# How to kill a great song (Bing Crosby destroying "Ol' Man River") **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 22, 2013, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618 "2013-03-22T07:28:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/1 "2013-03-22T07:28:44Z")
If this were the only arrangement of “[Ol’ Man River](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2GFxVCE5pQ)” you ever heard, you’d never know it was about the exhausting inhumanity of slavery. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/2 "2013-03-22T08:10:14Z")
Yeesh. I was prepared to argue that a '20s or '30s-era jazz cover might be forgiven, but _1977_?? They should have known better. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/3 "2013-03-22T12:25:07Z")
You want to hear a song utterly changed? Listen to Andy Griffith singing **House of the Rising Sun**. The lyrics are completely changed. You’d never guess it’s about a bordello ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/4 "2013-03-22T13:37:49Z")
Bing understood the plight of black Americans under slavery better than almost anyone. He had even [been one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnzdFKz_X4Q). One of my favorite moments on _Newhart_ was of Stephanie (the spoiled rich white heiress played by Julia Duffy) singing Ol’ Man River. I wonder if it might have been inspired by this song. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/5 "2013-03-22T14:15:38Z")
Frank Sinatra sang it in (IIRC) _Till the Clouds Roll By_. He’s in a white tux and the melody’s being played on (again, IIRC) multiple white grand pianos. This was a 1946 movie. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/6 "2013-03-22T14:23:00Z")
How about a little kid in his crib singing [Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CEukot2vTA)? ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/7 "2013-03-22T14:28:38Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > If this were the only arrangement of “[Ol’ Man River](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2GFxVCE5pQ)” you ever heard, you’d never know it was about the exhausting inhumanity of slavery. The song is from the musical Showboat. The action takes place from 1887 to 1927. It is about race and class but not slavery. It’s also about how “nature” doesn’t care about your petty little problems. (and it doesn’t matter if your black or white or rich or poor or whatever) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/8 "2013-03-22T21:12:39Z")
If you want to se it really destroyed, [wait until the PC police get a hold of it.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLlTlYfqQV4) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/9 "2013-03-22T21:27:46Z")
Bobby Darin, [“Artificial Flowers.”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1U-vcuw38I) Child labor, swing version. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/10 "2013-03-23T15:14:50Z")
I’m not sure that’s any worse than Sinatra’s cover of “Mrs. Robinson”. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/11 "2013-03-23T17:35:21Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > The song is from the musical Showboat. The action takes place from 1887 to 1927. > > It is about race and class but not slavery. It’s also about how “nature” doesn’t care about your petty little problems. (and it doesn’t matter if your black or white or rich or poor or whatever) I’m well aware of that. But most interpretations of it don’t turn it into something bouncy and upbeat, like Crosby’s. ---
**Author:** ![patrician](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2acd7d/32.png) [@patrician](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/patrician)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/12 "2013-03-27T13:04:20Z")
My vote is for just about any pop star putting his/her particular spin on the Star Spangled Banner. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/13 "2013-03-27T13:32:05Z")
Our National Anthem might be a lot of things, but it’s not a “great song.” As a song, it’s awful. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/14 "2013-03-27T13:42:05Z")
Speaking of anthems, one way is to tack an [artificially long ending](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=686409) to it. “Hey Jude” would be a great song but for the ending. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/15 "2013-03-27T16:13:21Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Bobby Darin, [“Artificial Flowers.”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1U-vcuw38I) > > Child labor, swing version. Oh, but he knows it and thinks it’s a hoot. He’s really selling the cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/16 "2013-03-27T16:17:44Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Our National Anthem might be a lot of things, but it’s not a “great song.” As a song, it’s awful. It was a decent British drinking song in its day! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/17 "2013-03-27T16:34:03Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > If this were the only arrangement of “[Ol’ Man River](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2GFxVCE5pQ)” you ever heard, you’d never know it was about the exhausting inhumanity of slavery. That was…different. Suck the soul right out of the song and turn it into carnival music. I’d love to hear his take on “Amazing Grace” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/18 "2013-03-27T17:16:10Z")
Reminded me of Richard Cheese. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/19 "2013-03-27T17:27:44Z")
It’s hard to do worse than Joan Baez’ version of The Band’s The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Take Levon Helm’s vocals and drain all the soul and sincerity out and you’ve got Baez. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618/20 "2013-03-27T17:52:10Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That was…different. Suck the soul right out of the song and turn it into carnival music. I’d love to hear his take on “Amazing Grace” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” I wouldn’t call it carnival music. It took a broadway song which was inspired by spirituals and turned it into a old style light jazz song. And his backing band is pretty damn good. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-kill-a-great-song-bing-crosby-destroying-ol-man-river/653618.md?page=2)