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Video of The Platters singing the song Twilight Time
"Twilight Time" is a popular song. The lyrics were written by Buck Ram, and the music was written in 1944 by the Three Suns (Morty Nevins, Al Nevins and Artie Dunn). Original hits included the Three Suns (1944) and Les Brown & His Band of Renown featuring Doris Day (1944).[1] It has been recorded by numerous acts over the years. However, the best known version of the song was recorded by The Platters and became a #1 hit for them in 1958 in the United States. The song also reached #3 in the United Kingdom. In 1963, the Platters recorded a Spanish version of the song entitled "La Hora del Crepúsculo", sung in a rhumba-style tempo.
Video of The Platters singing the song Unchained Melody
"Unchained Melody" is a popular song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. It is one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, by some counts having spawned over 500 versions in hundreds of different languages.[1] In 1955, North used the music as a theme for the obscure prison film Unchained. Todd Duncan, the baritone who performed in the original Porgy and Bess, sang the vocals for the film soundtrack.[2] Les Baxter (Capitol Records catalog number 3055), released an instrumental version which reached #2. Al Hibbler followed close behind with a vocal version (Decca Records catalog number 29441) that reached #3 on the Billboard charts. He was followed soon after by Jimmy Young whose version hit #1 on the British charts. Roy Hamilton's version (Epic Records catalog number 9102) reached #6, while June Valli (recorded March 15, 1955, released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-6078, with the flip side "Tomorrow"[3]) took it to #29.[4] Rockabilly legend Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps recorded it for their second album in 1956 — Vincent's version is played at mid-tempo and features a tremolo picking guitar part. It is also probably the most unusual cover version, as the chorus was omitted. Harry Belafonte sang it at the 1956 Academy Awards where it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song of 1955. (Belafonte had also made a recording of the song for RCA Victor Records, which was released as catalog number 20-6784, with the flip side "A-Roving"[5].) In 1963, an uptempo, doo-wop version hit the regional charts (eastern U.S.) by Vito & the Salutations, eventually becoming part of the soundtrack for Goodfellas in 1990. The song regained popularity when another version was produced by Phil Spector in 1965, credited to the Righteous Brothers, but performed as a solo by Bobby Hatfield, who later recorded versions credited solely to him. It climbed to #4. "Unchained Melody" reappeared on the Billboard charts in 1990 after The Righteous Brothers' recording was used in the box office blockbuster film Ghost. Two versions charted in the US that year. There was the reissue of the 1965 original Righteous Brothers single which received a lot of airplay, but sales were minimal since it was only available as a 45 RPM single. This version peaked at #13. There was also a 1990 re-recording of the song which was available only as a cassette single. The re-recorded version saw minimal airplay, but excellent sales. It peaked at #19. For eight weeks, both versions were on the Hot 100 simultaneously. This re-release of the song topped the U.S. adult contemporary chart for two weeks in 1990. It reached #1 in the UK, becoming the UK's top selling single of 1990; it also later reached #1 in Australia, staying at number-one for seven weeks through November 1990 and into January 1991. On June 21, 1977, just six weeks before his death, Elvis Presley performed "Unchained Melody" for what would be his last television appearance, "Elvis In Concert." However, the recording that was ultimately released as a single and included on the "Moody Blue" album (the last released while he was alive) was from an earlier appearance at Ann Arbor, Michigan, featuring him on piano, as it was invariably the case when Presley sang the song in concert. In 1995, the song was performed by Robson Green and Jerome Flynn in the UK drama series Soldier Soldier. This version was subsequently released as a single and quickly reached #1 in the UK, becoming one of the country's all time biggest selling records. The song has become a favorite among auditioners for TV singing contests. It has often been said by Simon Cowell to be his favorite song, leading it to be a favourite among those hoping to impress him in auditions for Pop Idol, American Idol, and The X Factor. It was performed on the original series of Pop Idol by runner-up Gareth Gates, who later released it as a single. It was also sung on Australian Idol by finalist Dan England and 2006's winner Damien Leith, and on American Idol by George Trice in Season 2, Clay Aiken during the Season 2 Top 3 finals, after which he advanced to the Top 2 (finals), as well as Kellie Pickler on Season 5 Top 6 Love Songs Week, for which she was eliminated. The song appeared in a Ford Fiesta commercial featuring two German engineers moulding a car together, in a parody of Ghost. In 2004 Rolling Stone placed the song at #365 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Cyndi Lauper was nominated for a 2005 Grammy award for "Best Instrumental Composition Accompanying a Vocal" for her interpretation of the song, which appears on the At Last album. In 2006, singer Barry Manilow covered the song on his album Greatest Songs of the Fifties, and it reached #20. The song has been #1 on lists of love songs featured on Channel 4 and Five, and also is said to be a favorite of Kevin Jafarey (RCG)[who?]. The song is on the game Karaoke Revolution Volume 3. The song was featured in the animated film "Happy Feet" (2006).
