The Tennessee Waltz - Patti Page

Rosemary Clooney
Come On A My House
This song was written by Two Armenian Americans Ross Bagdasarian and his cousin William Saroyan in 1939. The song did not immediate success. When it was recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1951 the song made it as a hit. The song, is inreality is a nod to the Armenian custom of having guests in the home and offering them various foods. Cloooney's rendering of the song makes the listener feel as if she is offering more than the candy she sings about

Tony Bennett
Blue Velvet
A Pop song from, 1951, Blue Velvet was written by Bernie Wayne and and Lee Morris. Song would be a hit for Tony Bennett, but would be a mega hit for Booby Vinton in the 1960s.

Perry Como
Hello Young Lovers

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein were approached to write a musical form the book Anna and the King of Siam. The book is based on the memoirs of Anna Leonowens who was an English governess and school teacher In the Court of Siam in the 1860s. The book had already been made into a straight film in 1946 starring Rex Harrison as the king. The attorney for Gertrude Lawrence, one of the queens of Broadway, approached Rodgers and Hammerstein to write a musical from the novel for her client.

The team wasn't very comfortable at first. Their musicals, so far, were all based in America in country and rural settings. This show would have to be different and would need to reflect a whole new musical element. It would somehow have to sound oriental and feel American. Rodger's and Hammerstein succeeded in the challenge. The King and I ran for 3 years on Broadway for 1246 performances. Gertrude Lawrence would die during the run, and the main surprise about the musical is, though it starred and was created for Gertrude Lawrence, the show was completely taken over by Yul Brynner, who played the king. This would become his signature role and would be associated with him more than any other actor.

The song Hello Young Lovers, is song by Anna when she first meets the wives of the king. In the song she explains how she thinks of her husband who has died and how young people make her feel when she sees them.

Nat King Cole
Unforgettable

Inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2000, was written in 1951 by Irving Gordo. The publishing company wasn't happy with the original title which was Incomparable, and asked the composer lyricist to make the change to Unforgettable and a music legend is made.

The song was originally recorded by Nat King Cole and remained one his most popular songs. Nat King Cole would record the song more than once most notably in 1961. In 1991 Elvis Presley's music director came up with the idea of splicing the 1961 recording with a recording made by Nat's Daughter Natalie Cole and the song had another surge of popularity winning three Grammy awards: Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

Mario Lanza
Be My Love
Written in 1950 by Sammy Cahn (Lyrics) and Nicholas Brodzsky (music), this song would go to number one on the Billboard chart, and sell one million copies. The song was introduced by Kathryn Grayson and Mario Lanza in the 1950 movie The Toast of New Orleans.

Mario Lanza was a native of Philadelphia. He was born in 1921 and named Alfred Arnold Cocozza, the son of Italian Immigrants. Before his star began to blaze he and his child hood friends would go into restaurants in Philadelphia, Lanza would sing and the gang would get dinner for free.

Lanza was discovered by Luis B Mayer, the head of MGM studios, he was signed to seven year contract and changed his name. His mother's maiden name was Lanza.
Unfortunately Lanza would become difficult to work with. He would get into arguments with the studio, his directors and his co-stars. Hedda Hopper said of him that "his smile, which was as big as his voice, was matched with the habits of a tiger cub, impossible to housebreak". Mario Lanza would die in 1959 at the age of 38. He passed from a pulmonary ambulism. Author Eleonora Kimmel concludes that Lanza "blazed like a meteor whose light lasts a brief moment in time".

Louis Armstrong
A Kiss To Build A Dream On
This song was composed by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby and Oscar Hammerstein II in 1935. In 1951 it was used in the film The Strip, in the film it was sung by practically the entire cast including Armstrong as well as by Mickey Rooney with William Demarest, by Sally Forrest, and by Kay Brown. But it would be recorded by Armstrong and the hit would go to Mr Armstrong.

Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenters
Aba Dabba Honeymoon

Written and published by Arthur Fields and Walter Donovan in 1914, the first recording of the song was made by Collins and Harlin also in 1914. The song would come back in the 1950 movie "Two Weeks With Love". "Aba Dabba Honeymoon" would go to #3 on the Billboard chart in 1951. The song was again brought back on 1959 the film soundtrack that brought the Three Stooges back called "Have Rocket Will Travel". In the 1970s the Television Show Laverne and Shirley would use the song in the episode titled "The Shotz Talent Show."

Leroy Anderson
Blue Tango
The Syncopated Clock