Kal Mann
Encyclopedia
Kal Mann was an American
lyricist
. He is best known for penning the words to Elvis Presley
's "Teddy Bear
", plus "Butterfly
", a hit for both Charlie Gracie
and Andy Williams
.
, Mann began his career in entertainment as a comedy writer for Danny Thomas
and Red Buttons, until his friend and songwriter
, Bernie Lowe
, encouraged him to try writing lyrics
for the music industry. Mann co-wrote song
s with Lowe and Dave Appell
, yielding a number of major rock and roll
hits
such as Charlie Gracie
's "Butterfly
," which sold more than two million copies and also become a million seller for the crooner
, Andy Williams
, and also a minor hit for Bob Carroll
, whose cover version
peaked at #61. In addition he co-wrote Elvis Presley
's "Teddy Bear
," Bobby Rydell
's "Wild One", and Chubby Checker
's "Let's Twist Again
and Limbo Rock
." Mann wrote a number of songs for Checker, including "Popeye (The Hitchhiker)" and "Slow Twistin'" plus Pat Boone
's "Remember You're Mine", and the much covered "You Can't Sit Down".
"Fabulous", another Charlie Gracie track (and in 1999 covered
by Paul McCartney
) sold nearly one million copies upon release.
Some songs such as "Limbo Rock" were credited under the pseudonym
of Jon Sheldon.
Mann and Lowe teamed up to form Cameo-Parkway Records
in 1956.
Kal Mann died in 2001 from Alzheimer's disease
, at the age of 84.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
. He is best known for penning the words to Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's "Teddy Bear
Teddy Bear (song)
" Teddy Bear" is a popular song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music. It was written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe and published in 1957 by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company...
", plus "Butterfly
Butterfly (1957 song)
"Butterfly" is a popular song written by Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann and published in 1957. The song is credited to Anthony September as songwriter in some sources...
", a hit for both Charlie Gracie
Charlie Gracie
Charlie Gracie is an American rock pioneer and singer. He was born the same day as another rock and roll singer, Bobby Darin.His father encouraged him to play the guitar...
and Andy Williams
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
.
Biography
Born Kalman Cohen in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Mann began his career in entertainment as a comedy writer for Danny Thomas
Danny Thomas
Danny Thomas was an American nightclub comedian and television and film actor, best known for starring in the television sitcom Make Room for Daddy . He was also the founder of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital...
and Red Buttons, until his friend and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, Bernie Lowe
Bernie Lowe
Bernie Lowe was an American songwriter / record producer / arranger / pianist and bandleader.Born Bernard Lowenthal in Philadelphia, Lowe started Teen Records and in 1955 was working with Freddie Bell and the Bellboys. He asked Freddie Bell to rewrite the lyrics of "Hound Dog" to appeal to a...
, encouraged him to try writing lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
for the music industry. Mann co-wrote 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...
s with Lowe and Dave Appell
Dave Appell
Dave Appell Dave (David) Appell Dave (David) Appell (born March 24, 1922, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, worked as an arranger, producer, and musician in Philadelphia, in the 1950s.-Career:...
, yielding a number of major rock and roll
Rock 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...
hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
such as Charlie Gracie
Charlie Gracie
Charlie Gracie is an American rock pioneer and singer. He was born the same day as another rock and roll singer, Bobby Darin.His father encouraged him to play the guitar...
's "Butterfly
Butterfly (1957 song)
"Butterfly" is a popular song written by Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann and published in 1957. The song is credited to Anthony September as songwriter in some sources...
," which sold more than two million copies and also become a million seller for the crooner
Crooner
Crooner is an American epithet given to male singers of pop standards, mostly from the Great American Songbook, either backed by a full orchestra, a big band or by a piano. Originally it was an ironic term denoting an emphatically sentimental, often emotional singing style made possible by the use...
, Andy Williams
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
, and also a minor hit for Bob Carroll
Bob Carroll (singer/actor)
Bob Carroll was a big band singer and stage, film, and television actor.As a singer, he sang with a number of famous orchestras, including Charlie Barnet, Jimmy Dorsey, and Glenn Miller in the 1940s and Gordon Jenkins in the 1950s. In the 1960s he turned to acting...
, whose cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
peaked at #61. In addition he co-wrote Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's "Teddy Bear
Teddy Bear (song)
" Teddy Bear" is a popular song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music. It was written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe and published in 1957 by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company...
," Bobby Rydell
Bobby Rydell
Bobby Rydell is an American professional singer, mainly of rock and roll music. In the early 1960s he was considered a so-called "teen idol"...
's "Wild One", and Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker is an American singer-songwriter. He is widely known for popularizing the twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard's R&B hit "The Twist"...
's "Let's Twist Again
Let's Twist Again
"Let's Twist Again" is a song written by Kal Mann and Dave Appell, and released as a single by Chubby Checker. One of the biggest hit singles of 1961, it reached number two in the UK and number eight on the U.S. Billboard pop chart. It refers to the Twist dance craze and his 1960 and 1961...
and Limbo Rock
Limbo Rock
"Limbo Rock" is a popular song about limbo dancing written by Kal Mann and Billy Strange. An instrumental version was first recorded by The Champs in 1961. The first vocal version was recorded in 1962 by Chubby Checker : it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number one on the...
." Mann wrote a number of songs for Checker, including "Popeye (The Hitchhiker)" and "Slow Twistin'" plus Pat Boone
Pat Boone
Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts...
's "Remember You're Mine", and the much covered "You Can't Sit Down".
"Fabulous", another Charlie Gracie track (and in 1999 covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by 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...
) sold nearly one million copies upon release.
Some songs such as "Limbo Rock" were credited under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Jon Sheldon.
Mann and Lowe teamed up to form Cameo-Parkway Records
Cameo-Parkway Records
Cameo-Parkway Records was the parent company of Cameo Records and Parkway Records, which were major American Philadelphia-based record labels from 1956 and 1958 to 1967...
in 1956.
Kal Mann died in 2001 from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, at the age of 84.