written by Redd Evans and David Mann

​

Vic Damone—a.k.a. Vito Rocco Farinola—is an example of the mid-

20th century big band crooners who made names for themselves by

warbling old classics and standards as the origins of pop were

emerging. They were particularly prominent in the ’30s, ’40s and

’50s, and hanging on in the ’60s even as they were being

overshadowed and swallowed up by rock ‘n’ roll. Vic Damone began his professional career in the mid-’40s as a teenager. All the singles he recorded up to the late ’50s charted, to the time when jazz and big band were evolving into the roots of rock and roll and rockabilly.

​

This song, a standard from the ’40s and ’50s, was recorded by Vic on October 6th, 1961. He spent the entirety of the ’60s wrapping up his recording career. I collected this song with 19 other crooner classics on a compilation called Hooray For Love: Capitol’s Great Gentlemen Of Song, referring to Capitol Records, a very young label/company in the big band era. There were also companion collections with female singers of the same era. I used a short snippet of this song in a YT video I made in 2013. As of this writing, it’s close to June 12th, which was Vic’s birthday. Even though we lost him, it was as recent as 2018, and Vic had made it to 89. So Happy Would-Be 90s Birthday to you, Vic!! For those closer to my age, you can get acquainted with old-time big band-ers, crooners and so on like Vic Damone especially by watching what are by now classic but still acclaimed shows like The Golden Girls. Being of the appropriate age, they often name-dropped such singers and acts.

​

RIP Vic, 6/12/28 to 2/11/18.

​

Have notes to add? Let me know!

 

YT:

full version