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Showing posts from December, 2023

I just don't understand 1961

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1. Introduction The song I Just Don't Understand was originally released by RCA Victor in the United States during June 1961, as a single by then new Swedish-born artist Ann-Margret Olsson - the actress and dancer best known as simply Ann-Margret (b.1941) and for films such as Viva Las Vegas (1963) with Elvis Presley and the film noir Once a Thief (1965) with French actor Alain Delon. The song I Just Don't Understand was written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kent Westberry. The latter went on to record a version in 1981; however, Wilkin does not appear to have ever done so, though she did release a number of largely Christian recordings during the 1980s. The Ann Margret version entered the Billboard Top 40 the week of 21 August 1961 and stayed 6 weeks, peaking at #17. It also peaked at #6 on the CHUM chart in October 1961 and spent 12 weeks on that chart. The recording was produced by Chet Atkins and Dick Pearce. It was a very sultry, bluesy song, with dominant harm...

St Margaret Mary Children's Choir - recordings and TV appearances 1963-5

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1. Introduction During December 2023 the author, during a conversation with Robyn Atherton, president of the Harden Murrumburrah Historical Society, was made aware of an interesting event from 1963 concerning the Australian pop music television program Sing Sing Sing . The story was outlined in the following reminiscences by Atherton: I was a member of the girls choir at St Margaret Mary’s primary school in Merrylands, as was my sister Jeanette, aged 2 years younger than I. We practiced every lunch time in the corridor and on Saturdays at the convent on the verandah. The convent was the home of the Marist Sisters. All the grounds are now taken up by Cerdon College and Southern Cross Retirement Village. In 1963 I was in 6th class. Our choir was led by Sister Nathaniel. We had entered, and won, eisteddfods, and had an LP record pressed at Festival Records in Sydney. I was not pictured on the cover of the LP due to a friend and I talking or something, and we were not on the final tak...