Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 3, 2014

DEAR JERRY: I know it was common in the 1950s and '60s for someone to write words to go with most of the instrumental hits. Quite often, both the instrumental and the vocal became very popular.

I'd like to see a list of some of the hits recorded both ways, but only ones from those two decades.

I don't expect to see them all, but do the best you can in the space allotted.
—Tanner Redding, Palm Springs, Calif.


DEAR TANNER: Here we go again, creating another list that, to the best of my knowledge, does not yet exist.

Here is the format:

Instrumental titles are alphabetical, followed by the artist. If that year differs from the vocal, it will be before the hyphen. When both have the same year, it will be shown only once, at the end of the line.

To the right of the hyphen may be a vocal title, which is only necessary if different than the instrumental title. Next is the vocal credit and year, for either the vocal, or for both if the year is the same.

Neither the time of issue nor chart success affects the layout. Instrumentals are always listed first.

Only singles qualify, and both releases must be from the 1950s or '60s.

Many versions exist for most of these tunes, but we can list only one per. I chose what I feel are the most appropriate entries for this specific project.

"All My Loving": Hollyridge Strings - Beatles (1964)
"Alley Cat": Bent Fabric (1962) - Peggy Lee (1963)
"Apache": Jorgen Ingmann - Sonny James (1961)
"April in Portugal": Les Baxter - Vic Damone (1953)
"Autumn Leaves": Roger Williams - Mitch Miller (1955)
"Because They're Young": Duane Eddy - Jimmy Darren (1960)
"Bewitched": Bill Snyder - Doris Day (1950)
"Calcutta": Lawrence Welk - Four Preps (1961)
"Canadian Sunset": Hugo Winterhalter with Eddy Heywood - Andy Williams (1956)
"Charmaine": Mantovani (1951) - Vaughn Monroe (1952)
"Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White": Perez Prado - Alan Dale (1955)
"Classical Gas": Mason Williams (1968) - "Classical Gas" (with "Scarborough Fair" lyrics): Alan Copeland Singers (1969)
"Delicado": Percy Faith - Dinah Shore (1952)
"Down Yonder": Del Wood - Champ Butler (1951)
"Ebb Tide": Frank Chacksfield - Vic Damone (1953)
"Eternally": see "Terry's Theme from Limelight"
"Exodus": Ferrante & Teicher - Pat Boone (1961)
"Flamingo": Earl Bostic (1951) - "Flamingo L'Amore": Gaylords (1958)
"Grazing in the Grass": Hugh Masekela (1968) - Friends of Distinction (1969)
"Hard Day's Night": George Martin - Beatles (1964)
"High and the Mighty": Les Baxter - Johnny Desmond (1954)
"Honky Tonk (Part 2)": Bill Doggett - "Honky Tonk (Vocal)": Bill Doggett (1956)
"Horse, The": Cliff Nobles & Co. - "Love Is All Right": Cliff Nobles (1968)
"I Should Have Known Better": George Martin - Beatles (1964)
"I Want to Hold Your Hand": Boston Pops - Beatles (1964)
"In Crowd": Ramsey Lewis Trio (1965) - Dobie Gray (1964)
"Java": Al Hirt - "Java Jones": Donna Lynn (1964)
"Last Date": Floyd Cramer (1960) - "My Last Date (With You)": Skeeter Davis (1961)
"L-O-V-E": Hollyridge Strings (1965) - Nat King Cole (1964)
"Love is Blue": Paul Mauriat - Al Martino (1968)
"Love Me Do": Hollyridge Strings - Beatles (1964)
"(Love Theme from) Romeo and Juliet": Henry Mancini - Johnny Mathis (1969)
"Maria Elena": Los Indios Tabajaras (1963) - Ray Smith (1960)
"Melody of Love": Billy Vaughn - Four Aces (1955)
"Memphis": Lonnie Mack (1963) - Chuck Berry (1959)
"Moonglow and Theme from Picnic": Morris Stoloff - "Picnic (Based on Theme from Picnic)": McGuire Sisters (1956)
"More": Kai Winding - Vic Dana (1963)
"Moritat (A Theme from the Three Penny Opera)": Dick Hyman Trio - "Theme from the Threepenny Opera (Mack the Knife)" Louis Armstrong (1956)
"Night Train": Jimmy Forest (1952) - James Brown (1962)
"One Mint Julep": Ray Charles (Band) (1961) - Sarah Vaughan (1962)
"Only You (Loin De Vous)": Franck Pourcel's French Fiddles (1959) - "Only You (And You Alone)": Platters (1955)
"Our Winter Love": Bill Pursell - Anita Bryant (1963)
"Poor Boy": Royaltones - Cardigans (1958)
"Poor People of Paris (La Goualante du Pauvre Jean)": Les Baxter (1956) - "Poor People of Paris": Dean Martin (1962)
"Quiet Village": Martin Denny - Darla Hood (1959)
"Red Roses for a Blue Lady": Bert Kaempfert - Vic Dana (1965)
"Ruby": Richard Hayman (1953) - Ray Charles (1960)
"Skokiaan": Bulawayo Sweet Rhythms Band - Four Lads (1954)
"Sleep Walk": Santo & Johnny - Betsy Brye (1959)
"Soft Summer Breeze": Eddy Heywood - Diamonds (1956)
"Stranger on the Shore": Mr. Acker Bilk - Andy Williams (1962)
"Taste of Honey": Eddie Cano (1962) - Tony Bennett (1964)
"Telstar": Tornadoes - "(Help Me) Telstar": Gee Sisters (1962)
"Terry's Theme from Limelight": Frank Chacksfield - "Eternally (Theme from Limelight)": Vic Damone (1953)
"Theme from a Summer Place": Percy Faith (1960) - (Don Roman) (1962)
"Third Man Theme": Anton Karas - "The 3rd Man Theme": Victor Young with Don Cherry (1950)
"Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer": Hollyridge Strings (1965) - Nat King Cole (1963)
"Unchained Melody": Les Baxter - Al Hibbler (1956)
"Up Tight": Ramsey Lewis - "Uptight (Everything's Alright)": Stevie Wonder (1966)
"Washington Square": Village Stompers - Ames Brothers (1963)
"Wheels": String-a-Longs - Johnny Duncan (1961)
"Whispering": Les Paul (1951) - Nino Tempo & April Stevens (1964)
"Wonderland by Night": Bert Kaempfert (1960) - Anita Bryant (1961)
"Yellow Bird": Arthur Lyman (1961) - Mills Brothers (1959)


IZ ZAT SO? I wouldn't blame you if a couple of these entries had you questioning my sagacity, specifically "Honky Tonk" and "The Horse."

With these two, fittingly back-to-back alphabetically, the same artist is credited on both the instrumental and vocal versions of the songs.

The two waxings of "Honky Tonk" are on two separate records, the vocal — actually by Tommy Brown — being issued while the instrumental was still on the charts.

"The Horse" became a monster hit quite by accident.

The intended A-side was "Love Is All Right, and the entire session was about getting this tune just the way they wanted it.

As the end of their studio time drew near, they came up with a plan to save time and money. Just eliminate the Cliff's vocal track from "Love Is All Right," and let the instrumental track be on the B-side. Then name it something that seemingly has nothing to do with anything, such as "The Horse."

Makes sense, but fate had other plans. Dee jays liked the instrumental side much better, and "The Horse" trotted off to the winner's circle.