{Song #64 « Song #65 » Song #66}
§ ≡ One of an ongoing series of posts in which I pick, in my not-so-humble opinion, the best songs of the second millennium. Feel free to offer constructive dissenting opinions; preferably set to music.
Song #65 is Come Softly to Me sung by The Fleetwoods, consisting of Gretchen Christopher (who wrote it as "Come Softly" in 1959), Gary Troxel and Barbara Ellis. Recorded at home, they sang it a cappella with the rhythmic shaking of Troxel's car keys. The tape was then sent to Los Angeles where the sparse instrumental accompaniment was added: an acoustic guitar played by Bonnie Guitar. Bob Reisdorf, the owner of Dolphin Records (changed in 1960 to Dolton Records), was responsible for the title change. He thought that "Come Softly" might be misunderstood and considered risqué, so he had it changed to "Come Softly to Me".
As a high school senior at the time of this song's popularity, I can attest that the song's title change by Reisdorf did not eliminate entirely the risqué "misunderstandings" by the teenagers who made it a №1 hit.
The Fleetwods - Come Softly to Me
Post #1,253 § I Am Music and I Pick the Songs: Come Softly to Me
§ ≡ One of an ongoing series of posts in which I pick, in my not-so-humble opinion, the best songs of the second millennium. Feel free to offer constructive dissenting opinions; preferably set to music.
Song #65 is Come Softly to Me sung by The Fleetwoods, consisting of Gretchen Christopher (who wrote it as "Come Softly" in 1959), Gary Troxel and Barbara Ellis. Recorded at home, they sang it a cappella with the rhythmic shaking of Troxel's car keys. The tape was then sent to Los Angeles where the sparse instrumental accompaniment was added: an acoustic guitar played by Bonnie Guitar. Bob Reisdorf, the owner of Dolphin Records (changed in 1960 to Dolton Records), was responsible for the title change. He thought that "Come Softly" might be misunderstood and considered risqué, so he had it changed to "Come Softly to Me".
As a high school senior at the time of this song's popularity, I can attest that the song's title change by Reisdorf did not eliminate entirely the risqué "misunderstandings" by the teenagers who made it a №1 hit.
The Fleetwods - Come Softly to Me
Post #1,253 § I Am Music and I Pick the Songs: Come Softly to Me
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