This Ole House
Encyclopedia
"This Ole House" is a popular
song
written
by Stuart Hamblen
, and published in 1954.
, came across a tumbledown hut in the mountains, many miles from civilization. They went into the hut and there, lying amongst the rubbish and rubble of a crumbling building, was the body of a dead man. This inspired Hamblen to write "This Ole House", which Rosemary Clooney
and later Shakin' Stevens
, treated as a bouncy rock n roll number, rather than the epitaph
for a mountain man that it was meant to be.
version of "This Ole House" by Rosemary Clooney, featuring bass
vocals
by Thurl Ravenscroft
, reached #1 on the Billboard
chart
in 1954, as the flip side to her previous #1 song, "Hey There
". Clooney's version also topped the UK Singles Chart
, although there were other UK
hit
versions
around by Billie Anthony
, and Alma Cogan
, both recorded in 1954. The recording by Alma Cogan and Vocal Group with Felix King, piano and orchestra was made in London on September 2, 1954. The song was released by EMI
on the His Master's Voice label as catalogue numbers B 10761 and 7M 269. The flip side
was "Skokiaan
".
In March 1981, Shakin' Stevens took the song back to number one for three weeks in the United Kingdom
. His version was re-released in 2005, after his appearance in the TV show Hit Me Baby One More Time
, and reached number 20 in the UK chart.
The song was also covered by the Cathedral Quartet
and Hovie Lister and the Statesmen as a Southern Gospel
song with slightly modified lyrics
, using the house as an analogy for an old body about to die and the soul about to go to heaven, usually tying the song in with "When the Saints Go Marching In
".
The song was most recently recorded by Bette Midler
(in ballad form) on her 2003 tribute to Rosemary Clooney, "Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook
", and included on her compilation "Jackpot: The Best Bette
" in 2008.
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...
written
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...
by Stuart Hamblen
Stuart Hamblen
Stuart Hamblen , born Stuart Carl Hamblen, was one of American radio's first singing cowboys in 1926, and later became a Christian songwriter, temperance supporter and recurring candidate for political office....
, and published in 1954.
Background
Hamblen was supposedly out on a hunting expedition when he and his fellow hunter, actor John WayneJohn Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
, came across a tumbledown hut in the mountains, many miles from civilization. They went into the hut and there, lying amongst the rubbish and rubble of a crumbling building, was the body of a dead man. This inspired Hamblen to write "This Ole House", which Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit "Come On-a My House" written by William Saroyan and his cousin Ross Bagdasarian , which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me" Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 –...
and later Shakin' Stevens
Shakin' Stevens
Shakin' Stevens, also known as "Shaky" is a platinum selling Welsh rock and roll singer and songwriter who holds the distinction of being the UK's biggest-selling singles artist of the 1980s . His recording and performing career began in the late 1960s, although it was not until 1980 that he saw...
, treated as a bouncy rock n roll number, rather than the epitaph
Epitaph
An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
for a mountain man that it was meant to be.
Recording success
The recordedSound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
version of "This Ole House" by Rosemary Clooney, featuring bass
Bass (voice type)
A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
vocals
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
by Thurl Ravenscroft
Thurl Ravenscroft
Thurl Arthur Ravenscroft was an American voice actor and singer best known as the deep voice behind Tony the Tiger's "They're grrreat!" in Frosted Flakes television commercials for more than five decades. Ravenscroft was also known, however uncredited, as the vocalist for the song "You're a Mean...
, reached #1 on the 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...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in 1954, as the flip side to her previous #1 song, "Hey There
Hey There
"Hey There" is a show tune from the musical play The Pajama Game, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. It was published in 1954.It was subsequently recorded by a number of artists. The recording by Rosemary Clooney reached #1 on Billboard's chart in 1954. Another version was also recorded about...
". Clooney's version also topped the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, although there were other UK
United Kingdom
The 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...
hit
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...
versions
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...
around by Billie Anthony
Billie Anthony
Billie Anthony was a Scottish female singer. She is best known for her Top 10 hit version of "This Ole House", which despite chart competition from other versions of the same song, reached #4 in the UK chart....
, and Alma Cogan
Alma Cogan
Alma Cogan was an English singer of traditional pop music in the 1950s and early 1960s. Dubbed "The Girl With the Laugh/Giggle/Chuckle In Her Voice", she was the highest paid British female entertainer of her era...
