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The 1950's ---- Musical variety at its best!

In 1954 this was published by Leroy Anderson. It would not make it to the charts; however, everybody with a TV set in the Philly/Delaware Valley area in 1957 would have heard THE BUGLER's HOLIDAY played as the opening theme music for Bill "Wee Willie" Webber's legendary top-rated kid-oriented BREAKFAST TIME local broadcast 7-9a @ WFIL TV Philadelphia 1957-63 THE BANDSTAND STATION!
 
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The Ballad of Davy Crockett was introduced on ABC's television series DISNEYLAND, in the premiere episode of October 27, 1954. Fess Parker sings on a log cabin set in frontiersman clothes. The song would later be heard throughout the Disneyland television miniseries Davy Crockett, beginning in December of 1954, sung by The Wellingtons.
Hayes recorded it in one take at an RCA studio in Manhattan. Other versions by Fess Parker and Tennessee Erne Ford quickly followed. All three versions made the charts in 1955. Hayes' version reached number 1 on the weekly chart and number 7 for the year.
 
We are going to retreat a few years, back to 1952. This song was written in 1950 but would become a big hit in '52. I have heard warious versions and some entirely in german; however, I believe this version Vera Lynn is the best. It is a better/sweet song parting songing that needs just a touch of melancholy AUF WIEDERSEH'N SWEETHEART I believe the that many soldiers after the war -- stationed overseas left behind loves that they would in reality never see again for whatever reason ----- and this song said it all...
 
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Here is a Patti Page song titled : I WENT TO YOUR WEDDING. I've never heard this one sung at a wedding ---- i guess for obvious reasons. Oddly, this melody is very similar to the Russian song "Po Donu gulyaet kazak molodoi" ("Young Cossack went near the Don"): . Anyway here is Patty Page:
 
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I should add that SPIKE JONES and HIS CITY SLICKERS later in the decade would come out with their own version of the song I WENT TO YOUR WEDDING --- though with his typical twist...
 
aociswundumho said:
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This song was written and released by Charles in 1956 on ATLANTIC Records, and in 1957 it was included on his self-titled debut LP, on Atlantic. The song peaked at number five on the Billboard R&B chart. It is loosely based on GET IT OVER BABY by Ike Turner from 1953.
 
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In 1953 there was an Italian novelty song EH COMPARI by Julis La Rosa. It seems that there were a lot of Italian songs in the 1950's. . Italian songs tended to be happy songs --- unless from the Opera. I love Italians and their happy songs. Anyway, I remember singing this song in English in music class in elementary school. You are introduced to the various intruments in the orchestra and mimic their sound.
 
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Each child would pretend to play instument and mimic the sound, and as the song progressed each child was revisited in reverse order.

Eh cumpari, let's make some music,
What'll I play? The piccolino!
But how do you play it, the piccolino?
Wi wi wi wi, the piccolino, Chippity chippity tah!

Eh cumpari, let's make some music,
What'll I play? The saxophona!
But how do you play it, the saxophone?
Toot toot toot toot, the saxophone,
Wi wi wi wi, the piccolino, Chippity chippity tah!

Eh cumpari, let's make some music,
What'll I play? The violino!
But how do you play it, the violino?
A zing a zing, the violin,
Toot toot toot toot, the saxophone,
Wi wi wi wi, the piccolino, Chippity chippity tah!

Eh cumpari, let's make some music,
What'll I play? The Trumbetta!
But how do you play it, the Trumpet?
Pap pap pap pap, the Trumpet,
A zing a zing, the violin,
Toot toot toot toot, the saxophone,
Wi wi wi wi, the piccolino, Chippity chippity tah!

Eh cumpari, let's make some music,
What'll I play? The slide trombona!
But how do you play it, the slide trombona?
A pume a pume, the slide trombone,
Pap pap pap pap, the valchapet,
A zing a zing, the violin,
Toot toot toot toot, the saxophone,
Wi wi wi wi, the piccolino, Chippity chippity tah!