Video of The Platters singing the single Smoke gets in your eyes
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is a show tune written by American composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach for their 1933 operetta Roberta. It was performed by Irene Dunne for the 1935 film adaptation, costarring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Randolph Scott. It has been covered by numerous artists, beginning with Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra with Bob Lawrence on vocal, which went to the top of the charts in 1934, and including Nat "King" Cole who first covered it in 1946. Possibly the most famous version was recorded in 1958 by the doo wop group The Platters, which became a number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. In 1956, Vic Damone covered this song with a very dramatic, different and interesting rendition. "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" became one of Vic Damone's most famous songs. A 1972 remake by British band Blue Haze also became popular. Saxophone player Boots Randolph did an acoustic cover of the song on the B-side of his LP Yakety Sax. Bryan Ferry recorded a quavering, briefly popular version of the song in 1974 on the album Another Time, Another Place, which reached number 17 on the UK charts in September 1974. Jerry Garcia, who was named after Jerome Kern, released a music video in the early 1990s covering the classic tune, with actress Ashley Judd sitting in the background listening. Similarly in the early 1990s the song was performed by Eartha Kitt as part of her work with a small jazz combo in Germany; these recordings are preserved under the name Thinking Jazz. Australian singer Jason Donovan recorded the song for his album "Let It Be Me" (2008). Other notable artists who have recorded or covered the song include Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, Thelonious Monk, Art Tatum, Engelbert Humperdinck, Patti Austin, Peggy Lee, Led Zeppelin (a part of the song), Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Edith Piaf, Judy Garland, Johnny Mathis, George Melachrino, Sonny Rollins, Keith Jarrett, Ray Conniff, Dinah Washington, Richard Clayderman, David Sanborn, Margaret Whiting, Serge Gainsbourg, Glenn Miller and Zoot from the Muppet Show.
Video of The Platters singing the song Only you (and you alone)
"Only You (And You Alone)" (often shortened to "Only You") is a pop song composed by Buck Ram and Ande Rand. It was recorded most successfully by The Platters in 1955. The first recording of the song by The Platters turned out poorly, but after a re-recording, the song scored a major hit when it was released on July 3, 1955. The song held strong in the #1 position on the U.S. R & B charts for seven weeks, and hit #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It remained there for 30 weeks, beating out a rival cover version by a white band called The Hilltoppers. A 1959 instrumental cover by French orchestrator Franck Pourcel hit the Billboard top ten. In 1974, Ringo Starr covered this song for his album Goodnight Vienna, and it became a #1 hit on the US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and a #6 hit on the US pop chart in early 1975. A guide vocal sang by John Lennon that had been left on the multitrack later appeared in 1998 on his Anthology box set. Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers made #95 on the Billboard charts with his 1969 version. When the Platters track "The Great Pretender" (which eventually surpassed the success of "Only You") was released in the UK as Europe's first introduction to The Platters, "Only You" was included on the flipside. In the 1956 film Rock Around The Clock The Platters participated with both songs "Only You" and "The Great Pretender". Country singers Reba McEntire, Travis Tritt and Doug Stone and writer-singer Norro Wilson all released cover versions, in 1982, 1995, 2006, and 1969, respectively. Both McEntire and Tritt charted with their renditions. A version was also recorded in 1956 by the Welsh born singer Malcolm Vaughan.
Video of The Platters singing the song The Great Pretender
"The Great Pretender" is a popular song recorded by The Platters and released as a single on November 3, 1955. The words and music were created by Buck Ram, the Platters' manager and producer who was a successful songwriter before moving into producing and management. The Great Pretender reached the #1 position in 1956. It is one of three Platters records included on the American Graffiti soundtrack.
Oh yes, I'm the Great Pretender, pretending that I'm doing well. My need is such, I pretend too much. I'm lonely, but no one can tell...
