Rock Martin - Oliver Cool (1960)

Oliver Cool - Oliver Cool (1960)

(Paul Vance - Lee Pockriss)
 USA
Original version
#15 Sydney #24 Melbourne #24 Brisbane #16 Perth | #17 Australia

Single on Roulette, on London in Australia, by pseudonymous artist who was either dancer-choreographor-actor-director Tony Mordente (1935-2024) or singer and skater Lawrence Sarapochiello   (1933-2024). There are strong opinions either way, but I cannot confidently call it. It appears that each used the pseudonym Larry Ellis at some stage in their career, which could explain the confusion.

The writers
Lee Pockriss and Paul Vance wrote Bryan Hyland’s Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini (1960). I can’t help wondering whether the 16 syllables of its title influenced the 14 syllables of He’s My Blonde-Headed Stompie-Wompie Real Gone Surfer Boy, Little Pattie’s Australian classic (1963).

Pockriss specialised in cute or amusing songs that included Jo Ann Campbell’s A Kookie Little Paradise (1960) and Paul Evans’s (Seven Little Girls) Sitting In The Back Seat (1959), both written with Bob Hilliard.

This page covers similar ground to my blogpost Bigger in Oz (25): Oliver Cool – Oliver Cool (1960)