Art and Dotty Todd - Chanson D'Amour (Song of Love)

[countrypaul]

They had a lot of fine tracks that should have been big hits as well as this one. The sax player should have gotten some credit, too - Plas Johnson, perhaps? Their vocal belnd was wonderful; the overdubbing was pretty radical at the time! I don't miss the '50s except for the music and the cars; I still want a '56 Packard to play this in while my sweetie and I go cruisin'!

[BigIronOnHipMan2]

This was th favorite song of th gang of kids I played with in Wayne, NJ

growing up back in that blissful Yankee Summer of `58... Ra-ta-ta-ta-ta

( Hey, Eugene Sarno -- tell Gary don't hog all them RED pistachios! )

[Rajnoma]

Brings back my early teen years. Yes, those were surely better times. Things were so simple and easy. Now, as a Baby Boomer, I'm turning 66 this year. Where has the time gone? Though I have lost my family (and even my original home!) when I hear this sweet song, I feel calm and happy in my precious memories. Thank you so much for sharing it!

[HHTimepassages]

Great memories, simpler times. What have we done to ourselves?

[TheAB58]

1958 We won a dance-off at WAVY-TV Portsmouth,VA of all local High School the prize was a trip/appearance on American Bandstand Good Friday 1958. Dick Clark gave us a Spotlight Dance and played Chanson D'Amour not to miss our day in the sun we (Suzanne Koren/Freddie Crouch) danced to it Jitter-bug style very slow, what a day and what a song. Freddie Crouch fcrouch@yahoo.com

[chg657]

Aww, man...I go back to the very EARLIEST memories of my childhood when I hear this....

[easguitar]

I'll never forget my late Aunt Eunice giving me this 45 as a present- at the time I was into 1st gen rock n roll and did not have the capacity to appreciate it. Since becoming an adult I have for decades tried to locate title and artist. 62 years old and loving the poignancy and feeling of this beautiful tune. Thanks!!!

[damanfrom808]

awesome!!! loved this song as a kid, still do. great sound beautiful blend of voices with the sax, great post.

[sallybrown37]

Brings back great memories of a wonderful time in all our lives. I had fun trying to track down this tune and I can't stop playing it .

[doowopman49]

WHAT AN EASY MOVING TUNE! THANKS, TOM D.

[tablloyd5]

I forgot to say why i said what I said -- because my wife and I were looking for the "Song of love," that we remembered so many years ago, because on this very day, July 11, we celebrate our 52nd anniversary.

Yah, high school sweethearts!!

A sharing of love, with this song of love -- hoping many of you can say that one day!! So glad to find this posting, Thank you. --



[tablloyd5]

This beautiful song was so popular to all of us who graduated high school in 1958. It was always being played on radio that we would tune into at night to get the better reception all the way from WLS Chicago, and KIMN Denver (who could forget Mort Crowley?) , and then the Mighty 690 San Diego. Art and Dottie Todd, always on our mind. Thank you for posting memories.

[Hawkeye752]

I've looked so high and low for this one song!! Thanks for posting it!!!

[MoosicandCritters]

rrrrrat-da-dat-da dahhh!! Gosh, I love this song. Grew up hearing it! Now it makes me wish I had been a teenager in the 50's instead of the 70's. Just kidding..... (sort of)

[chkjns]

@MoosicandCritters This is great! But, the Pink Floyd did not work for me at all, sorry. Always amazing how musical tastes can be so alike AND so different! This is now the 100th song on my 1958 playlist! My 112 playlists for every year since 1900 are a musical time machine. Thanks for your friendship as well, TJ! chuck

[MoosicandCritters]

@chkjns Glad to be of help with your 1958 playlist. Sorry 'bout the Floyd, but, we can't all like the same thing! That would be boring! That's why I like having music lovers as friends! Always interesting! Thanks Chuck! :D

[Wolfsky9]

Once again, I'm wistful, sad, remembering just how long ago it was---I was 11 y/o, in 6th grade, & I lived to hear my music, & to come home from school in time for American Bandstand. This was a Bandstand favorite, & it will always be one of mine. I turn 65 y/o this year-----where, oh where, have the years gone?? Love this song, 4-Ever.  Wolfsky9

[jeffsor47]

@Wolfsky9 Wolfsky, you took the words right out of my mouth, (Chanson d'amour) yea, where did it go? (64 this yr)

[jeffsor47]

@Wolfsky9 "Wistful" captures my mood and thoughts about this song perfectly. Thanks for the vocabulary review ,but what do I do now to make myself feel better??

