Buck Ram
Encyclopedia
Buck Ram was an American
songwriter, and popular music producer and arranger.
could not be written without Buck Ram's contributions. He was one of BMI's top five songwriters/air play in its first 50 years, alongside Paul Simon
, Kris Kristofferson
, Jimmy Webb
, and Paul McCartney
. Ram also wrote, produced and/or arranged for The Platters
, The Coasters
, The Drifters
, Ike and Tina Turner
, Ike Cole, Duke Ellington
, Glenn Miller
, Ella Fitzgerald
, and many others.
Ram is now mainly remembered for his long association with The Platters
. The success of the group can be attributed to Ram's large circle of friends in the music industry that included songwriters, publishers, agents and artists. Ram was a talent manager with his own firm, Personality Productions and an A&R man when Tony Williams
, the brother of of singer Linda Hayes, auditioned for him.
Ram was looking for a group to sing the songs he wrote and found the voice he was looking for in Williams. He transformed the Platters and changed their rhythm and blues style, building around Williams' voice to make them sound like the Mills Brothers
and the Ink Spots. With talented orchestrators like Red Callender
, Hal Mooney
, Sammy Lowe
and David Carroll
, Ram produced all recordings by The Platters, from their signing with Mercury Records
until his death, and wrote their biggest hits including "Only You (And You Alone)
", "The Great Pretender
". "Magic Touch", and "Twilight Time
".
When Mercury announced that they would release "Only You
" on their purple "race music" label, Ram insisted that the records be relabeled, stating that The Platters had worked too hard to have their (and his) market limited by a record label. Mercury agreed, and the records were re-labeled, thereby breaking down racial barriers and laying the groundwork for the black groups of the 1960s and beyond.
Ram wrote the lyrics to "The Great Pretender
" in the washroom of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas
after being asked what The Platters follow-up to "Only You
" would be. In 1987, when the song hit #4 in England for Freddie Mercury
, Ram had no idea who Mercury was but was thrilled his song was on the charts again — 31 years after its 1956 premiere by The Platters, and like Dolly Parton
and Liberace
, he laughed all the way to the bank. Ram also wrote "The Magic Touch," the lyrics for "Come Prima (For the First Time)," "Twilight Time," "Chew Chew Chew Your Bubble Gum," (with Ella Fitzgerald
), "Remember When," and "Ring Telephone Ring," among others.
Controversy has surrounded "I'll Be Home for Christmas," since it was first published. The label on Bing Crosby
's recording of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" credits it to Kent, Gannon, and Ram. Later recordings usually credit only Kent and Gannon. The discrepancy arose from the fact that on December 21, 1942 Buck Ram copyrighted a song titled "I'll Be Home for Christmas (Tho' Just in Memory)" although that version bore little or no resemblance, other than its title, to the Crosby recording. A song titled "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was also copyrighted on August 24, 1943, by Walter Kent
(music) and James "Kim" Gannon
(words). Kent and Gannon revised and re-copyrighted their song on September 27, 1943, and it was this version that Bing Crosby made famous.
According to Ram and newspaper articles from the era, Ram wrote the lyrics to "I'll Be Home For Christmas" as a gift for his mother when he was a sixteen year old college student. In 1942, Ram's publisher chose to hold the song for release because they were going to release Irving Berlin
's "White Christmas
" first. Not completely satisfied with the song, Ram discussed his concerns with casual acquaintances, Kent and Gannon, in a bar. He left a copy of the song with them but never discussed it with them again. Both Ram and his publisher were shocked when the song was released. Ram's publisher sued and won.
Unlike other talent managers of the era who were known for stealing and publishing songs others had written, Ram did not need to do so. He was a songwriter first and manager/producer second. The Platters and other groups he managed, like the Flares, were his vehicle to getting his songs recorded. In many cases he put singers names on songs he had written. The only other controversy in Ram's long songwriting career was with "Twilight Time" which had been an instrumental recorded by the Three Suns. When Ram wrote the lyrics to the song and made it a hit, the Three Suns sued. As in the Christmas standard, the court ruled that the neames of Artie Dunn and the Nevin brothers, writers of the instrumental, be included. It did not find against Ram.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriter, and popular music producer and arranger.
Biography
He was born Samuel Ram to Jewish parents. It has been written that the history of rock and rollRock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
could not be written without Buck Ram's contributions. He was one of BMI's top five songwriters/air play in its first 50 years, alongside Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
, Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
, and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
. Ram also wrote, produced and/or arranged for The Platters
The Platters
The Platters were a vocal group of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre...
, The Coasters
The Coasters
The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group that had a string of hits in the late 1950s. Beginning with "Searchin'" and "Young Blood", their most memorable songs were written by the songwriting and producing team of Leiber and Stoller...
, The Drifters
The Drifters
The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
, Ike and Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
, Ike Cole, Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
, Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
, and many others.
Ram is now mainly remembered for his long association with The Platters
The Platters
The Platters were a vocal group of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre...
. The success of the group can be attributed to Ram's large circle of friends in the music industry that included songwriters, publishers, agents and artists. Ram was a talent manager with his own firm, Personality Productions and an A&R man when Tony Williams
Tony Williams (singer)
Tony Williams was the lead singer of the Platters from 1953 to 1960. Williams was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and died in New York of emphysema....
, the brother of of singer Linda Hayes, auditioned for him.
