Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)
"Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" or "Cerezo Rosa" or "Ciliegi Rosa" or "Gummy Mambo", is the English version of "Cerisiers Roses et Pommiers Blancs", a popular song with music by Louiguy written in 1950. French lyrics to the song by Jacques Larue and English lyrics by Mack David both exist,[1] and recordings of both have been quite popular. However, Pérez Prado's recording of the song as an instrumental with his orchestra featuring trumpeter Billy Regis,[1] whose trumpet sound would slide down and up before the melody would resume, was the most popular version in 1955, reaching number one for 10 weeks on the Billboard chart. It became a gold record. Pérez had first recorded this title for the movie Underwater! (1955), where Jane Russell can be seen dancing to the song.[1] Billboard ranked this version as the No. 1 song of 1955.[2] The most popular vocal version in the U.S. was by Alan Dale, reaching No. 14 on the chart in 1955.[3]
"Cerisiers Roses et Pommiers Blancs" | |
---|---|
Song | |
Language | French, English |
English title | Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White |
Written | 1950 |
Composer(s) | Louiguy |
Lyricist(s) | Jacques Larue (French), Mack David (English) |
In the United Kingdom, two versions of the song went to number one in 1955. The first was the version by Prado, which reached number one for two weeks.[4] Less than a month later, a version by the British trumpeter Eddie Calvert reached number one for four weeks.[5]
Al Hirt released a version on his 1965 album, They're Playing Our Song.[6]
In 1982, the British pop group Modern Romance (featuring John Du Prez) had a UK Top 20 hit with the vocal version of the song.[7]
In 1961, Jerry Murad's Harmonicats released an album featuring the song.
Recorded versions
- André Claveau (original version in French, 1950)
- Georgia Gibbs (1951)
- Nilla Pizzi (in Italian, 1951)
- Fotis Polymeris (in Greek, 1952)
- Alan Dale (1955)
- Pérez Prado (instrumental) (1955 and 1960)
- Eddie Calvert (instrumental, 1955)
- Chet Atkins 1955
- Pat Boone (1960)
- Jerry Murad (1961)
- Petula Clark (in French, 1962)
- Lester Sterling (under the pseudonym Mr. Versatile; instrumental) (1969)
- Norrie Paramor Orchestra (1977)
- Mnozil Brass (2004)
- Arthur Murray
- Bill Black's Combo
- Billy Vaughn
- Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1955[8] for use on his radio show and it was subsequently included in the box set The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954-56) issued by Mosaic Records (catalog MD7-245) in 2009.[9]
- Devo (as "Softcore Mutations" - unreleased)
- Earl Bostic
- Edmundo Ros
- Gisele MacKenzie
- Harry James
- Horst Fischer
- Hugo Montenegro
- Ivo Robić (as "Jabuke i trešnje"; Croatian lyrics by Mario Kinel)
- James Last Orchestra
- John Barry
- Lawrence Welk
- Liberace
- Lou Donaldson
- Michel Legrand
- Modern Romance
- Nino Impallomeni
- Ron Livingston
- Ruben Pena
- Spike Jones (under the pseudonym "Davey Crackpot"; a parody of the Perez Prado hit record featuring George Rock on trumpet)
- Stanley Black
- The Fabulous Thunderbirds
- The Ventures
- Xavier Cugat
- Relly Coloma (1970) - Philippine Version under Villar Records
Finnish versions "Kaksi ruusua" ("Two Roses")
- Henry Theel (1955)
- Olavi Virta (1955)
- Erkki Junkkarinen (1975)
- Reijo Taipale (1975)
- Agents (1985)
In films
- The song was featured in the film Underwater! starring Jane Russell.
- The recording by Pérez Prado was featured in the films Cookie and Parents in 1989.
- The song is often played in the Hong Kong film Cageman, most notably during the scene where tenants party while celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival.
References
- Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 18. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
- Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1955
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 159.
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 43. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 44. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- "Al (He's The King) Hirt* - They're Playing Our Song (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-04-03.
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 373. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
- "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 1, 2017.