From the 1920s to the 1960s there were always novelty songs on the air and in the hit parade such as "Yes! We Have No Bananas" and "Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats" and "Get Out of Here With Your Boom-Boom" (aka "The Thing"). In the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher picked Lita Roza's 1953 hit "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?" as her all-time favourite single. Such innocent numbers were largely swept away in the 1960s by the second great wave of rock'n'roll.
One of the last novelty successes came when Ross Bagdasarian fiddled around with a tape machine and came up with the "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" at Christmas in 1958. Featuring three chirpily rasping woodland creatures subsequently christened Alvin, Simon and Theodore, the record became a massive hit. It launched a major industry involving radio, TV and the cinema and now managed by Bagdasarian's son, Ross.
One of the last novelty successes came when Ross Bagdasarian fiddled around with a tape machine and came up with the "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" at Christmas in 1958. Featuring three chirpily rasping woodland creatures subsequently christened Alvin, Simon and Theodore, the record became a massive hit. It launched a major industry involving radio, TV and the cinema and now managed by Bagdasarian's son, Ross.
- 12/18/2011
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
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