Neil Sedaka – Oh Carol

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Oh! Carol song

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Neil Sedaka Oh Carol & One-Way Ticket.JPG
By Fair use, Link

“Oh! Carol”
Italian single
Single by Neil Sedaka
from the album Neil Sedaka Sings Little Devil and His Other Hits
B-sideOne Way Ticket (To the Blues)
Released1959
Recorded1959
GenrePop
Length2:15
LabelRCA Victor
Songwriter(s)Neil SedakaHoward Greenfield
Neil Sedaka singles chronology
Crying My Heart Out for You
(1959)”Oh! Carol
(1959)”Stairway to Heaven
(1960)
Alternative release

Oh Carol by Neil Sedaka US vinyl side-A.png
By RCA Victor – Fair use, Link

Side A of US single

Oh! Carol” is an international hit written by Neil Sedaka in 1958. Co-written with Howard Greenfield, the song is noted for Sedaka’s spoken recitation of the verse, the second time around.

The song spent 18 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 9 on December 6, 1959, while reaching No. 3 on the UK’s New Musical Express chart. It also earned Sedaka his first No. 1 ranking when it went to No. 1 in the Netherlands and Wallonia. After its release as a single, it was included in the album Neil Sedaka Sings Little Devil and His Other Hits.

At the time Sedaka produced the record, his second and third singles, “I Go Ape!”

Neil Sedaka – I Go Ape (1959)

and “Crying My Heart Out For You” had fared poorly on the charts, and RCA Victor was ready to drop him from their label, but producer Al Nevins persuaded the RCA executives to give Sedaka one last chance.

Neil Sedaka – Crying My Heart Out For You (1959)

Determined to create a hit song, Sedaka purchased the three top singles of the day and listened to them repeatedly, studying their melody, chord progression, and lyrical styles; and he found that they were very similar in structure. He then used this knowledge to create the song, “Oh! Carol”.

“Carol” was a reference to Carol Klein, Sedaka’s ex-girlfriend from high school and a fellow songwriter at the Brill Building. She had since married Gerry Goffin, who took the tune, and wrote the playful response “Oh! Neil”, which she recorded and released as an unsuccessful single the same year (1958) under the stage name Carole King.

Carole King – Oh Neil (1959)

Sedaka also recorded a Hebrew-language version of “Oh! Carol”‘ which was written by Chaim Kaynan. It has been covered by other artists in other languages as well.

Neil Sedaka – Oh Carol [Hebrew]

The B-side song, “One Way Ticket“, also earned Sedaka a #1 ranking in Japan for several months in 1960, where it was affectionately known as “The Choo-Choo Train Song”.

Neil Sedaka – One Way Ticket (1959) (Stereo / Lyrics)

Chart performance

Chart (1959-1960)Peak
position
Belgium (Flanders)2
Belgium (Wallonia)1
Canada (CHUM Hit Parade)4
Netherlands (Single Top 100)1
Norway (VG-lista)9
UK (New Musical Express)3
US Billboard Hot 1009
US Billboard Hot R&B Sides27
US Cash Box Top 1005
West Germany25

Other recorded versions

Oh! Carol
General Saint Feat. Don Campbell – Oh Carol!

Oh Carol – cover by Dave Monk

Oh Carol – Neil Sedaka – Guitar instrumental by Dave Monk

Oh ! Carol cover Tyros 4

Oh ! Carol cover Tyros 4

BAILE! Fambam – OH CAROL ( Carbonara Mix )

BAILE! Fambam – OH CAROL ( Carbonara Mix )

Karina – Oh Carol

oh carol – karina

Goan Konkani Song O ‘CAROL’ by LAWRY TRAVASSO and LORNA | Goa Konkani

Goan Konkani Song O 'CAROL' by LAWRY TRAVASSO and LORNA | Goa Konkani Songs 2020

Oh Carol-Line Dance(Beginner /Merengue)Marisa Manferdini

Oh Carol-Line Dance(Beginner /Merengue)Marisa Manferdini

Blue diamonds – Oh Carol

Blue diamonds Oh carol

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