Bing and Billie and Frank and Ella and Judy and Barbra

by Dan Callahan

Crosby, Holiday, Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Garland, and Streisand were the major interpreters of the American songbook, and this is the interlocking story of their lives and careers.
Here is the epic tale of how these artists dominated American popular music over a fifty-year period, a roller coaster ride that gains momentum through the 1930s and ’40s, reaches a crest of magical creativity in the 1950s and early '60s, and then crashes down by the early 1970s, a half-century when the great American songbook dominated the airwaves and the fight for racial equality came to the forefront.
Ella was beloved in her time, and she is still beloved. Frank is still the king of the songbook, but Bing’s legacy is just as vital once you start listening to his unprecedented 1930s output. The best songs from Judy’s greatest triumph, her 1963–64 TV series, are shared endlessly online. The legend of Billie grows by the year, and the basis of this should be appreciation and wonder for her own great artistry in the 1930s. Barbra is a living legend and still a commercial force to be reckoned with, the last exemplar of the songbook and its glories. All six of these singers reach out to us and show us new ways of expression and new ways to dream.
Their song is largely ended but the melody lingers on.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, History, Pop Culture, Biography Memoir

384 pages, Hardcover

Published September 5, 2023

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF.

Clumsy writing spoiled the content for me especially as there’s a lot of talk about music and songs without taking advantage of the audio format to drop in even a taste of the songs involved. Gave up after two chapters out of frustration

[Floyd Garrett · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, how I hate writing negative reviews.

This book is an absolute disaster. Callahan is a critic. He attempts mightly to intertwine the legendary careers of Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, and Barbra Streisand. This is a recipe for a hot mess.

It is clear in his writing that he dislikes all of these extraordinary people. They have had countless biographies written about them, but, somehow, his writing doesn't want you to delve into their lives further. Bing was cold and heartless, especially to his "first family." Callahan professes Crosby's career took a dreadful hit when his son, Gary Crosby, published a memoir entitled Going My Own Way. This was in 1983. Bing died in 1977. By this time, the majority of the world remembered Bing for White Christmas and did not know of his early career as a hitmaker. And, I'm quite sure, most people could not pick Gary Crosby out of a lineup.

And on it goes with all of the others. Billie is a well-known drug addict who fades. Frank is a mobster who fades. Ella comes across well. She fades. Judy is a total wreck. And Barbra is Barbra. She comes out the best of all of them, maybe because she's the only one still alive.

There are no acknowledgments in the book. No editor is listed. And I suspect there was no editor. Dreadful transitions are going from one artist to the next, sometimes in the same paragraph that makes absolutely no sense.

And look, I'm no grammar policeman. I hate some of the rules. But, I'd be hesitant to end my book with the word "of."

Avoid this book at all costs.

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I must say that I am an old soul. I love classic films and watch them repeatedly. I love old music and Big Band, and have many albums that I listen to on a regular basis. I have heard of -- and listened to -- all of the people mentioned in this book. I am a huge fan of Bing Crosby and Billie Holiday, not so much Ella Fitzgerald (but the woman could sing), and I don't care for Barbra Streisand at all. (I have to wonder why she is even in this book, considering she doesn't fit in the category of the others).

But saying that, I have to be honest about this book. It's all over the place. The chapters are all mixed up in a way that they shouldn't be. First, you read about the beginnings of Bing, then Frank, etc.; when it should have been episodes devoted to each one individually. All Bing, all Frank, etc. The way it is written, you barely get a sense of what's going on when you're 'thrown into another person.' It's disconcerting, and not good writing.

I did also feel that the author was doing a minor 'hit job' on a few of these (and I won't say who, because others might not have read the book yet); but things were said that never needed to be, and might change the opinion of others who like the music; i.e., color their world to the personality of the singer. Most we knew: studios fed Judy drugs, Billie was a heroin addict; but some things did not pertain to their music and didn't need to be there.

As far as the music goes, each artist has their own style: Bing had a pure voice, one that will never be heard again, and the only other singer I can say that about is Perry Como. The notes were pure, the songs lovely to listen to. Frank put himself into his music, and it carried a different tune. Billie used her whole heart, and the sadness and desperation shows in the songs -- while some were heartrending, others were pure beauty. Ella just wanted to sing, and sing she did, and it comes out in the song. Judy had a huge voice for such a small girl, and she put everything into it, heart, soul, and as loud and lovely as she could. Again, I can't mention Barbra as I don't listen to her at all. Sorry.

In the end, I would have liked to have read this differently, with a fullness to each person's story, but it wasn't written that way. Most of the book is analysis and exposition, not the love of the subject. While this is there, the heart is not.

I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss and the publisher but this in no way influenced my review.

[Ed Dorsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a lot of bad reviews of this book, but I enjoyed it. It is told in a linear timeline which makes it easy to follow, retelling interactions between the singers and the growth of their careers. Criticism of various releases and performances seem fair, 'tho for the most part are Mr. Callahan's which I didn't always agree with but accepted. I did wonder about not covering Andy Williams or Tony Bennett who were stars during this period. My only complaint is the weight of the book - literally. It's not that thick, only a little over 300 pages but quite weighty to hold.( I guess premium paper was used).

[Carl Upthegrove · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a mini bio of the title singers and also a review of much of their work. The part about Barbra seems a little out of place but does not distract from the rest of the books. Musicians will enjoy it and fans of Bing Billie Ella Judy and Frank will enjoy it. I’m both and I really enjoyed it. I listened as an audio book and the narrator was quite good. A couple of mid-pronunciations but overall a job well done.

[Wendy Mahlik · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in the flow of the book. I understand telling the story in a chronological manner by this flipped back and forth far too many times. I would have enjoyed more on Louie Armstrong as he was an integral part of all their careers and left Barbra out.

[Brendan Walsh · Rating 1 out of 5]

The man is an atrocious poseur. A bad writer. Published on the fringe, and still below the standards.

[William · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very disjointed, poorly written book of anecdotes which jumps from artist to artist without really developing a story about their rise, development, and life.
I love music but was very disappointed in the style and content.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a disappointment. The timeline linking these artists becomes decreasingly coherent, especially as they die but are brought back up. The inclusion of Barbra is an odd choice, especially since the "elephant in the room" of the American Songbook, Tony Bennett, is mentioned only once in passing. Given the catty nature of this book, I can only guess the author took into account that Tony was still alive and could afford a good lawyer.

On the plus side, assuming the author has his facts in order this was an interesting look at these artists. Ignoring the cattiness, I came to appreciate these artists more. I would recommend looking at biographies and autobiographies of your favorites rather than reading this book.