''Our Common Heritage – Great Poems Celebrating Milestones in the History of America'' is a
Decca Records album of
phonograph records by various artists celebrating American ideals and patriotic themes. The album was edited, with notes, by
Louis Untermeyer
Louis Untermeyer (October 1, 1885 – December 18, 1977) was an American poet, anthologist, critic, and editor. He was appointed the fourteenth Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1961.
Life and career
Untermeyer was born in New Y ...
; original music and sound effects were composed by
Victor Young
Albert Victor Young (August 8, 1899– November 10, 1956)"Victor Young, Composer, Dies of Heart Attack", ''Oakland Tribune'', November 12, 1956. was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor.
Biography
Young is commonly said to ...
and
Lehman Engel
A. Lehman Engel (born September 14, 1910, Jackson, Mississippi - died August 29, 1982, New York City) was an American composer and conductor of Broadway musicals, television and film.
Work in theatre, television and films
Engel worked in a variety ...
with the Jean Neilson Verse Choir. Artists reading are
Brian Donlevy
Waldo Brian Donlevy (February 9, 1901 – April 6, 1972) was an American actor, noted for playing dangerous tough guys from the 1930s to the 1960s. He usually appeared in supporting roles. Among his best-known films are '' Beau Geste'' (19 ...
,
Agnes Moorehead
Agnes Robertson Moorehead (December 6, 1900April 30, 1974) was an American actress. In a career spanning four decades, her credits included work in radio, stage, film, and television.Obituary ''Variety'', May 8, 1974, page 286. Moorehead was th ...
,
Fredric March
Fredric March (born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel; August 31, 1897 – April 14, 1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated, versatile stars of the 1930s and 1940s.Obituary '' Variety'', April 16, 1975, ...
,
,
Pat O'Brien Pat O'Brien may refer to:
Politicians
* Pat O'Brien (Canadian politician) (born 1948), member of the Canadian House of Commons
*Pat O'Brien (Irish politician) (c. 1847–1917), Irish Nationalist MP in the United Kingdom Parliament
Others
*Pat O'Br ...
, and
Bing Crosby.
Reception
Howard Taubman
Hyman Howard Taubman (July 4, 1907 – January 8, 1996) was an American music critic, theater critic, and author.
Biography
Born in Manhattan, Taubman attended DeWitt Clinton High School and then won a four-year scholarship to Cornell University, ...
, writing in
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
heralded the release of the album. “With considerable beating of the drums, Decca has issued an album called “Our Common Heritage” (eight 10 inch records). It contains sixteen poems commemorating “milestones in the history of America.”
Jack Kapp
Jack Kapp (born Jacob Kaplitzky; June 15, 1901 – March 25, 1949) was a record company executive with Brunswick Records who founded the American Decca Records in 1934 along with British Decca founder Edward Lewis and later American Decca head M ...
, president of Decca is keynoting the campaign for this album
nd writes“Who else but Bing Crosby, who symbolises America to the world, should read The Star-Spangled Banner? And who else should make it a living experience, read as we believe
Francis Scott Key felt it?” Who else, indeed? Unless of course, it should occur to you that you could read it for yourself....If it makes American ideals shine more brightly for them to hear Bing Crosby, Pat O’Brien and the others dramatize them, only a bounder would disagree with Mr. Kapp.”
Track listing
These songs were featured on an 8-disc, 78 rpm album set, Decca Album No. A-536.
Disc 1: (40030)
Disc 2: (40031)
Disc 3: (40032)
Disc 4: (40033)
Disc 5: (40034)
Disc 6: (40035)
Disc 7: (40036)
Disc 8: (40037)
LP release
The album was re-released as a 12” LP (DL 9072) in 1959.
LP track listing
SIDE ONE
# “Columbus"
# "The American Flag”
# “Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers"
# "Barbara Frietchie"
# "Paul Revere’s Ride"
# "Paul Revere’s Ride"
# “Warren’s Address to American Soldiers (June 17, 1775) / Concord Hymn"
# "Hail Columbia"
SIDE TWO
# “America”
# “Sheridan’s Ride"
# "The Star-Spangled Banner"
# “Old Ironsides
# "Nancy Hanks"
# “Lincoln, Man of the People"
# “O Captain! My Captain!"
# "Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight"
References
{{Authority control
Bing Crosby albums
1947 albums
Decca Records albums
Spoken word albums by American artists