Artist:Ivo Robic
Song:Morgen
Album:Teen Time: The Young Years of Rock 'n' Roll: Volume 3: A Very Special Love
Morgen was a top 20 hit in 1959. It was the first song sung in German to chart in the US. Not surprisingly, Croatian singer Ivo Robic never had another hit that big though he had a long career in Europe. He was born Jan. 28, 1923 in Garesnica, Croatia. He started out singing with the Radio Zagreb Orchestra during WWII and he sang at the Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb. He started his recording career in the 50s. For most of his career, Robic recorded for Polydor Records. And he had plenty of hits in Europe over a thirty year career. But Morgen was the only time his music crossed the pond. It reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Morgen was written by German songwriter Peter Moesser. He seemed to specialize in writing German lyrics for English songs. Robic's 1959 recording of Morgen was produced and arranged by a familiar name, German bandleader Bert Kaempfert. Not long after, Kaempfert had success with hits like Wonderland by Night. After Morgen became a hit across Europe, Laurie Records picked it up in the US. My guess is a US tourist bought the record while on holidays in Europe and gave it to a DJ when he returned home. I guess it spread from there. Noel Sherman (Ramblin' Rose) wrote English lyrics for Morgen. The song was retitled One More Sunrise and recorded by Leslie Uggams. It was not a hit but it was a top 20 hit in England for Dickie Valentine. As I said, Robic had a long career in Europe. Probably his biggest hit was the Bert Kaempfert song that would become known as the Frank Sinatra hit Strangers in the Night. The best way to get Morgen is on this various artists CD from the oldies label Eric Records. The song is hard to find on English comps. Obviously it's a forgotten record today. I had never heard it before. Ivo Robic died on Mar. 9, 2000 at age 77. Here's Ivo Robic performing Morgen in 1985. Robic was lip syncing on the three clips that I saw.
No comments:
Post a Comment