LITA ROZA – "How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?"

My older sisters used to torment me with the Patti Page version of this song. I made me cry. I have no idea what it was about it–I mean, I was two years old! Still, the sibling traumatizing most have left its mark, as I still get very anxious whenever I hear it, which, thankfully, isn’t very often anymore.

Another dear old Bob Merrill number one, truly the Bill Martin of his day – novelties by the yard. I’ve already put this link on She Wears Red Feathers but it can’t hurt to stick it here as well. It’s a gem:

http://www.slate.com/id/2898/

R.I.P.

Light Entertainment Watch: Lita Roza was on television all the time in the 1950s. All these apperances are now missing;

THE DICKIE VALENTINE SHOW: with Lulu, Lita Roza, Denis Lotis, The Breakaways, Pan’s People, Sid Boatman, Jack Parnell and his Orchestra (1967)

DRUMBEAT: with The Barry Sisters, The Kingpins, Billy Fury, Lita Roza (1959)

NORTHERN SHOWGROUND: with Lita Roza, Ken Dodd, The Chocolateers, Joe Lynch, Sara Luzita (1956)

SHOWTIME: with David Nixon, Jewel & Warriss, Lita Roza, Bruno Martino Five (1961)

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL: with Lita Roza, David Hughes, Jimmy Logan, The Eric Delaney Band, The Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group wiith Nancy Whiskey, Art Baxter and his Sinners, The Burt Twins, The Clyde Valley Stompers, The Glasgow Rock ‘n’ Roll Sinners (1957)

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL: with Lita Roza, Humphrey Lyttelton and His Band, The Bob Cork Skiffle, Frank Hader, Tony Kinsey Quintet (1957)

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL: with Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle Group, Terry Dene, The King Brothers, Lita Roza, Freddie Mills, Max Geldray, Stephane Grappelly with The Dill Jones Trio, Don Lang and his Frantic Five (1957)

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL: with Lita Roza, Bill Raymond, Donna Douglas, Paul Beattie, The Southlanders, Craig Douglas, Janice Peters, Vince Eager, The Six-Five Dates, Leslie Watkins (1958)

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL: with Lita Roza, Danny Purches, The Mudlarks, Freddie Mills, Humphrey Lyttelton and His Band, Vipers Skiffle Group, Bruce Turner Jump Band, Jim Dale (1958)

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL: with Lita Roza, Don Lang, Andy and the Bey Sisters, Don Rennie, Steve Martin., Claudio Venturelli, Lisa Noble, Janice Peters, Leila Williams, Ted Heath and his Music (1958)

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL: with Lita Roza, Ray Ellington, The Mudlarks, The Two Gees, Mike Preston, Danny Bland, Boyer and Ravel, The Six-Five Dates, James Green, Alan Clark and his Band (1958)

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL: with Lita Roza, Ronnie Carroll, Don Lang, Don Rennie, Steve Martin, Claudio Venturelli, Sheila Southern, Billy Raymond, The Raindrops, Eric Delaney and his Band (1958)

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL: with Lonnie Donegan, Lita Roza, The Five Dallas Boys, Ken Mackintosh and his Band, Basil Kirchin and his Band (1958)

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL: with Mike and Bernie Winters, Ted Heath and his Music, Lita Roza, The Dallas Boys, Gary Miller, The Terry Lightfoot Jazzmen, Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes, Don Rendell and the Jazz Couriers, Don Lang and his Frantic Five (1958)

SUNDAY NIGHT AT BLACKPOOL–MEET THE STARS: with Mel Tormé, Derek Roy, Lita Roza, Mrs Shefflewick, Warren Devine and Sparks (1956)

But three TV appearances do survive;

LOOKS FAMILIAR: with Les Dawson, Lita Roza, Vince Powell, Arthur English (1973)

LOOKS FAMILIAR: with Mike Winters, Bernie Winters, Lita Roza, Bryan Blackburn (1974)

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL: with The Six-Five Dates, Joan Regan, Jim Dale, Lita Roza, Malcolm Vaughan, The Mudlarks, Ronnie Carroll, Don Rennie, Des O’Connor, Jerry Angelo (1958)

You’re right tfg, the version played on last Christmas Day’s Junior Choice was the source of Arnold’s woofs. Can’t remember who it was by, I’m afraid, but they were mighty Old English Sheepdog woofs rather than Lita’s Yorkshire Terrier yaps.

Poor Lita – her death got into The Sun, but with ‘Doggie’ in the headline. It’s rather forgotten that in the early 50s, before Alma conquered the nation, Lita topped the polls. In truth, I find her vocals a little too much on the jazzy side – in retrospect, it’s rather odd indeed that the public were so keen to hear an ex-big band (Ted Heath) singer doing this children’s novelty. It’s quite nice really, but Patti Page was far more at home on this type of material – I think Oriole, who distributed her Mercury recordings in the UK, had poor distribution, which may account for it’s comparitively-low chart placing at #9.

@wichitalineman – you really must see the “Brit-noir” Cast a Dark Shadow (1955). Dirk Bogarde’s sinister conman wants to seduce Margaret Lockwood’s blowsy newly-widowed pub landlady. Lita’s singing this number in person when they first meet… and yes, it’s on a Vocalion CD.

And of course her captivating version of “Old Cape Cod” was the major selling point for Groove Armada’s “At The River”. What a talent. RIP.

Here’s a complete bobbins of a story regarding Tony Blackburn’s Arnold..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/essex/content/articles/2009/03/12/tony_arnold_feature.shtml

It’s a review which could equally be applied to the Tom O’Dull album. I may have better things to do in my old age than write about that. Blimey – “and at number one this week, it’s Tom O’Dull with his debut album I Am A Boring Plank.” And next week it’ll be “Editors.”

nb: “Better things to do” include “breathing.”

from wikip: “He was discovered by the label head Lily Allen, who remarked that “his energy onstage reminded me of David Bowie”.

I still cannot envisage this comparison. I, um, his hair maybe?

Anyway, back to doggies in windows..

It’s cute enough, and Lita Roza sells it with a fun vocal performance, even though she apparently detested the song. She recorded much better tunes later on – the Joe Meek produced ‘You’re the Greatest’ being one – that did bugger all on the charts. Shame. I’d give this a 3.