Theme from A Summer Place
Encyclopedia
The "Theme from A Summer Place" is a song with lyrics by Mack Discant and music by Max Steiner
, written for the 1959 film
, A Summer Place
, which starred Sandra Dee
and Troy Donahue
. It was recorded for the film by Hugo Winterhalter
. Originally known as the "Molly and Johnny Theme", the piece is not the main title
theme of the film, but a love theme for the characters played by Dee and Donahue.
recorded the most popular version of the tune, in the Columbia 30th Street Studio
in New York City, which spent an at-the-time record of nine consecutive weeks at number one on the still-young Billboard Hot 100
singles chart in early 1960. It remains the longest-running number-one instrumental in the history of the chart. It reached number two in the UK. It hit number one in Italy under the title "Scandalo Al Sole".
Faith won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year
in 1961 for his recording. This was the first movie theme and the first instrumental to win a Record of the Year Grammy.
Faith re-recorded the song twice – first, in 1969, as a female choral version, then, in 1976, as a disco
version titled "Summer Place '76".
In 2008, Faith's original version was ranked at number eighteen on Billboard
's top 100 songs during the first fifty years of the Hot 100 chart.
. The song was well-accepted by R&B audiences of the day, reaching number two on the Billboard R&B singles chart.
"Theme from A Summer Place" was also covered
by Dick Roman, The Tornados
(both in 1962), The Lettermen
in 1965 (a vocal version, placing at number sixteen on the Billboard Hot 100) and The Ventures
in 1969.
Andy Williams
sang a rendition of the tune on his 1962 Gold-certified album Moon River. A jazz version of the song was recorded by the legendary singer Julie London
. It appeared on her album Our Fair Lady
in 1965.
Dusty Springfield
's 1970 single "Silly, Silly Fool" contains a brief interpolation of "Theme From A Summer Place" toward the end of the song. The track features on her 1970 LP A Brand New Me
as well as on several compilations.
American pop
singer Eamon
sampled "Theme from A Summer Place" for his 2006 song "Elevator
". The melody serves to illustrate the song's exploration of "elevator music
" as an aphrodisiac
.
A version with lyrics was also recorded by Bobby Vinton
.
In 2010, former Pussycat Dolls
member Ashley Roberts
released a dance version of the song.
Max Steiner
Max Steiner was an Austrian composer of music for theatre productions and films. He later became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Trained by the great classical music composers Brahms and Mahler, he was one of the first composers who primarily wrote music for motion pictures, and as...
, written for the 1959 film
1959 in film
The year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....
, A Summer Place
A Summer Place (film)
A Summer Place is a 1959 romantic drama film based on the novel of the same name by Sloan Wilson. It was directed by Delmer Daves and stars Richard Egan, Dorothy McGuire, Troy Donahue and Sandra Dee...
, which starred Sandra Dee
Sandra Dee
Sandra Dee was an American actress. Dee began her career as a model and progressed to film. Best known for her portrayal of ingenues, Dee won a Golden Globe Award in 1959 as one of the year's most promising newcomers, and over several years her films were popular...
and Troy Donahue
Troy Donahue
Troy Donahue was an American actor, who was active between the late 1950s and late 1990s.-Life and career:...
. It was recorded for the film by Hugo Winterhalter
Hugo Winterhalter
Hugo Winterhalter was an American musician.An easy listening arranger and composer, Winterhalter was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Mount St. Mary's near Emmitsburg, Maryland in 1931, where he played saxophone for the orchestra and sang in two of the choirs...
. Originally known as the "Molly and Johnny Theme", the piece is not the main title
Main Title
The main title is the name given on soundtrack albums to the music that is heard in a film while the opening credits are rolling. It does not refer to music playing from on-screen sources such as radios, as in the original opening credits sequence in Touch of Evil.A main title can consist of a tune...
theme of the film, but a love theme for the characters played by Dee and Donahue.
