Gone Fishin'

Gone Fishin' is one of the most notable songs recorded by music icons Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong, but what's the story behind the song, and what made the union between these great musicians so special?

Introducing two legends

Both Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong followed similar career paths in life. Born in America in 1903 and 1901 respectively, it wasn't until 1926 that they actually first met. Already sharing a deep respect for each other's early musical talents, this admiration developed and grew over the years, and they enjoyed a friendship spanning almost half a century.

Arguably most famous for his song White Christmas, Bing Crosby sold more than 300 million records during his life. He boasted a mellow and relaxed singing style, earning a reputation as the original crooner. Bing also had his own radio programme and starred in 80 movies, bagging himself an Oscar in 1943.

New Orleans born Louis Armstrong, nicknamed Satchmo, was also a revered singer known for his gravelly voice, improvising and skills at scat, although it was his trumpet playing that perhaps earned him the greatest respect. He became known as one of the most influential jazz figures of the early 20th century.

A harmonious union

Bing and Satchmo collaborated with many big-name stars during their careers, but it wasn't until the 1930s that they realised they both worked really well together. Louis would often make guest appearances on Bing's radio programmes, which culminated in an album, Havin' Fun. The pair then joined forces in 1936 on the film Pennies From Heaven, and in 1951 on the movie Here Comes The Groom, and then MGM's High Society in 1956.

Bing commented that the happiest times of his career were those he spent working with Louis Armstrong. He was in awe of the jazz man's ability to blend music with humour. Louis also praised Bing's talents, calling him a natural genius and one of the finest guys in this musical world. They both remarked that each other had a strong influence on their singing styles over the years.

Gone Fishin'

One of Bing and Louis's most notable duets came about almost by accident in 1951. Louis was making a guest appearance on Bing's radio show, where they performed the song, Gone Fishin'.



Written by Nick and Charles Kenny, Gone Fishin' had previously been recorded by other artists, to no chart success. Although the 19th April 1951 recording made by Bing and Louis was due to be broadcast on 25th April, the live broadcast version was so well received by audiences that it was issued commercially by Decca Records. The song went on to become a hit for the pair, charting at number 19 in June 1951.

Bing performed Gone Fishin' once again during concerts in 1976 with comedian Ted Rogers. Other artists, such as Pat Boone and The Manhattan Transfer, have since released their own versions of the song, but arguably not to the same success as Bing and Louis, whose version still graces the radio airwaves to this day.

As one of the most poignant songs the pair collaborated on, does this mean they had a shared penchant for fishing? It's unlikely that the lyrics in the song relate to this sport. In fact, gone fishin' was a term used if you were taking some time out for a while, breaking the normal routine or even spending some time daydreaming. Shopkeepers used to hang signs from their door saying gone fishin', which would effectively mean they were not available or out for lunch. The lyrics 'there's a sign upon your door' certainly suggest that this is the meaning of gone fishin' in the song. Whether or not Bing and Louis actually escaped to go fishing, no one knows!

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