, both recorded in 1954. The recording by Alma Cogan and Vocal Group with Felix King, piano and orchestra was made in London on September 2, 1954. The song was released by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
on the His Master's Voice label as catalogue numbers B 10761 and 7M 269. The flip side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
was "Skokiaan
Skokiaan
"Skokiaan" is a popular tune originally written by Rhodesian musician August Musarurwa in the tsaba-tsaba big band style that succeeded marabi...
".
In March 1981, Shakin' Stevens took the song back to number one for three weeks in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The 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...
. His version was re-released in 2005, after his appearance in the TV show Hit Me Baby One More Time
Hit Me Baby One More Time
Hit Me, Baby, One More Time was a 2005 reality show first aired by ITV on British television and later, as a new version, by NBC in the United States; both were presented by Vernon Kay. During each programme, five former pop stars sing their biggest hit along with a cover version of a contemporary...
, and reached number 20 in the UK chart.
The song was also covered by the Cathedral Quartet
Cathedral Quartet
The Cathedral Quartet, often known as simply The Cathedrals, was an American southern gospel quartet that lasted from 1964 until their retirement in 1999....
and Hovie Lister and the Statesmen as a Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
song with slightly modified 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...
, using the house as an analogy for an old body about to die and the soul about to go to heaven, usually tying the song in with "When the Saints Go Marching In
When the Saints Go Marching In
"When the Saints Go Marching In", often referred to as "The Saints", is an American gospel hymn that has taken on certain aspects of folk music. The precise origins of the song are not known. Though it originated as a spiritual, today people are more likely to hear it played by a jazz band...
".
The song was most recently recorded by Bette Midler
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
(in ballad form) on her 2003 tribute to Rosemary Clooney, "Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook
Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook
Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook is an album by the American singer Bette Midler. It was produced by Barry Manilow and marked the first time that Midler had worked with Manilow in more than twenty years...
", and included on her compilation "Jackpot: The Best Bette
Jackpot: The Best Bette
Jackpot! The Best Bette is a compilation album of recordings by American singer Bette Midler released on September 23, 2008...
" in 2008.
Recorded versions
- Liz AndersonLiz AndersonLiz Anderson was anAmerican country music singer/songwriter who was one of a wave of a new generation of female vocalists in the genre during the 1960's to write and record her own songs on a regular basis. Writing in The New York Times Bill Friskics-Warren noted, "Like her contemporary Loretta...
- Allison Durham Speer
- Billie AnthonyBillie AnthonyBillie Anthony was a Scottish female singer. She is best known for her Top 10 hit version of "This Ole House", which despite chart competition from other versions of the same song, reached #4 in the UK chart....
- Black LaceBlack Lace (band)Black Lace is a British Euro pop band, best known for novelty party records, including their biggest hit, "Agadoo". The band first came to the public eye after being selected to represent the UK in the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest, in which they finished seventh with the song "Mary Ann"...
- Bill BlackBill BlackWilliam Patton "Bill" Black, Jr. was an American musician who is noted as one of the pioneers of rockabilly music. Black was the bassist in Elvis Presley's early trio and the leader of Bill Black's Combo....
- Wilf CarterWilf CarterWilf Carter , also known as Montana Slim, was a Canadian country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and yodeller...
- Cathedral QuartetCathedral QuartetThe Cathedral Quartet, often known as simply The Cathedrals, was an American southern gospel quartet that lasted from 1964 until their retirement in 1999....
- Rosemary ClooneyRosemary ClooneyRosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit "Come On-a My House" written by William Saroyan and his cousin Ross Bagdasarian , which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me" Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 –...
- Alma CoganAlma CoganAlma Cogan was an English singer of traditional pop music in the 1950s and early 1960s. Dubbed "The Girl With the Laugh/Giggle/Chuckle In Her Voice", she was the highest paid British female entertainer of her era...
- Wilma Lee CooperWilma Lee CooperWilma Lee Leary , known professionally as Wilma Lee Cooper, was an American bluegrass-based country music entertainer.-Biography:...
- Jimmy DeanJimmy DeanJimmy Ray Dean was an American country music singer, television host, actor and businessman. Although he may be best known today as the creator of the Jimmy Dean sausage brand, he became a national television personality starting in 1957, rising to fame for his 1961 country crossover hit "Big Bad...
- Stuart HamblenStuart HamblenStuart Hamblen , born Stuart Carl Hamblen, was one of American radio's first singing cowboys in 1926, and later became a Christian songwriter, temperance supporter and recurring candidate for political office....
- Jessica KingJessica KingFor the American dancer, see So You Think You Can Dance finalists#Jessica King.Jessica King is a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 18th Wisconsin District since 2011...
