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This 8 line song that paints a picture of holiday nostalgia was written by Irving Berlin. It was originally about about a New Yorker stranded in sunny California during Christmas. Bing recorded it for the movie Holiday Inn with the Kim Darby Singers and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra on May 29, 1942 in 18 minutes (Crosby starred in the movie with Fred Astaire). Bing's record producer Jack Kapp thought that original opening verse about the sun, the palm trees in Beverly Hills and it being December the 24th, would be meaningless outside of the film and persuaded Bing not to release it, and he never did. The song went on to win the Best Song Academy Award of 1942.

Bing rerecorded the song on March 19,1947, again with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra because the original masters had been worn out from all the pressings, and this is the version that became a holiday tradition. Bing performed the song again in White Christmas, his 1954 film co-starring Danny Kaye.

Historically this is the biggest selling Christmas song of all time. It was the biggest selling song of all time, going back and forth with Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock," until Elton John released his tribute to Princess Diana - "Candle In The Wind."

This has the distinction of marking the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. As the North Vietnamese surrounded Saigon, an evacuation plan was put into effect to bring the remaining Americans to safety. Their cue to evacuate was when a radio announcement stating that the temperature in Saigon was "105 degrees and rising," and followed by the playing of Bing Crosby's "White Christmas." That was the signal for the mad dash to the US Embassy where helicopters were waiting.

The original Drifters with Clyde McPhatter as their lead vocalist recorded their Doo-Wop version in November 1953. It hit #2 on the R&B charts in 1954, and made the Pop charts in 1955. The deep bass-tenor voice you hear on this version was Bill Pinkney, who was an early member of the group. (thanks, Jeff - Boston, MA, for all above)

In both the movie Holiday Inn and the movie White Christmas, the first verse is cut out. As a result, if asked to sing the song most people will start out, "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas..." instead of "The sun is shining, the grass is green..." There are very few copies of Bing Crosby singing the entire song. (thanks, Jenie - Naples, Italy)

This was originally #1 for 14 weeks and it made the Pop charts for 20 Christmas seasons, the most times a record has entered the US chart. It is the 2nd best seller of all time and the most recorded Christmas song of all time. Its been a hit for 8 different acts, the 2nd most after "Unchained Melody." (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England)

Comments:

"The choir for the song White Christmas wore black face." -- Mark from Seattle *** With all due respect, you're completely mistaken. The minstrel number did not feature the song "White Christmas, and was not done in black-face. See http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uiws88x-fX0. The finale of "White Christmas" did not involve a chorus. See also http://www.moviehabit.com/reviews/whi_lj04.shtml for a good review with commentary on the minstrel number. By the way, the term "minstrel show" was sorely miscast in popular understanding by the black-face minstrel shows. "Minstrel" originally meant "a medieval entertainer who traveled from place to place, especially to sing and recite poetry; a lyric poet; a musician." Pity.
- Bing, Holiday Inn, CT

Just a couple of historical notes: Elton John did originally write "Candle in the Wind" with Bernie Taupin as an ode to Marilyn Monroe, thus "Goodbye Norma Jean" (Baker). One of their best songs. "It seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind, never knowing who to turn to when the rains set in. And I would have liked to've known you, but I was just a kid. Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did." Bernie Taupin wrote some truly great lyrics. "Goodbye England's Rose" was the song they wrote (lyrics modified from Candle), to the same tune, which Sir Elton sang at Princess Diana's funeral, because they were very close long-time friends.
- Bing, Holiday Inn, CT

MusicMama: The armed forces in WWII were segregated by skin color. I'm just saying. Had they not been, not all of them would've been making that "joke," now would they have been, hm?
- Bing, Holiday Inn, CT

Teresa: re Spector's Wall of Sound. The very first recorded song featuring it was that all-time classic, Tina Turner's "River Deep Mountain High" (1966), and I went straight to the record store. What an American treasure she is. "Remember where you are - this is Thunderdome. Death is listening, and will take the first man who screams." -- Auntie Entity. I'm gonna marry her if she ever starts answering my letters. Well, her or Emmylou Harris. "Do I love you my oh my..."
- Bing, Holiday Inn, CT

what is America, without this song,I tell ya....
- steve dotstar, los angeles, CA

responses to comments: Heather...I don't understand you're thinking on White Xmas..What is your concept of a great song? Music Mama-Ny Lol, pretty funny! Charles of Bronxville-I agree that a lot of film versions are better than the commercially re-cut ones. this was true with some of Elvis' renditions, and also Henry Mancini.... teresa.."the GREAt Wall of Sound? and not the Great Wall of China?(teasing)lol Bobbie-very humrous post, but you have a valid point! Steveo
- steve dotstar, los angeles, CA

I think both "Candle in the Wind" and "White Christmas" are absolutely yecchy tunes.
- Heather, Los Angeles, CA

A great-uncle of mine who was in North Africa during WWII told me that some of his fellow-soldiers had their own version of this song: I'm Dreaming of a White Mistress.
- MusicMama, new york, NY

If you listen to the version in the film "Holiday Inn" you'll hear that it's slightly different from the released version recorded on March 19th of 1947. The film version is phrased a little differently and Bing's inflections are also somewhat more moving. IMHO the version in the film is the better of the two.
- Charles, Bronxville, NY

Is that Bing himself doing the whistling?
- Mark, Lancaster, OH

Think about the fact that at the time White Christmas was in production, young black man where dying for this country and freedom.. The choir for the song White Christmas wore black face. When I hear this song, I think of hypocrisy. Mark Stevens, a very white guy
- Mark, Seattle, WA

The name of the famous motel chain came from the title of the movie, "Holiday Inn." And my understanding is that "White Christmas" was not only the most popular Christmas song of all time, but was in fact the most popular song of all time, period. I think it's since been displaced, but still.
- Mark, Lancaster, OH

Cristin, Candle In The Wind WAS originally written about Marilyn Monroe, but when Pincess Di died, John did a new version as a tribute to her, and that's the version that sold so much it surpassed White Christmas.
- fyodor, Denver, CO

You can find a version of Darlene Love on the Christmas cd "A Christmas gift for you from Phil Spector; it's very good, very Spector, with a great "Wall of Sound".
- Teresa, Mechelen, Belgium

Kristi. I think they're refering to that specific version about Princess Diana, and how it out-sold both "Rock Around the Clo0ck" and this song.
- Stefanie, Rock Hill, SC

As pretty as this song is when the holidays come around I could just puke, after of hearing this song by redone by every Tom, Dick, and Back Street Boy. The recording industry should put a ban on recording this song to keep it from being ruined any farther.
- Bobbie, Central, NM

About a fact above. . . wasn't Candle in the Wind a tribute to Marilyn Monroe?? Hence "goodbye, Norma Jean. . ." It came way before Princess Di.
- Cristin, Boston, MA

I really love this Album by Bing Crosby. I grew up in Singapore in the 1950's and 1960's, and this is the ONE Christmas Album that went around the world with us (Literally) through the years!!! I still have the Album, By The Way!!! Rosalie
- Rosalie, Newark, DE

I didn't even know that there was a verse left out of the original song.
- Stefanie magura, Rock Hill, SC