neil sedaka
After graduating from Abraham Lincoln High School, Sedaka and some of his classmates formed a band called The Tokens. The band had minor regional hits with songs like "While I Dream", "I Love My Baby", "Come Back, Joe", and "Don't Go", before Sedaka launched out on his own in 1957. Eventually, after a few personnel changes, in 1961, the Tokens hit No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts with the international smash "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". Meanwhile, the very young Sedaka's first three solo singles, "Laura Lee", "Ring-a-Rockin'", and "Oh, Delilah!" failed to become hits (although "Ring-a-Rockin'" earned him the first of many appearances on Dick Clark's American Bandstand), but they demonstrated his ability to perform as a solo singer, so RCA Victor signed him to a recording contract.
His first single for RCA, "The Diary", was inspired by Connie Francis, one of Sedaka and Greenfield's most important clients, while the three were taking a temporary break during their idea-making for a new song. Francis was writing in her diary, Sedaka asked if he could read it, and Connie promptly replied no. After Little Anthony and the Imperials passed on the song, Sedaka recorded it himself, and his debut single hit the Top 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 14 in 1958.
However, his next two singles did not fare so well. His second single, a novelty tune titled "I Go Ape", just missed the Top 40, peaking at No. 42 (although it went to #9 in the UK). The third single, "Crying My Heart Out for You", was a commercial failure, missing the Hot 100 entirely, peaking at No. 111 (although it went to No. 6 on the pop charts in Italy). RCA Victor had lost money on "I Go Ape" and "Crying My Heart Out For You" and was ready to drop Sedaka from their label. But Sedaka's manager, Al Nevins, persuaded the RCA executives to give him one more chance.
Knowing he would not get another chance if he failed again, and desperate for another hit, Sedaka bought the three biggest hit singles of the time and listened to them repeatedly, studying the song structure, chord progressions, lyrics and harmonies—and he discovered that the hit songs of the day all shared the same basic musical anatomy. Armed with his newfound arsenal of musical knowledge, he set out to craft his next big hit song, and he promptly did exactly that: "Oh! Carol" delivered Sedaka his first domestic Top 10 hit, reaching No. 9 on the Hot 100 in 1959 and going to No. 1 on the Italian pop charts in 1960, giving Sedaka his first No. 1 ranking. In addition, the B-side, "One-Way Ticket To The Blues", reached #1 on the pop charts in Japan. Sedaka had dated Carole King when he was still at high school, and she was still called Carol Klein, so he used her name; Gerry Goffin - King's husband - took the tune, and wrote the playful response "Oh! Neil", which King recorded and released as an unsuccessful single the same year
His first single for RCA, "The Diary", was inspired by Connie Francis, one of Sedaka and Greenfield's most important clients, while the three were taking a temporary break during their idea-making for a new song. Francis was writing in her diary, Sedaka asked if he could read it, and Connie promptly replied no. After Little Anthony and the Imperials passed on the song, Sedaka recorded it himself, and his debut single hit the Top 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 14 in 1958.
However, his next two singles did not fare so well. His second single, a novelty tune titled "I Go Ape", just missed the Top 40, peaking at No. 42 (although it went to #9 in the UK). The third single, "Crying My Heart Out for You", was a commercial failure, missing the Hot 100 entirely, peaking at No. 111 (although it went to No. 6 on the pop charts in Italy). RCA Victor had lost money on "I Go Ape" and "Crying My Heart Out For You" and was ready to drop Sedaka from their label. But Sedaka's manager, Al Nevins, persuaded the RCA executives to give him one more chance.
Knowing he would not get another chance if he failed again, and desperate for another hit, Sedaka bought the three biggest hit singles of the time and listened to them repeatedly, studying the song structure, chord progressions, lyrics and harmonies—and he discovered that the hit songs of the day all shared the same basic musical anatomy. Armed with his newfound arsenal of musical knowledge, he set out to craft his next big hit song, and he promptly did exactly that: "Oh! Carol" delivered Sedaka his first domestic Top 10 hit, reaching No. 9 on the Hot 100 in 1959 and going to No. 1 on the Italian pop charts in 1960, giving Sedaka his first No. 1 ranking. In addition, the B-side, "One-Way Ticket To The Blues", reached #1 on the pop charts in Japan. Sedaka had dated Carole King when he was still at high school, and she was still called Carol Klein, so he used her name; Gerry Goffin - King's husband - took the tune, and wrote the playful response "Oh! Neil", which King recorded and released as an unsuccessful single the same year
1974
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ROCKET RECORDS 40582
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ROCKET RECORDS 40460
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ROCKET RECORDS 40500
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The Immigrant-Dedicated to John Lennon/Hey Mister Sunshine
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BRAZIL 1959
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RCA 1115
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RCA 47-8137
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CALENDAR GIRL / THE SAME OLD FOOL
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RCA 45 RCA 1178
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1961 RCA GOLDEN GROOVES
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