The Kingston Trio’s arrangement of Harlan Howard’s “Everglades” mimics the intro of “Bird Dog” by The Everly Brothers (a hit in ’58 at the same time as “Tom Dooley”), givingContinue readingEverglades
The Roving Kind
The Roving Kind is a 1950 popular song by Jessie Cavanaugh and Arnold Stanton, both pseudonyms used by music publisher The Richmond Organisation. It was adapted from a British folkContinue readingThe Roving Kind
Reverend Mr. Black
The next two hits by thr Kingston Trio were songs of faith written by up-and-coming singer-songsmith Billy Edd Wheeler. “Reverend Mr. Black,” with a “turn the other cheek” message (cowrittenContinue readingReverend Mr. Black
If I Were a Carpenter
“If I Were a Carpenter,” penned by folk-rocker Tim Hardin, became Bobby Darim’s first top ten hit in three years (he returned the favor by writing Hardin’s 1969 hit “SimpleContinue readingIf I Were a Carpenter
Elusive Butterfly
“Elusive Butterfly” has a flowing lyric more poetic than musical, though it’s set to a lovely melody. Bob Lind rejected the opinion of its being an abstract love song andContinue readingElusive Butterfly
Marianne
The catchy calypso tune “Marianne” has often been cited as the only hit for so-called “disappearing act” Terry Gilkyson and the Easy Riders. But I beg to differ! Gilkyson, withContinue readingMarianne
We Are Standing On Holy Ground
Have you ever had an experience where you felt you were standing on Holy Ground?s was told “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for theContinue readingWe Are Standing On Holy Ground
Whatever Lola Wants
“Whatever Lola Wants” is a popular song, sometimes rendered as “Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets”. The music and words were written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross for the 1955Continue readingWhatever Lola Wants
ANYTHING GOES
ANYTHING GOES [Anything Goes; 1934; music & lyrics by Cole Porter] This Cole Porter classic spotlights a decades-defining diva from a different age of musical theatre: Ethel Merman in theContinue readingANYTHING GOES
IF I WERE A RICH MAN
IF I WERE A RICH MAN [Fiddler on the Roof; 1964; music by Jerry Bock; lyrics by Sheldon Harnick] Written in a Jewish klezmer style, this joyous, boisterous comical pleaContinue reading IF I WERE A RICH MAN