Sixteen Reasons
Encyclopedia
Sixteen Reasons is a list song written by Bill and Doree Post which in 1960 reached #3 via a recording by Connie Stevens
.
The composers: Bill and Doree Post, were a husband-and-wife team from Kansas who had several single releases on Crest Records but their own version of "Sixteen Reasons" was not released until 1963: Doree Post was then deceased having been claimed by stomach cancer on 24 July 1961.
Stevens' single - arrangement and accompaniment by Don Ralke
- was issued in December 1959 with the Robert Allen composition "Little Sister" being the intended A-side - another version of the last-named song by Cathy Carr
was issued as a single at the same time - but it was as "Sixteen Reasons" that Stevens' single debuted at #89 on the Billboard Hot 100
dated 1 February 1960, to reach #3 on the chart dated 9 May 1960.
"Sixteen Reasons" also afforded Stevens' a hit in the UK over the spring and summer of 1960 despite at least three cover version
s by British singers, specifically Sheila Buxton, Shani Wallis
and Marion Ryan
. After reaching #9 - its overall UK peak - in May 1960, Stevens' single re-entered the top 20 at #17 that June, spending 12 weeks on the chart in all. Total sales for Connie Stevens' "Sixteen Reasons" single are estimated at two million units. The sheet music for the song was also a bestseller in both the US and the UK. "Sixteen Reasons" was a popular song on the American Forces Network
in Germany that summer.
A recounting of sixteen reasons for being in love, beginning "The way you hold my hand", "Sixteen Reasons" was Stevens' second Top 40 hit, the precedent being a duet with her Hawaiian Eye
co-star Edd Byrnes: '"Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)'", a novelty spoken word number which reached #4. Stevens' had her success with "Sixteen Reasons" despite her label Warner Bros. handicapping her promotion of the single: as the song was not published by MPHC the label refused to allow Stevens to perform the song on Hawaiian Eye and also prevented her from singing it on The Ed Sullivan Show
. Although Stevens' would continue to record for Warner Bros until 1972 - with a brief tenure at MGM Records
in 1968 - none of her singles subsequent to "Sixteen Reasons" would reach the Top 40; her last appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 would be in 1965. Professionally Stevens has downplayed her identity as the singer of a "golden oldie", stating in 2005: "I never did 'Sixteen Reasons' in my stage act. It was really a kids' song aimed at 12-year-old girls. It would be a little silly for me to do it now."
In 1960 Italian singer Angelina Monti rendered "Sixteen Reasons" in German asSechzehn Gründe and that same year Auckland-singer Esme Stephens and The Silhouettes With The Peter Posa
Combo released "Sixteen Reasons" in New Zealand on Zodiac Records
; coupled with a cover of Anita Bryant
's "Paper Roses
" the single reached #5 on the Lever Hit Parade. The Lettermen
, who Stevens had played with as The Foremost, recorded a version of the track for their 1962 album, Once Upon a Time
. Lawrence Welk
featured the song on his 1964 album, The Golden Millions. A comedy version was released as a double A-side on the Laverne & Shirley
single Chapel of Love
in 1976, and Lisa Mychols
remade "Sixteen Reasons" for her 1991 Lost Winter's Dream album.
"Sixteen Reasons" is prominently showcased in David Lynch's 2001 film Mulholland Drive
with actress Elizabeth Lackey
shown supposedly recording the song in a studio (Lackey actually lip-syncs to the Connie Stevens track).
Connie Stevens
Connie Stevens is an American actress and singer, best known for her roles in the television series Hawaiian Eye and other TV and film work.-Early life:...
.
The composers: Bill and Doree Post, were a husband-and-wife team from Kansas who had several single releases on Crest Records but their own version of "Sixteen Reasons" was not released until 1963: Doree Post was then deceased having been claimed by stomach cancer on 24 July 1961.
Stevens' single - arrangement and accompaniment by Don Ralke
Don Ralke
Don Ralke was a prolific music arranger, composer, and producer, working for four decades in the Hollywood studio system in films, television, and pop recordings. He was born on July 13, 1920 in Battle Creek, Michigan...
- was issued in December 1959 with the Robert Allen composition "Little Sister" being the intended A-side - another version of the last-named song by Cathy Carr
Cathy Carr
Angelina Helen Catherine Cordovano , known professionally as Cathy Carr, was an American pop singer.She was born in the New York borough of The Bronx...
was issued as a single at the same time - but it was as "Sixteen Reasons" that Stevens' single debuted at #89 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
dated 1 February 1960, to reach #3 on the chart dated 9 May 1960.
"Sixteen Reasons" also afforded Stevens' a hit in the UK over the spring and summer of 1960 despite at least three 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...
s by British singers, specifically Sheila Buxton, Shani Wallis
Shani Wallis
Shani Wallis is an English actress and singer.Wallis was born in Tottenham, London. Making her first stage appearance at the age of four, she later studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art on a scholarship...
and Marion Ryan
Marion Ryan
Marion Ryan was a popular British singer in the 1950s.-Career:Born Marian Ryan in Middlesbrough, England, and once called "the Marilyn Monroe of popular song", Marion Ryan was a pop singer of the 1950s in the early years of British Independent Television...
