Friday, February 15, 2008

Bobby Day, songwriter

Bobby Day (born Robert James Byrd, Sr. July 1, 1928 - died July 27, 1990), was an early African American rock and roll and R&B musician. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he moved to Los Angeles, California at the age of fifteen. As a member of the R&B group, the Hollywood Flames, he used the stage name Bobby Day to perform and record.


"Buzz Buzz Buzz"
Words and Music by Bobby Day
Performed by the Hollywood Flames


"Little Bitty Pretty One"
Words and Music by Bobby Day
Performed by Thurston Moore



"Over and Over"
Words and Music by Bobby Day
Performed by The Dave Clark Five



"Rockin Robin"
Words and Music by Bobby Day
Performed by The Jackson 5



"Rockin Robin"
Words and Music by Bobby Day
Performed by Bobby Day

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Curly Putnam, songwriter

Claude "Curly" Putman Jr. (born November 20, 1930 in Princeton, Alabama) is an American singer and songwriter, based in Nashville.


"Green, Green Grass of Home"
Words and Music by Curly Putnam
Performed by Tom Jones



"D-I-V-O-R-C-E"
Words and Music by Curly Putnam and Bobby Braddock
Performed by Tammy Wynette



"He Stopped Loving Her Today"
Words and Music by Curly Putnam and Bobby Braddock
Performed by George Jones



"Dumb Blonde"
Words and Music by Curly Putnam
Performed by Dolly Parton



"My Elusive Dreams"
Words and Music by Curly Putnam & Billy Sherrill
Performed by Glen Campbell

Friday, February 8, 2008

Same songwriter. Different year. (#3)

Ray Charles (born Charles Raymond Offenberg, September 13, 1918 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, vocal arranger and conductor who is best- known as organizer and leader of The Ray Charles Singers. The Ray Charles Singers were featured on Perry Como's records, radio shows and television shows for 35 years. The Ray Charles Singers are also known for a series of 30 choral record albums produced in the 1950s and 1960s for Essex, MGM, Decca and Command labels. He self-deprecatingly now bills himself as "The other Ray Charles" in a humorous tribute to the blues singer with whom he worked on several occasions. His song "We Get Letters" is currently heard regularly on The Late Show with David Letterman.


"We Get Letters"
Words and Music by Ray Charles
Performed by the Ray Charles Singers



"Fifty Nifty"
Words and Music by Ray Charles

Joe Raposo, songwriter

Joseph Guilherme Raposo Jr., OIH (February 8, 1937 – February 5, 1989), right, was an American composer, pianist, television writer and lyricist, best known for his work on the children's television series Sesame Street. Joe Raposo's sonic trademark was his authentic live replication of the tonal quality and exact playback cadence of the 20th-century self-operating player piano when composing for and performing on a grand, baby grand or upright piano. He appears to have specifically tuned his Children's Television Workshop pianos not only to blatantly mimic the player piano in its antique tonality, but to achieve and then maintain what became a signature ragtime tack or "saloon" piano sound by them.


"There Used to Be a Ballpark"
Performed by Frank Sinatra
Words and Music by Joe Raposo



"Everybody Wash"
Performed by Ernie (Jim Henson) & Bert (Frank Oz)
Words and Music by Joe Raposo



"Batty Bat"
Performed by Count von Count (Jerry Nelson)
Words and Music by Joe Raposo



"Three's Company"
Performed by Ray Charles & Julia Rinker
Words and Music by Joe Raposo



"Bein' Green"
Performed by Ray Charles
Words and Music by Joe Raposo

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Jeff Moss, songwriter

Jeff Moss (June 19, 1942 - September 24, 1998) helped to create the children's television series Sesame Street. He was a head writer, composer, and lyricist for the series, for which he won fifteen Emmy Awards. Moss worked on Captain Kangaroo before being recruited to work on Sesame Street. He was nominated for an Academy Award for the music and lyrics he wrote for The Muppets Take Manhattan.


"I Love Trash" performed by Oscar the Grouch (Carroll Spinney)
Words and Music by Jeff Moss



"People In Your Neighborhood" performed by Bob (Bob McGrath) & the Muppets
Words and Music by Jeff Moss



"Rubber Duckie" performed by Ernie (Jim Henson)
Words and Music by Jeff Moss



"Nasty Dan" performed by Johnny Cash & Oscar the Grouch
Words and Music by Jeff Moss

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, songwriters

Barry Alan Crompton Gibb CBE (b. 1 September 1946 in Douglas, Isle of Man) is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in Douglas, Isle of Man, to English parents. Three years later, his twin brothers Robin Hugh Gibb CBE (b. 22 December 1949) and Maurice Ernest Gibb CBE (December 22, 1949 – January 12, 2003) were born. In the late 1950s they formed The Bee Gees, which went on to become one of the most successful singing-songwriting musical acts of all time.


"To Love Somebody" performed by Janis Joplin
Words and Music by Barry Gibb & Robin Gibb



"Grease" performed by Franki Valli
Words and Music by Barry Gibb



"How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" performed by Al Green
Words and Music by Barry Gibb, & Robin Gibb



"Islands In the Stream" performed by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
Words and Music by Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, and Maurice Gibb



"Massachusetts" performed by the Bee Gees
Words and Music by Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, and Maurice Gibb

Friday, February 1, 2008

Fats Waller, songwriter

Fats Waller (born Thomas Wright Waller on May 21, 1904, died December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, singer, songwriter, organist, and composer. Widely recognized as a master of stride piano -- Waller was one of the most popular performers of his era, finding critical and commercial success in his homeland and in Europe.


"Joint Is Jumpin'" performed by Fats Waller
Words and Music by Fats Waller, Andy Razaf, J.C. Johnson



"Squeeze Me" performed by Mildred Bailey & Her Alley Cats
Words and Music by Fats Waller & Clarence Williams



"Ain't Misbehavin'" performed by Sammy Davis, Jr.
Words and Music by Fats Waller & Andy Razaf



"Honeysuckle Rose" performed by Anita O'Day with the Buddy DeFranco Quartet
Words and Music by Fats Waller, Andy Razaf, & Harry Brooks

Fred Rose, songwriter

Fred Rose (August 24, 1897 - December 1, 1954) was an American Hall of Fame songwriter and music publishing executive. Born in Evansville, Indiana, Fred Rose started playing piano and singing as a small boy. In his teens, he moved to Chicago, Illinois where he worked in bars busking for tips and eventually made it into vaudeville. Eventually he became successful as a songwriter, penning his first hit for entertainer Sophie Tucker. On its founding in 1961, Fred Rose was made a charter member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 and into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985.


"Red Hot Mama" performed by Sophie Tucker
Words and Music by Fred Rose



"Kaw-Liga" performed by Charlie Pride
Words and Music by Fred Rose and Hank Williams



"Take These Chains From My Heart" performed by Ray Charles
Words and Music by Fred Rose and Hy Heath



"Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain" performed by Walter Ostanek (Canada's Polka King!)
Words and Music by Fred Rose



"'Deed I Do" performed by Diana Krall
Words and Music by Fred Rose and Walter Hirsch