Witch Doctor came out 65 years ago this month.
Makes me feel ancient.
Mike Wolstein
"Witch Doctor" premiered on Billboard's pre-Hot 100 Chart (it was simply called The Top 100 then!) at #36 in the issue dated April 14th, 1958. Two weeks later, it was the #1 Record in the Country ... where it stayed for the next three weeks.
I have LONG campaigned for Ross Bagdasarian, better known to most of the world as David Seville, to be inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... if not as an artist (although I find him completely deserving in this category as well), then as an innovator and early influence for creating the art of the sped up recording technique that ultimately led to the creation of The Chipmunks, Alvin, Simon and Theodore, after first pioneering this sound on his own #1 Hit, "Witch Doctor" in 1958. (Later that same year The Chipmunks would ALSO hit #1 with the Christmas Classic "The Chipmunk Song," a record that has proven to be as enduring as The Chipmunks themselves.)
Bagdasarian, a sometimes songwriter, actor, arranger, jazz pianist and record producer (he wrote Rosemary Clooney's 1951 #1 Hit "Come On-A My House" and starred in the films "Rear Window" ... where he played the piano player ... and "Stalag 17" among others) voiced all three Chipmunk characters (named after Liberty Records Executives Alvin Bennett, Simon Waronker and Theodore Keep) on record by recording his own voice and all of the musical accompaniment in "real time" but slowing down the tape speed by half when singing the Chipmunk vocals. It was Ross' sense of humor that breathed life into the three "rodents" (originally drawn that way) making them charismatic enough to inspire life for the next 65+ years as cartoon characters on television, movies, sound recordings and countless merchandising memorabilia that continues on to this day (not to mention successful "spin-offs" such as The Chipettes, who ALSO enjoyed their run on both the small and big screen.) It is estimated that Chipmunks-related merchandise has generated in excess of over $250 Million over the past several decades, all filtering back to Chipmunk Enterprises, which Bagdasarian founded way back when. Ross also created and produced the popular CBS Television Series "The Alvin Show," which is probably how most of my generation remembers Alvin, Simon and Theodore. To say this man had a vision ... and capitalized on it ... just may be the understatement of the year. (As far back as 1959, Life Magazine noted that Bagdasarian was the first case in the "annals of popular music that one man has served as writer, composer, publisher, conductor and multiple vocalist of a hit record, thereby directing all possible revenues from the song back into his pocket.")
By the very definition of The Rock Hall's mission statement, Ross took music in a new, innovative direction, previously unexplored ... and achieved a success level enjoyed by very, very few. (I remember playing the heck out of my "The Chipmunks Sing The Beatles Hits" album when I was a kid. Although it was their version of "All My Lovin'" that charted in October of 1964, MY main track was "From Me To You" ... because it was the ONLY Beatles hit record I didn't own at the time ... so I had to substitute it with The Chipmunks' version whenever I sat down to play all of my favorite Beatles hits!)
His pioneering recording effort has proven timeless and enduring, entertaining EVERY generation of listener ever since. "The Chipmunk Song" alone has charted half a dozen times over the past 65 holiday seasons ... and the images and personalities of Alvin, Simon and Theodore are recognized today by everyone from the age of 2 to 100. (Their version of "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" has also proven to remain quite popular.) How is it even REMOTELY possible that David Seville / Ross Bagdasarian has never been so much as considered as a worthy candidate for The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame???
The Rock Hall really needs to take the blinders off and broaden their vision in order to include and consider ALL worthy aspects of the recording industry and remain true to their original purpose. (Perhaps this expanded vision might help to allow them to maintain at least SOME sense of relevance in the process.) kk
The original Chipmunks Christmas Picture Sleeve ...
The Chipmunks that I grew up with, thanks to "The Alvin Show"
Movie Stars!!!