. After reaching #9 - its overall UK peak - in May 1960, Stevens' single re-entered the top 20 at #17 that June, spending 12 weeks on the chart in all. Total sales for Connie Stevens' "Sixteen Reasons" single are estimated at two million units. The sheet music for the song was also a bestseller in both the US and the UK. "Sixteen Reasons" was a popular song on the American Forces Network
American Forces Network
The American Forces Network is the brand name used by the United States Armed Forces American Forces Radio and Television Service for its entertainment and command internal information networks worldwide...
in Germany that summer.
A recounting of sixteen reasons for being in love, beginning "The way you hold my hand", "Sixteen Reasons" was Stevens' second Top 40 hit, the precedent being a duet with her Hawaiian Eye
Hawaiian Eye
Hawaiian Eye is an American television series that ran from October 1959 to September 1963 on the American Broadcasting Company television network.-Premise:...
co-star Edd Byrnes: '"Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)'", a novelty spoken word number which reached #4. Stevens' had her success with "Sixteen Reasons" despite her label Warner Bros. handicapping her promotion of the single: as the song was not published by MPHC the label refused to allow Stevens to perform the song on Hawaiian Eye and also prevented her from singing it on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
. Although Stevens' would continue to record for Warner Bros until 1972 - with a brief tenure at MGM Records
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
in 1968 - none of her singles subsequent to "Sixteen Reasons" would reach the Top 40; her last appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 would be in 1965. Professionally Stevens has downplayed her identity as the singer of a "golden oldie", stating in 2005: "I never did 'Sixteen Reasons' in my stage act. It was really a kids' song aimed at 12-year-old girls. It would be a little silly for me to do it now."
In 1960 Italian singer Angelina Monti rendered "Sixteen Reasons" in German asSechzehn Gründe and that same year Auckland-singer Esme Stephens and The Silhouettes With The Peter Posa
Peter Posa
Peter Posa is a New Zealand guitarist, and is most famous for his instrumental "The White Rabbit" which made it to the top of the New Zealand and Australian charts in 1964.-External links:**...
Combo released "Sixteen Reasons" in New Zealand on Zodiac Records
Zodiac Records (New Zealand)
Zodiac Records was a New Zealand based label founded in 1957 . It was owned by Stebbing Recording and Sound, LTD, headquartered in Auckland; the company also released both 78s and 45s. Artists that released their records on that label included Howard Morrison, Herma Keil The Keil Isles, Ray...
; coupled with a cover of Anita Bryant
Anita Bryant
Anita Jane Bryant is an American singer, former Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant winner, and gay rights opponent. She scored four Top 40 hits in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including "Paper Roses", which reached #5...
's "Paper Roses
Paper Roses
"Paper Roses" is a popular song written by Fred Spielman and Janice Torre which was a hit in 1960 for Anita Bryant with Monty Kelly's Orchestra and Chorus and later for Marie Osmond in 1973....
" the single reached #5 on the Lever Hit Parade. The Lettermen
The Lettermen
The Lettermen are an American male pop music vocal trio. The Lettermen's trademark is close-harmony pop songs with light arrangements. The group started in 1959...
, who Stevens had played with as The Foremost, recorded a version of the track for their 1962 album, Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a Time (The Lettermen album)
Once Upon a Time is an album recorded by The Lettermen. It was released in 1962. This album, combined with their debut A Song for Young Love, was remastered and put out on CD.-Track listing:#"Time Was"...
. Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
featured the song on his 1964 album, The Golden Millions. A comedy version was released as a double A-side on the Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from January 26, 1976, to May 10, 1983...
single Chapel of Love
Chapel of Love
"Chapel of Love" is a song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector, and made famous by The Dixie Cups in 1964, spending three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. There have also been many other versions of this song...
in 1976, and Lisa Mychols
Lisa Mychols
Lisa Mychols is a singer-songwriter currently living in or around Los Angeles, California. Her first solo album, Lost Winter's Dream, a seasonally-themed masterpiece of 60s-inspired pop, was recorded with the help of Darian Sahanaja and Nick Walusko in 1991 and had a limited release in Japan that...
remade "Sixteen Reasons" for her 1991 Lost Winter's Dream album.
"Sixteen Reasons" is prominently showcased in David Lynch's 2001 film Mulholland Drive
Mulholland Drive (film)
Mulholland Drive is a 2001 American neo-noir psychological thriller written and directed by David Lynch, starring Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, and Laura Harring. The surrealist film was highly acclaimed by many critics and earned Lynch the Prix de la mise en scène at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival...
with actress Elizabeth Lackey
Elizabeth Lackey
Elizabeth "Lisa" Lackey , is an Australian actress. She portrayed Janice Parkman on the NBC television series Heroes. Her previous roles include the lead in the TV series Just Cause and a supporting role in the final season of NYPD Blue.In 1992, Lackey starred on Home and Away, playing Roxanne...
shown supposedly recording the song in a studio (Lackey actually lip-syncs to the Connie Stevens track).