- Enoch LightEnoch LightEnoch Henry Light was a classical violinist, bandleader, and recording engineer. As A&R chief and vice-president of Grand Award Records, he founded Command Records in 1959. Light's name was prominent on many albums both as musician and producer...
- Hovie ListerHovie ListerHovie Franklin Lister was an American gospel pianist.Lister was born in Greenville, South Carolina, and learned piano from age six. He accompanied a singing group composed of his father and three of his uncles at 14, and toured with Mordecai Ham at the same age...
- Bette MidlerBette MidlerBette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
- Mrs. MillerMrs. MillerElva Ruby Connes Miller , who recorded under the name Mrs. Miller, was an American singer who gained some fame in the 1960s for her series of shrill and off-key renditions of then-popular songs such as "Moon River", "Monday, Monday", "A Lover's Concerto" and "Downtown".Singing in an untrained,...
- The Mom and DadsThe Mom and DadsThe Mom and Dads were a Western-styled folk music group from Spokane, Washington that specialized in waltzes, polkas, and general easy listening. The quartet, made up of one elderly woman and three middle-aged men, featured Doris A. Crow on piano, Quentin Ratliff The Mom and Dads were a...
- NRBQNRBQNRBQ is an American rock band founded in 1967. It is known for its live performances, containing a high degree of spontaneity and levity, and blending rock, pop, jazz, blues and Tin Pan Alley styles. Its best known line-up is the 1974–1994 quartet of pianist Terry Adams, bassist Joey Spampinato,...
- Carl PerkinsCarl PerkinsCarl Lee Perkins was an American rockabilly musician who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning during 1954...
- Joan ReganJoan ReganJoan Regan is a traditional pop music singer from the UK, popular during the 1950s and early 1960s.-Biography:...
- Brian Setzer OrchestraBrian SetzerBrian Setzer is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He first found widespread success in the early 1980s with the 1950s-style rockabilly revival group The Stray Cats, and revitalized his career in the late 1990s with a jazz-oriented big band.-Career:Setzer was born in Massapequa, New York...
- Shakin' StevensShakin' StevensShakin' Stevens, also known as "Shaky" is a platinum selling Welsh rock and roll singer and songwriter who holds the distinction of being the UK's biggest-selling singles artist of the 1980s . His recording and performing career began in the late 1960s, although it was not until 1980 that he saw...
- Johnny TillotsonJohnny TillotsonJohnny Tillotson is an American singer and songwriter. He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored 9 top-ten hits on the pop, country and adult contemporary billboard charts including "Poetry In Motion" and the self-penned "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'"...
- Per MyrbergPer MyrbergPer Nils Myrberg is a Swedish singer and actor.Born in Stockholm, Myrberg has appeared in 45 films since 1957. He is father to Olle and Fredrik Myrberg.-Selected filmography:* The Judge * The Pleasure Garden...
(Swedish version "Trettifyran") - Vocal SpectrumVocal SpectrumVocal Spectrum is a barbershop quartet from St. Charles, Missouri. In 2004, Vocal Spectrum won the Barbershop Harmony Society's International Collegiate Quartet Contest, and on July 8, 2006, they became International Champions, winning the society's International Quartet Contest...
- George YounceGeorge YounceGeorge Younce was an American bass singer, known for performing with Southern Gospel quartets, especially The Cathedrals.-Biography:...
- Boxcar WillieBoxcar WillieBoxcar Willie, born as Lecil Travis Martin was an American country music singer, who sang in the "old-time hobo" music style, complete with dirty face, overalls, and a floppy hat...
- The Cathedrals
- The Statler Brothers
- Tex WilliamsTex WilliamsSollie Paul Williams , known professionally as Tex Williams, was an American Western swing musician from Ramsey, Illinois....
and Rex AllenRex AllenRex Elvie Allen was an American film actor, singer and songwriter, known as the Arizona Cowboy, particularly known as the narrator in many Disney nature and Western film productions. For contributions to the recording industry, Allen was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Family... - Eddie MeduzaEddie MeduzaEddie Meduza was a Swedish composer and musician working mainly in the rockabilly genre. Many of his songs were about alcohol, women, and cars, quite often with obscene lyrics. Sometimes they were also politically oriented, many aimed against the Swedish Social Democrats...
(SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
) - Ernie Haase & Signature SoundErnie Haase & Signature SoundErnie Haase & Signature Sound is a Southern Gospel vocal quartet founded in 2002 by Ernie Haase, former Cathedral Quartet tenor, and Garry Jones, former Gold City pianist.-Musical career:...