Ram was looking for a group to sing the songs he wrote and found the voice he was looking for in Williams. He transformed the Platters and changed their rhythm and blues style, building around Williams' voice to make them sound like the Mills Brothers
Mills Brothers
The Mills Brothers, sometimes billed as The Four Mills Brothers, were an American jazz and pop vocal quartet of the 20th century who made more than 2,000 recordings that combined sold more than 50 million copies, and garnered at least three dozen gold records...
and the Ink Spots. With talented orchestrators like Red Callender
Red Callender
Red Callender, , was a jazz bass and tuba player, famous for turning down a chance to work with Duke Ellington's Orchestra and the Louis Armstrong All-Stars....
, Hal Mooney
Hal Mooney
Hal Mooney was an American composer and arranger, born Harold Mooney on 4 February 1911, in Brooklyn, New York. He died on 23 March 1995, in Los Angeles, California.-Early life and career:...
, Sammy Lowe
Sammy Lowe
Sammy Lowe was an American trumpeter, arranger, and conductor.Lowe was active both in jazz and in R&B music, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. From...
and David Carroll
David Carroll
David Carroll may refer to:* David Carroll , American actor* David Carroll , American naturalist author and illustrator* David Carroll , composer and musical director...
, Ram produced all recordings by The Platters, from their signing with Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
until his death, and wrote their biggest hits including "Only You (And You Alone)
Only You (And You Alone)
"Only You " is a pop song composed by Buck Ram. It was recorded most successfully by The Platters, with lead vocals by Tony Williams, in 1955....
", "The Great Pretender
The Great Pretender
"The Great Pretender" is a popular song recorded by The Platters, with Tony Williams on lead vocals, and released as a single on November 3, 1955. The words and music were created by Buck Ram, the Platters' manager and producer who was a successful songwriter before moving into producing and...
". "Magic Touch", and "Twilight Time
Twilight Time (song)
"Twilight Time" is a popular song with lyrics by Buck Ram, and the music by The Three Suns .Original hits of "Twilight Time" included the Three Suns and Les Brown & His Band of Renown ....
".
When Mercury announced that they would release "Only You
Only You (And You Alone)
"Only You " is a pop song composed by Buck Ram. It was recorded most successfully by The Platters, with lead vocals by Tony Williams, in 1955....
" on their purple "race music" label, Ram insisted that the records be relabeled, stating that The Platters had worked too hard to have their (and his) market limited by a record label. Mercury agreed, and the records were re-labeled, thereby breaking down racial barriers and laying the groundwork for the black groups of the 1960s and beyond.
Ram wrote the lyrics to "The Great Pretender
The Great Pretender
"The Great Pretender" is a popular song recorded by The Platters, with Tony Williams on lead vocals, and released as a single on November 3, 1955. The words and music were created by Buck Ram, the Platters' manager and producer who was a successful songwriter before moving into producing and...
" in the washroom of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
after being asked what The Platters follow-up to "Only You
Only You (And You Alone)
"Only You " is a pop song composed by Buck Ram. It was recorded most successfully by The Platters, with lead vocals by Tony Williams, in 1955....
" would be. In 1987, when the song hit #4 in England for Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
, Ram had no idea who Mercury was but was thrilled his song was on the charts again — 31 years after its 1956 premiere by The Platters, and like Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
and Liberace
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
, he laughed all the way to the bank. Ram also wrote "The Magic Touch," the lyrics for "Come Prima (For the First Time)," "Twilight Time," "Chew Chew Chew Your Bubble Gum," (with Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
), "Remember When," and "Ring Telephone Ring," among others.
Controversy has surrounded "I'll Be Home for Christmas," since it was first published. The label on Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
's recording of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" credits it to Kent, Gannon, and Ram. Later recordings usually credit only Kent and Gannon. The discrepancy arose from the fact that on December 21, 1942 Buck Ram copyrighted a song titled "I'll Be Home for Christmas (Tho' Just in Memory)" although that version bore little or no resemblance, other than its title, to the Crosby recording. A song titled "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was also copyrighted on August 24, 1943, by Walter Kent
Walter Kent
Walter Kent was a Jewish American composer who wrote the music for songs including the Christmas standard "I'll Be Home for Christmas", and the wartime hit " The White Cliffs of Dover", co-written with fellow American Nat Burton. He died at the age of 82-External links:...
(music) and James "Kim" Gannon
Kim Gannon
James Kimball "Kim" Gannon was an American songwriter, more commonly a lyricist than a composer. He was born in Brooklyn, New York but grew up in New Jersey where he attended Montclair High School and was a member of The Omega Gamma Delta Fraternity. He graduated from St...
(words). Kent and Gannon revised and re-copyrighted their song on September 27, 1943, and it was this version that Bing Crosby made famous.
According to Ram and newspaper articles from the era, Ram wrote the lyrics to "I'll Be Home For Christmas" as a gift for his mother when he was a sixteen year old college student. In 1942, Ram's publisher chose to hold the song for release because they were going to release Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
's "White Christmas
White Christmas
A white Christmas refers to the presence of snow on Christmas Day. This phenomenon is most common in the northern countries of the Northern Hemisphere...
" first. Not completely satisfied with the song, Ram discussed his concerns with casual acquaintances, Kent and Gannon, in a bar. He left a copy of the song with them but never discussed it with them again. Both Ram and his publisher were shocked when the song was released. Ram's publisher sued and won.
Unlike other talent managers of the era who were known for stealing and publishing songs others had written, Ram did not need to do so. He was a songwriter first and manager/producer second. The Platters and other groups he managed, like the Flares, were his vehicle to getting his songs recorded. In many cases he put singers names on songs he had written. The only other controversy in Ram's long songwriting career was with "Twilight Time" which had been an instrumental recorded by the Three Suns. When Ram wrote the lyrics to the song and made it a hit, the Three Suns sued. As in the Christmas standard, the court ruled that the neames of Artie Dunn and the Nevin brothers, writers of the instrumental, be included. It did not find against Ram.