100 years ago: “The Aba Daba Honeymoon” hit #1

The Aba Daba Honeymoon Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan

Writer(s): Walter Donaldson and Arthur Fields (both: words and music) (see lyrics here) First Charted: October 1, 1914 Peak: 12 US, 20 GA, 12 SM (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.09 video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: This bizarre novelty song about a monkey wedding and honeymoon had a surprisingly sturdy shelf life. The song had a similar theme and title to the 1910 song “On a Monkey Honeymoon,” which was “about a bride and groom and he called her his monkey, whereas ‘Aba Daba Honeymoon’ was about a monkey with a long tail and a happy chimpanzee and they were in love, the chimp calling her monkey Monk and the monkey calling his lover chimp, Chimpy. Yet again there was a big baboon who performed the wedding ceremony but this time it really was a baboon.” SMThe listener finds out that the gibberish lyrics translate to the monkee and chimp declaring their love for each other. Ruth Roye introduced the song in 1914 at the Palace Theater in New York. TY2 That same year, Arthur Collins and Byron Harlan had a #1 with the song. The song resurfaced again for the films King of Jazz (1930) and Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe (1945), TY2 but its most significant appearance came in the 1950 film Two Weeks with Love. Debbie Reynolds sang it in the film with Carleton Carpenter and their version was released as a single, reaching #3 in 1951. It was one of several versions of the song to chart in its resurgence more than 25 years after Collins and Harlan first charted with it. There were other versions by Kitty Kallen & Richard Hayes (#9, 1951), Freddy Martin (#12, 1951), Cliff Stewart (#19, 1951), and Hoagy Carmichael with Cass Daley (#23, 1951). PM It resurfaced again in 1960 when Joe “Fingers” Carr and Ira Ironstrings recorded it for their album Together for the Last Time, Volume 1. DJ Resources: DJ David Jasen (2002). A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999). Routledge: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Page 1. SM Sharon Mawer Charts (1900-1968) TY2 Don Tyler (2007). Hit Songs, 1900-1955. McFarland & Company, Inc.: Jefferson, North Carolina. Page 67. PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research, Inc: Menomonee Falls, WI. Page 467. Related Links: First posted 2/27/2023.

The movie Singin’ in the Rain was released: April 11, 1952

Singin’ in the Rain was an Oscar-nominated film from 1952 which starred Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. Kelly and Stanley Donen directed the musical and Kelly also oversaw choreography. The comedic film follows the three main stars during Hollywood’s days of switching over from silent films to “talkies.”

Kelly plays silent film star Don Lockwood. He and co-star Lina Lamont (played by Jean Hagen) are a famous on-screen romantic couple and the studio has even promoted the idea that they are linked off-screen as well, even though Lockwood can barely tolerate her. When faced with the transition from silent film to talkies, Lamont’s shrill voice just won’t work and Lockwood faces career jeopardy.

Lockwood’s best friend, Cosmo Brown (played by O’Connor), suggests dubbing Lamont’s voice with that of aspiring actress Kathy Selden (played by Reynolds). Lockwood falls in love with her, which poses problems since Lamont is convinced her relationship with Lockwood goes beyond the screen.

The film wasn’t a big hit upon its initial release, but has achieved legendary status. It topped the AFI’s list of top musicals of all time and the AFI also ranked it as the fifth best American film ever made. Interestingly, while Kelly’s performance in the movie – especially the title cut – has become one of the most iconic images in movie history, he wasn’t originally cast for the role. Initially Howard Keel was slated to portray the character as an actor in Westerns, but the role become more one of a vaudeville performer.

Singin’ in the Rain

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Awards:

• National Film Registry
• Oscars – nominated for best picture
• BAFTA – nominated for best picture
• Directors Guild of America – Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly nominated for best director
• Golden Globes – Donald O’Connor won for best actor
• Golden Globes – nominated for best musical or comedy

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Resources and Related Links:

• Gene Kelly’s DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry
• Internet Movie Database
• Wikipedia

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