I was elated to see this version of “Ol’ Man River” on YouTube. It was interesting to read the comments below the video. “Ol’ Man River” has been a controversial song through the years. However, it is also considered one of the greatest songs of 20th century American music. This version by Bing, in his later years, is absolutely stellar, even at less than two minutes long. It is a song about the hardship of the black dock workers on the Mississippi River showboats. With lyrics from Oscar Hammerstein II, it was first performed in a 1927 stage production of Show Boat by Jules Bledsoe, though it was originally written with Paul Robeson in mind. The comments on YouTube chide Crosby for using “plantation-poor English,” and thus consider this version to be “racially charged.” Nonetheless, Bing Crosby was famous for his jazzy slang locutions, and this is a big focus of Gary Giddins in his biography of Bing’s early years. Bing attended a Jesuit high school where he competed in elocution contests, oratorical contests, and debating societies. Clive James said, “In high school Crosby learned elocution from the Jesuits. He went on to a college education. He was so at home with a twelve-cylinder vocabulary that his radio and film writers later poured on the polysyllables in full confidence that he could handle anything.” Bing’s ability to do extraordinary things with his voice made this song perfect for him.Only in the modern era of hyper-political correctness has there been controversy about singing the song in a happy and upbeat manner. Much of criticism through the years has been typical pc garbage due to white men like Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, and Frank Sinatra (along with the Jewish Al Jolson) singing the song. Bing’s very jazzy version of the song is considered distinctly scandalous. There has also been controversy concerning the lyrics – the middle portion of the song was eliminated by popular recording artists (including Crosby), and Paul Robeson also altered the lyrics over time.

Robeson recorded the song in June of 1928 and is always said to be the first to record it. In fact it was Bing Crosby who first recorded the song in April of 1928, singing for Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra. This is also an up-tempo version of the song.