“This Ole House” (sometimes written “This Old House”) is a popular song written by Stuart Hamblen, and published in 1954. Rosemary Clooney’s version reached the top of the popular music charts in both the US and the UK in 1954. The song again topped the UK chart in 1981 in a recording by Shakin’ Stevens. (More from Wikipedia)
Sister Rosetta Tharpe is the only woman mentioned in the Wikipedia list, but she is not the only one that I have heard talked about. Rosemary Clooney had one of her biggest hits with “Hey There” b/w “This Ole House”; both songs individually reached #1 in 1954 on the Billboard singles charts (in case you think – as I had – that the Beatles were the first to have double-sided #1 hit singles). The latter song is one that I have heard discussed as the first rock and roll record – or at least, one of the first (before doing the research for this post, I had thought that her recording dated from 1953).
As written by Stuart Hamblen – one of the earliest “singing cowboys” – “This Ole House” was originally treated as an epitaph for a dead mountain man who was found in his home. Rosemary Clooney’s rollicking, gospel-tinged version is a rock and roll treatment of the song; as with Hamblen’s original recording, her cover version features basso profundo vocals by Thurl Ravenscroft. Ravenscroft is best known as the original voice behind Tony the Tiger in TV commercials for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes cereal and also performed the vocals (uncredited) for the song “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” on the classic Christmas television special, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. Shortly after Thurl Ravenscroft’s death in 2005, I heard an interview with him on NPR, and I don’t think I have ever heard a man who had such a deep voice.
Sadly, Rosemary Clooney is mostly remembered today not so much for her formidable powers as a performer, but rather for the members of her extended family – and also for the long-running PBS series This Old House that was named after her 1954 hit song, “This Ole House”.
(June 2013/1)
