SONGWRITER
TRIVIA TRAIL

Some people have earned millions of dollars from songwriting, without actually having to write any songs! Confused? Well Elvis Presley's name appears as co-writer on "Love Me Tender", "All Shook Up", and "Heartbreak Hotel", even though the King saw those songs for the first time in the studios the day he went in to record them. And Morris Levy's name appeared as co-writer of the Frankie Lymon classic "Why Do Fools Fall In Love", even though the song was written long before he ever met either Frankie or the Teenagers. And one of our favourite people, Alan Freed ended up as co-writer of  "Maybellene" although when he spun the track on radio, he was probably hearing it for the first time.  Ah the good old innocent days. Of course it couldn't happen now. [Said he laughing].

Talking of "Maybellene" by Chuck Berry (of if you prefer, by Chuck Berry and Alan Freed). Chuck originally wrote that song as "Ida Red", but decided to re-title it with a more commercial girl's name. He picked "Maybellene", which was the title of a poem he had learned as a child. It was only after the record had been released that Chuck fianlly recalled that the Maybellene in his childhood poem was not a girl - but a cow!

Another of our favourite people, Paul Simon, once taught at New York University. One of is students was Melissa Manchester! And did you know that Paul Simon has charted under more different names, than anybody else? He has had hits as Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Tom & Gerry, Tico & The Triumphs, and Jerry Landis. And in every case, he wrote the songs!

Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman wrote two songs for two recording sessions due to be held the same day. One of the songs, "Hushabye" was written for Dion & The Belmonts, while the other song, "Teenager In Love" was destined for the Mystics. On the day of the session, the songs got mixed up, with the result that Dion ended up recording "Teenager In Love" while the Mystics got "Hushabye". Not that it made any difference. Both were hits.

When Burt Bacharach wrote the theme for the film "Butch Cassidy", his first choice of singer - Bob Dylan - turned it down. His second choice, Bobby Vinton, also said "no", so he offered it to B.J. Thomas, who  said "yes". "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" became B.J. Thomas's biggest-selling recording.

It sounds like something from a 1930's movie, but it really did happen. Songwriters Les Rosenberg and Bernard Weinman actually handed the song "Too Much" to Elvis just as he boarded the train for Las Vegas in 1956! And he recorded it. And it sold a million. And they got the girl in the end as well. It could only happen in Hollywood. (OK - so we made up the part about they getting the girl........but they could have, if they wanted to).

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