If (They Made Me a King)
Encyclopedia
"If" is a popular
song
.
The music was written by Tolchard Evans
, the lyrics by Robert Hargreaves and Stanley J. Damerell. The song was written in 1934
, but the most popular versions were recorded in 1950-1951. Perry Como
's version, recorded November 28, 1950, was a #1 charted hit on the Billboard charts for 8 weeks.
The Como version was released under the following labels and catalog numbers
:
Vic Damone
made a version that reached #28.
Jo Stafford
also recorded the song (with "queen" for "king" in the lyric) about the same time. Her version, with the Paul Weston
orchestra backing her, was recorded on October 16, 1950 and released by Columbia Records
as catalog number 39082.
A version by Dean Martin
was recorded on December 2, 1950 and released by Capitol Records
as catalog number F 1342.
In Australia
, Les Welch & his Orchestra recorded the song with vocalist Wally Carr
in March, 1951
. The record was released by Australian company Pacific Records as catalog number 10-0059.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
.
The music was written by Tolchard Evans
Tolchard Evans
Sydney Edmund Tolchard Evans was a British songwriter, composer, pianist and bandleader, whose works were popular from the 1920s to the 1960s....
, the lyrics by Robert Hargreaves and Stanley J. Damerell. The song was written in 1934
1934 in music
-Events:*March 12 - the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler given the world premiere of Paul Hindemith's symphony Mathis der Maler in Berlin.*May 28 - The Glyndebourne festival is inaugurated....
, but the most popular versions were recorded in 1950-1951. Perry Como
Perry Como
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
's version, recorded November 28, 1950, was a #1 charted hit on the Billboard charts for 8 weeks.
The Como version was released under the following labels and catalog numbers
Catalog numbering systems for single records
This article presents the numbering systems used by various record companies for single records.- Capitol :...
:
- In the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, by RCA Victor, as catalog number 20-3997 with the flip side "Zing Zing - Zoom Zoom" - In ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, by Discos RCA Victor Argentina, as catalog number 68-0583 with the flip side "Zing Zing - Zoom Zoom" - In the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, by HMVHMVHis Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
, as catalog number B-10042 with the flip side "Zing Zing - Zoom Zoom" - In GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, by HMVHMVHis Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
, as catalog number X-7293 with the flip side being a Tony MartinTony Martin (entertainer)Tony Martin is an American actor and singer.-Career:Tony Martin was born on Christmas Day, 1913 as Alvin Morris in San Francisco, California to Jewish immigrant parents. He received a saxophone as a gift from his grandmother at the age of ten. In his grammar school glee club, he became an...
/Dinah ShoreDinah ShoreDinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
recording of "A Penny a Kiss"
Vic Damone
Vic Damone
Vic Damone is an American singer and entertainer.- Early life :Damone was born Vito Rocco Farinola in Brooklyn, New York to French-Italian immigrants based in Bari, Italy—Rocco and Mamie Farinola. His father was an electrician; and his mother taught piano. His cousin was the actress and singer...
made a version that reached #28.
Jo Stafford
Jo Stafford
Jo Elizabeth Stafford was an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards and occasional actress whose career ran from the late 1930s to the early 1960s...
also recorded the song (with "queen" for "king" in the lyric) about the same time. Her version, with the Paul Weston
Paul Weston
Paul Weston was an American pianist, arranger, composer and conductor. Weston was born Paul Wetstein in Springfield, Massachusetts...
orchestra backing her, was recorded on October 16, 1950 and released by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
as catalog number 39082.
A version by Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
was recorded on December 2, 1950 and released by Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
as catalog number F 1342.
In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Les Welch & his Orchestra recorded the song with vocalist Wally Carr
Wally Carr
Wally "Wait-awhile-Wal" Carr is a former boxer. An Aboriginal Australian, he was born 11 August 1954 in Wellington, NSW. Described by Boxing 1970-1980 as having "boxing ability to burn" and "outstanding skills",1 Wally Carr had 101 professional fights...
in March, 1951
1951 in music
-Events:*January 29 – Nilla Pizzi wins the first annual Sanremo Music Festival with "Grazie dei fiori".*February – The first complete performance of Charles Ives's Second Symphony is given in Carnegie Hall by the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Bernstein.*March – Alan...
. The record was released by Australian company Pacific Records as catalog number 10-0059.