In 1959, Neil Sedaka’s career was on the rocks before he wrote his hit song, “Oh! Carol”. Sedaka was inspired by studying Billboard magazine and analyzing every #1 record worldwide. He wanted to create a song with a girl’s name in the title, talk in the middle like The Diamonds did in “Little Darlin'”, and use the beats and harmony changes he learned from the world’s top songs. After co-writing the song with Howard Greenfield, Sedaka had a hit that made it to #1 in the Netherlands and Belgium, #3 in the UK Singles Chart, #4 in Canada, #5 in the US Cash Box Top 100, and #9 in the US Billboard Hot 100.
Sedaka and Greenfield had been collaborators since their teenage years. They first worked together when Sedaka was 13 and Greenfield was 16. The song was named after the songwriter Carole King, who, along with Neil Diamond, went to Abraham Lincoln High in Brooklyn, New York. King and Sedaka first met when they were members of the Linc-Tones, the first group Sedaka organized out of high school. But, despite what people might think, they did not date.
Sedaka’s hit song was recorded with the girl trio group, The Kittens, who was asked to sing falsetto behind Sedaka’s middle spoken bridge. However, when the song was recorded, everybody felt something was missing. So Al Nevins, the producer, turned to The Kittens and asked them to fill in the missing parts.
“Oh! Carol” is an upbeat and lively song popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It was written with a catchy tune and an upbeat tempo that captures the essence of the times. In 1959, a gallon of milk cost 82 cents, a dozen eggs cost 28 cents, and a gallon of gas cost 25 cents. In the same year, Dwight D. Eisenhower served as the President of the United States.
Watching this video can take you back in time to the ’50s and ’60s, full of emotions and good music. The performance is beautiful and shows Sedaka’s talent as a musician. The audience is thrilled and excited, clapping and singing along, enjoying the experience.
Neil Sedaka’s “Oh! Carol” is a fantastic clip and a beautiful song that is a must-see for anyone who loves good music. It captures the essence of the times with its catchy tune and upbeat tempo. The performance is a relatable, emotional experience, with the audience enjoying themselves, clapping, and singing along.
Watch this video and share it with your friends because it is a relic of the past that should not be forgotten.
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