Pop Archives

Sandy Scott - Wallpaper Roses (1966)

(Don Robertson - Harold Spina)
Australia Australia
#4 Sydney #10 Melbourne

Single on ATA. Charted in Sydney September 1966.

A popular singer at the smooth and easy end of the pop market, Sandy Scott was a regular on the Australian Bandstand. He also appeared in stage musicals and as compere of Family Feud and Sound of Music. His album Great Scott – It’s Sandy (1971) was a best-sellerSandy Scott is married to Col Joye’s sister Carol.

Further reading: 1. Post at Friday On My Mind: brief Sandy Scott bio and mp3 download.


Jerry Wallace - Wallpaper Roses (1966)

(Don Robertson - Harold Spina)
USA USA
Original version

Entered Billboard’s Country chart on 9 July 1966. Peaked in the 40s.

Jerry Wallace (1928-2008) had a handful of hits on the pop charts in the late 50s-early 60s, notably Primrose Lane (1959, #8 USA). He later moved over to a successful career in country music, signalled by such country-flavoured releases as Cindy Walker’s In The Misty Moonlight (1964, #19 USA). He had some substantial hits, including two #1 albums, on the country charts in the early 70s. 

Co-writer Don Robertson (b.1922), originally a pianist and arranger, started writing songs in the early 50s, often in collaboration with Hal Blair. His credits include several well-known songs including Born To Be With You (The Chordettes), I’m Counting On You (Kitty Wells; not the Johnny O’Keefe hit), Please Help Me I’m Falling (Hank Locklin), Ringo (Lorne Greene), and a number of songs recorded by Elvis Presley.

See also [at this site] No More, the Robertson-Blair treatment of La Paloma for Elvis Presley.

Harold Spina (1906-1997) had a long career as a composer with a number of notable collaborators. He began in the mid-30s with such songs as Guy Lombardo’s Annie Doesn’t Live Here Any More and Fats Waller’s You’re Not the Only Oyster in the Stew and My Very Good Friend the Milkman. One of his best-known credits is for Dinah Shore’s 1950 hit It’s So Nice to Have a Man Around the House.

References, further reading: 1. Co-writer Don Robertson’s website gives a good overview of his career and includes the lyrics of ‘Wallpaper Roses’. 2. Wikipedia entry on co-writer Harold Spina which links to: 3. Harold Spina’s obituary in The Independent (recommended) 4. Jerry Wallace bios at Wikipedia and All Music.


Billboard, 11 June 1966, via Google Books.


The Johnny Mann Singers - Wallpaper Roses (1966)

(Don Robertson - Harold Spina)
USA USA
Later version

On Liberty album Countryside. Advertised in Billboard October 1966 (after Sandy Scott’s release).


Dean Martin - Wallpaper Roses (1967)

(Don Robertson - Harold Spina)
USA USA
Later version
#16 Adelaide

Single on Reprise, B-side of In The Misty Moonlight (another Jerry Wallace song), also on the album Welcome To My World

Further reading: Interesting review of the album at AMG by William Ruhlmann who explains why it was something of a pick-me-up for Dino's career.