Percy Faith version
Percy FaithPercy Faith
Percy Faith was a Canadian-born American bandleader, orchestrator, composer and conductor, known for his lush arrangements of pop and Christmas standards. He is often credited with creating the "easy listening" or "mood music" format which became staples of American popular music in the 1950s and...
recorded the most popular version of the tune, in the Columbia 30th Street Studio
CBS 30th Street Studio
CBS 30th Street Studio, also known as Columbia 30th Street Studio, and nicknamed "The Church", was an American recording studio operated by Columbia Records from 1949 to 1981 located at 207 East 30th Street, between Second and Third Avenues in Manhattan, New York City...
in New York City, which spent an at-the-time record of nine consecutive weeks at number one on the still-young 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...
singles chart in early 1960. It remains the longest-running number-one instrumental in the history of the chart. It reached number two in the UK. It hit number one in Italy under the title "Scandalo Al Sole".
Faith won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year
Grammy Award for Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
in 1961 for his recording. This was the first movie theme and the first instrumental to win a Record of the Year Grammy.
Faith re-recorded the song twice – first, in 1969, as a female choral version, then, in 1976, as a disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
version titled "Summer Place '76".
In 2008, Faith's original version was ranked at number eighteen on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's top 100 songs during the first fifty years of the Hot 100 chart.
Other cover versions
The song was the title cut to a chart-topping 1960 album by Billy VaughnBilly Vaughn
Richard "Billy" Vaughn was an American singer, multi-instrumentalist, orchestra leader, and A&R man for Dot Records....
. The song was well-accepted by R&B audiences of the day, reaching number two on the Billboard R&B singles chart.
"Theme from A Summer Place" was also 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 Dick Roman, The Tornados
The Tornados
The Tornados were an English instrumental group of the 1960s that acted as backing group for many of record producer Joe Meek's productions and also for singer Billy Fury. They enjoyed several chart hits in their own right, including the UK and U.S. Number One "Telstar" , the first U.S...
(both in 1962), 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...
in 1965 (a vocal version, placing at number sixteen on the Billboard Hot 100) and The Ventures
The Ventures
The Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
in 1969.
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,...
sang a rendition of the tune on his 1962 Gold-certified album Moon River. A jazz version of the song was recorded by the legendary singer Julie London
Julie London
Julie London was an American singer and actress. She was best known for her smoky, sensual voice. London was at her singing career's peak in the 1950s. Her acting career lasted more than 35 years...
. It appeared on her album Our Fair Lady
Our Fair Lady
Our Fair Lady was an LP album by Julie London, released by Liberty Records under catalog number LRP-3392 as a monophonic recording and catalog number LST-7392 in stereo in 1965.-Track listing:-References:...
in 1965.
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
's 1970 single "Silly, Silly Fool" contains a brief interpolation of "Theme From A Summer Place" toward the end of the song. The track features on her 1970 LP A Brand New Me
A Brand New Me
- Bonus tracks CD re-issues :* Track 11. Recording date: March 1970. Recorded at Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia. Producers: staff for Gamble-Huff Productions. Arranger:Thom Bell....
as well as on several compilations.
American pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer Eamon
Eamon (singer)
Eamon Jonathan Doyle, professionally known as Eamon, is an American R&B singer-songwriter. He is known for his hit single, "Fuck It "....
sampled "Theme from A Summer Place" for his 2006 song "Elevator
Love & Pain
Love & Pain is the second album by American R&B singer Eamon.The album was initially scheduled to be released in the United States on August 1, 2006, but the domestic release was postponed indefinitely for reasons not disclosed by Eamon's label, Jive Records. The album remains available in the...
". The melody serves to illustrate the song's exploration of "elevator music
Elevator music
Elevator music refers to instrumental arrangements of popular music designed for playing in shopping malls, grocery stores, department stores, telephone systems , cruise ships, airports, doctors' and dentists' offices, and elevators...
" as an aphrodisiac
Aphrodisiac
An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexuality and love. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable...
.
A version with lyrics was also recorded by Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton is an American pop music singer of Polish origin. In pop music circles, he became known as "The Polish Prince".-Early life:...
.
In 2010, former Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
member Ashley Roberts
Ashley Roberts
Ashley Maria Roberts is an American dancer, showgirl, recording artist, model, actress, fashion designer and television personality, best known as a former member of the modern burlesque group the Pussycat Dolls...
released a dance version of the song.