 
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Art Garfunkel also does a great cover of this song.

 
aociswundumho said:
Art Garfunkel also does a great cover of this song.

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Taken from their self-titled album and released in late 1958, this 45rpm reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 7 on the Cash Box Top 100. It was also a top five hit on the 1959 R&B Chart.
 
This whole album is great, you can listen to it straight through.

 
In 1956 The Ames Brothers had a great Kids hit with I SAW ESAU. It was in the top 100. It was one of those songs you couldn't but sing along with...
 
1956 had a lot of interesting music. And this one reached number 19 that year. It was titled THE PORTUGUESE WASHERWOMAN Played by Joe "Finger's" Carr. It's a lively number that would be even reorchestrated for the music played in stores during that time period:

This version by Percy Faith sounds closer to what would have been heard by shoppers:
 
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LittleNipper said:
Mario Lanza would have a giant hit in 1951 with this record a 2 million seller that remained on the charts for 34 weeks. The song was written with Lanza in mind, for the movie THE TOAST OF NEW ORLEANS, and nobody has done it any better ------ BE MY LOVE :
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I remember my mother playing songs sung by Mario Lanza. She would dance around the room with me (I was about 7 years old) Ah...wonderful memories...
 
aociswundumho said:
Art Garfunkel also does a great cover of this song.

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Garfunckel does a good job, but it's the background musical arrangement behind the Skyliners' version that blows me away. It's absolutely beautiful! It almost brings tears to my eyes.
 
LittleNipper said:
The Ballad of Davy Crockett was introduced on ABC's television series DISNEYLAND, in the premiere episode of October 27, 1954. Fess Parker sings on a log cabin set in frontiersman clothes. The song would later be heard throughout the Disneyland television miniseries Davy Crockett, beginning in December of 1954, sung by The Wellingtons.
Hayes recorded it in one take at an RCA studio in Manhattan. Other versions by Fess Parker and Tennessee Erne Ford quickly followed. All three versions made the charts in 1955. Hayes' version reached number 1 on the weekly chart and number 7 for the year.
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Hey, Nipper! One of my grandfathers still sings that song!

But he changed the words . . .

Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee.
Spent his life in a penitentiary.
He tried to escape, but he didn't get far,
'Cause somebody stole the getaway car . . .

I've heard that all my life! :)
 
Those of you who are unfamiliar with what is meant by "elevator music". Here is an actual taste of what was once played in department stores around the country in the 1950's. This is a low fidelity 16 3/4RPM Seerburg recording that would be played in one of their machines. The records could be stacked up and the "MUZAK" (in this case a SEERBURG player) would play all day. There was soothing music for elevators, shopping, work environments, etc... It would be played so as to not be intusive. The sound was mild and never meant to be played loudly... So moms, fix your hair, put on a modest dress, and dad's put on your suit jacket and hat ---- tie is optional ----- grab the kids and lets go shopping:
 
Coming in at number 11 for 1955 was The Crazy Otto (medley). It's a ragtime medley, arranged and recorded by the German comic performer Fritz Schulz-Reichel under the pseudonym of "Der schräge Otto" aka "Crazy Otto". The best-known version is this recording by pianist Johnny Maddox.
 
Best variety?

Back then, there were 4 types of music and 2 black artists. You understand it's different today, right?
 
The Bible Tells Me So is a 1955 gospel pop hit written by Dale Evans (wife of Roy Rodgers). Nick Nobel's version was the first of two to chart. And would have on its B-side, Nobel's version of LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING. THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO would reach the 7 spot in the Fall of 1955. Things would be so much sweeter if we only learned to live by the simple words of this song...
 
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The FOUR ACES would make a hit that would chart number 7 for the entire year of 1955 -- from the movie of the same name. The movie is a bitter sweet love story (it a tear jerker that ends the only way it could for the 1950's). The song and movie is LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING:
 
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ecofarm said:
Best variety?

Back then, there were 4 types of music and 2 black artists. You understand it's different today, right?
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R I G H T --------- Today, there are 2 white artists and one type of music. 🙄
 
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