Rockin' Robin (song)
1958
Rockin ' Robin is the title of a rock' n 'roll song that was first recorded in 1958 by Bobby Day and twice the million-seller.
Genesis
Bobby Day was the lead singer of the band Hollywood Flames, which changed its name in July 1957 in Satellites. Day wrote a few songs, but Little Bitty Pretty One ( Thurston Harris, October 1957; Jackson Five, April 1972 ) and Over and Over (Dave Clark Five, November 1965 ) turned out to be big hits. Rock in Robin, however, came not from Bobby Day, but by Jimmie Thomas aka Leon René, who owned the small class label, and was a hybrid of pop and rhythm and blues. It's about a robin chirps a brisk song in the trees. For instrumental arrangements included Barney Kessel / Renee Hall ( guitar), Clifford Scott ( tenor saxophone) and Leon " Googie " Renée ( piano ). The piccolo part with the imitated bird calls came from Plas Johnson. He and the vortex- rich Earl Palmer (drums) were next to the boiler, the core of the later Wrecking Crew. Then there was still the Maxwell Davis Orchestra, the backing vocals contributed Davis Ford, Earl Nelson and Curtis Williams at that The Penguins had left for a short time. What is striking is the syncopated clapping.
Publication and success
The single rock in Robin / Over and Over came in May 1958 ( Class Records 229) on the market and arrived in August 1958 to the 2nd largest of the U.S. pop charts. The strong B-side simultaneously penetrated before up to rank 41. In the Rhythm & Blues charts it was ranked 1 and was thus one of the major crossover hits of the year 1958. The song became the million-seller after he was presented in the Dick Clark Show October 25, 1958. In the annual chart on the Billboard Hot 100, he finished in 27th place
Cover versions
There are at least 27 cover versions. Bob Luman presented as first a live version during the Town Hall Party (28 October 1958), Bibi Johns ' German version under the title Rocky Robby was provided (recorded on November 19, 1958) with text by Kurt Feltz. Other versions were from Cliff Richard & the Drifters ( December 1958 ), Dee Dee Sharp ( LP Do The Bird; March 1963 ), The Hollies ( January 1964 ), Michael Jackson ( January 1972 ), Showaddywaddy (May 2002) or Paul Anka ( LP rock Swings, May 2005). Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem singing the song in 1981 under the direction of Janice in an episode of the Muppet Show.
Michael Jackson version
1972 coverte the then 13 -year-old Michael Jackson Rockin ' Robin and gave the title 's new popularity. Of all the cover versions became the most successful Jackson's version; she finished just like the original # 2 on the Billboard charts. on the Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles reached the cover place 2 Like the original was also Jackson's version in the annual chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and was ranked 41 He sold his version of more than 2 million copies.