 5-6 - Don't Fence Me In (1945); Make Believe (1928); Paradise (1932); Out of Nowhere (1931)
Having spread his wings and moved to LA as a duo with a friend and quickly became a popular vaudeville act, uniting then with Paul Whiteman to become The Rhythm Boys. He soon launched his solo career, landing his own radio programme which became a huge success.

Stanza 7 - In films he was also attracting a following with such films as Here is my Heart (1934); Anything Goes (1936) and Pennies from Heaven (1936). His film career reached its peak in the 1940s when he starred with *Bob Hope in the wildly popular Road series which started with The Road to Singapore. This pair forged a deep friendship off-screen as well and they remained friends for life. Among other films, he also paired up with Fred Astaire in Holiday Inn (1942) and won his only Academy Award in The Bells of St Mary's (1945)

Stanza 8-9 - I Promise You (2009 A faithful heart, a star or two/And I'll be there, I promise you); I'll Be Home for Christmas (1943)
*Der Bingle - this nickname was common among his German listeners and came to be used by his English-speaking fans.
During World War II he made live performances before American troops who had been fighting in Europe. He learned how to pronounce German from written scripts and read propaganda broadcasts intended for German soldiers.
*He topped the list for the one who had done the most for GI morale ahead of Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Hope.

Stanza 10-12 - The Happy Prince (1946 album by Crosby and Orson Welles). Temptation (1933); *La Vie en Rose (1946 A life that is moral, satisfying and worthwhile).
He was a very astute businessman; his entrepreneurship and investments in the music industry, television, real estate, mines, race horses etc. made him one of the richest men in the history of show business.
He was married to his first wife, actress Dixie Lee, for 22 years until her death in 1952. During the late 30s and throughout the 40s, his life was dominated by his wife's excessive drinking. His attempts to cure her with the help of specialists failed. They had 4 sons. It was acknowledged that he had (at least) one affair and seriously sought advice about divorce. His Catholic faith was sorely tested and he is reputed to have been a womaniser.

His second marriage to Kathryn Grant in 1957 lasted until his death in 1977. They had 2 sons and a daughter.
Controversy exists over his use of corporal punishment on his children and wife. .

Stanza 13-14 - Shine (1932); Blue Skies (1946); Peace on Earth (1982 duet with Bowie, listed as one of the most memorable musical moments of 20th Century television); My Reverie (1938); Christmas Greetings (1949 studio album).
He is remembered for his wealth of Christmas songs and his regular Christmas radio and television specials over many years.

Let it Snow (1945); White Christmas (1942 Made famous in the film, Holiday Inn, has sold globally over 50 million copies).

He was among the most popular and successful musical acts of the 20th century. In 1962 he was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and inducted into the halls of fame for both radio and popular music.

He died of a heart attack in 1977 after playing 18 holes on a golf course in Madrid, Spain. His net worth, amassed during his lengthy career, was $50m.

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