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| "Temptation" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Bing Crosby | |
| Published | 1933 |
| Composer(s) | Nacio Herb Brown |
| Lyricist(s) | Arthur Freed |
| Producer(s) | Wesley Rose |
"Temptation" is a popular song published in 1933, with music written by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed.
Bing Crosby recording
The song was introduced by Bing Crosby in the 1933 film Going Hollywood. Crosby recorded the song with Lennie Hayton's orchestra on October 22, 1933, and it reached the No. 3 spot in the charts of the day during a 12-week stay. He recorded it again with John Scott Trotter's Orchestra on March 3, 1945 and also for his 1954 album Bing: A Musical Autobiography.
Other notable recordings
- Other popular versions of the song have been recorded by Ferde Grofé & His Orchestra with vocal refrain by Al Dary on November 21, 1933, Artie Shaw and his orchestra on September 7, 1940, Perry Como in 1945, and by Mario Lanza on 29 November 1951 at Radio Recorders and subsequently released by RCA in January 1952. A British cover version by Steve Conway was released in 1946.
- A parody version, entitled "Tim-tay-shun", was recorded in a country music style by Red Ingle with a vocal by "Cinderella G. Stump" (actually a pseudonym for Jo Stafford) in 1947 and this topped the US charts.
- African-American crooner Billy Eckstine recorded his version December 30, 1947. It reached No. 7 on the Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records chart.
- The Everly Brothers' version (b/w "Stick With Me Baby", Warner Bros. Records WB5220), released in May 1961, reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart. This version also peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Other performances in popular culture
- The song was used in the film Singin' in the Rain (1952) and later in the 1983 musical based on the film.
- The song is also prominently featured in Valerio Zurlini's Violent Summer (1959).
- An interpretation was featured in the first episode of The Muppet Show, with Miss Piggy, four chickens, four frogs, and two male pigs being led by Kermit the Frog in the Muppet Glee Club, Miss Piggy sang a solo in the third verse until the end, her voice being performed by Richard Hunt instead of Frank Oz, her then-regular performer. The song would be performed again in the 98th episode, this time by an octopus ensemble.
- An arrangement is regularly played by University of Michigan athletic bands during events. The song is featured regularly by the marching band during home football games when it is routinely performed following a defensive play that forces an opponent to face 4th down. The Michigan Marching Band often performs the song as part of their postgame concert where it is paired with the "Hawaiian War Chant" because, "You can't have one without the other".
Bibliography
- Who Wrote that Song Dick Jacobs & Harriet Jacobs, published by Writer's Digest Books, 1993
References
- ^ Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 58. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
- "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 104. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- Gilliland, John. (197X). "Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #16 - All Tracks UNT Digital Library". Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved 2021-01-26.
- "The Gramophone". August 1946.
- Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 222. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- Gilliland, John. (197X). "Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #20 - All Tracks UNT Digital Library". Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-06.
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 181.
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 214.
