(John Rox)
Australia
#83 Australia
B-side on RCA Australia by Malcolm T. Elliot (1946-2019), Melbourne-born announcer and newsman whose broadcasting career took him to a number of regional and capital city stations. He often worked in radio and TV news and was prominent for many years as breakfast host on Brisbane’s 4BK and Sydney’s 2UW. Throughout his career he worked at other Sydney stations including 2KY, 2UE and 2GB.
The A-side was a song in a similar vein, All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth, first recorded by Spike Jones and His City Slickers (1948).
Further reading: 1. Wikipedia’s detailed Malcolm T. Elliot article. 2. Tribute at RadioInfo.com.au.
Terry Stacey spotted this a few Christmases ago. 🎅🏼🎄 Merry Christmas!
(John Rox)
USA
Original version
Single on Columbia, October 1953. Also released in a children’s edition with picture sleeve and on 10″ 78 rpm.
Ten-year-old Gayla Peevey (b. 1943) was from Ponca City, Oklahoma. She later recorded several singles on the Joy label 1959-62 as Jamie Horton.
The writer
Composer and lyricist John Rox (1907-1957) often wrote for Broadway shows. His
best-known song is probably It’s a Big Wide Wonderful World, written for Broadway but heard on several film soundtracks.
Other versions
Secondhand Songs lists 48
versions. That seems excessive, but who am I to argue with Patsy Biscoe, Captain And Tennille, Jim Henson, and LeAnn Rimes? Besides, it’s Christmas, and I don’t want to be the Grinch so I’ll pick my favourite, the one by The Three Stooges And The Music Wreckers (without even listening to it).
Further reading, viewing: 1. Wikipedia’s Gayla Peevey article has more about her life after the hippopotamus. 2. Interview with Gayla Peevey from around 2019 at YouTube.
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Website by Lyn Nuttall. © Lyn Nuttall 2004-2024. Chart positions courtesy of Gavin Ryan’s Australian Chart Books and Dean Scapolo’s Complete NZ Music Charts. Special thanks to Terry Stacey for information, corrections and suggestions. Thanks also to Tony Watson, Philippe Edouard, Dave Overett.., More…