Mitch Miller

I remember seeing Sing Along With Mitch on TV when I was quite small. Now I don’t think I ever sat down and watched an episode, but I remember the bouncing ball.

Miller was actually quite a big shot – head of A & R at Columbia Records. As such he was the anti-Elvis, refusing to sign any rock and roll artists, and so Columbia withered until they signed Dion Dimucci in the early 60s, at which time Miller’s reign was on the wane.

This is a scratchy copy of Mitch’s Greatest Hits, and it comes from Argy’s. Miller had 14 top 100 hits, 9 of which are not on here.

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Mitch Miller:

• March From The River Kwai And Colonel Bogey – I never saw Bridge Over The River Kwai, but it’s said to be quite miserable. The song is quite happy. This was a hit in the winter of 1958.
• The Yellow Rose Of Texas – This was huge, number 1 in the fall of 1955 for 6 weeks. Another march, with kudos to whoever plays the snare.
• Sing Along – I guess this could be his theme song. Maybe it was, I have no idea.
• The Bowery Grenadiers
• Theme From Song For A Summer Night – A mellow sax tune, and yes, it does kind of conjure up a warm summer evening in July…
• Silly Little Tune – A song about a song, one that sticks in your head and that you can’t get rid of, like this one of course….
• The Children’s Marching Song – This is This Old Man, and it was a hit in the winter of 1959.
• Do-Re-Mi – From early 1960. I guess this is from The Sound Of Music, though the movie wouldn’t come out for a few years yet
• Hey, Betty Martin – I’ve never known anyone named Betty Martin, though I’ve probably known a Betty, and I’ve certainly known people whose surname is Martin.
• Bonnie Eloise – I don’t think Bonnie is her name, I think she is bonnie, and her name is Eloise. I’ve never known anyone named Eloise, though I’ve known a Bonnie or two.
• Walkin’ Down To Washington – A great march, this.
• Hey Little Baby