[deanslist101]

Wonderful song and great harmony. Would love to know who played the sax at the beginning and end and during the musical break. Can anyone answer that?

[asaxfiend]

@deanslist101 Plas Johnson on sax (he made the Pink Panther theme famous)

[Livingni]

One by one, I'm finding my favorite songs from the past on youtube. This one really brings me back to the first time I heard it when it was first introduced. Love youtube,

and thanks for posting the song.

[JOEP123ful]

BY THE SOUNDS ART REALLY LOVED HIS WIFE...I REMEMBER BEING TOLD THAT HE WAS ALWAYS BY HER SIDE WHILE SHE WAS VERY ILL.....BEING OF AN OLDER AGE, IT MUST OF BEEN VERY HARD TO TAKE CARE OF HIS WIFE ALONG WITH HIMSELF.....I LIVE VERY CLOSE TO RHODE ISLAND AND I FOUND OUT THAT MR. AND MRS.TODD WERE FROM RHODE ISLAND.....R I P

[Wolfsky9]

I will never, ever, tire of this all-time 50's classic--summer of '58. What a time it was. I was 11 y/o, & I carried around my 6 transistor radio, living to hear one of " my songs". This was--& will always be, one of " My Songs". Wolfsky9, 64 y/o

[stu63]

what a great record.

[toofargone68]

i screamed loud when i found out who sang this song i first heard it on an oldies station during my childhood  i am so happy now

[sleepytimegalz]

@toofargone68 I am so happy for you. I had 4gotten about this, but it was one that I liked....hugs, phyllis...

[picwoodrick]

I love Art and Dotty Todd...forever!

[Wolfsky9]

This song has been haunting my memories all day today. maybe it' has something to do with turning 64 y/o, looking at myself--OMG!!!--& wondering, where the years have gone. Summer of '58, I loved this song & never, ever tired of it. I'm just happy to know they were together all the way to the end. Gorgeous vocal from bittersweet memories. Wolfsky9

[hunter48820]

Boy does this take me back. I was 13 and fell in love with this song. I remember begging the teacher to play it at the sockhop!! 65 and I still love it. The water that's gone under that bridge in all those years. Thanks for posting it and also thanks for the short bio. Nice to know more about Art and Dotty! Best, Andy K.

[Wolfsky9]

Somehow, & I am at a loss to explain, I am always wistful & sad, hearing this all-time 50's masterpiece. It so reminds me of those days, & how 50's it was. My memories of growing up are so bittersweet, as I suspect most of ours are--& this song just brings the memories back like a tidal wave. I wonder if anyone else is as moved as am I with this wonderful song. Froma simpler time, for sure. Wolfsky9, 64 y/o

[palehorseone]

Such a wonderful tune from a much more innocent time. Hard to believe music morphed so badly from this into Bieber, GaGa and Eminem...

[MrRJDB1969]

@palehorseone : I agree with you 100% !

[Wolfsky9]

What I most remember about this all-time Late 50's Classic, was watching " The Kids" on " AB" slow-dancing to it. That really cute girl Arlene is the one I most remeber, & Dick Clark loved this song.  Better times, & Great memories. Wolfsky9 , 64 y/o.

[MoosicandCritters]

This is one of the most beautiful songs of the 1950's. Thank you so much for posting this!

[Wolfsky9]

From the Fab 50's, I so remember this all-time Classic! It seems to me that I saw them do this, on " AB ", although I can't be certain. Just an all-time wonderful song, from a better time; I know, I was there. Wolfsky9, 64 y/o now.

[GereDJ]

Full on classic tune, and certainly one of a kind. This was a crossover hit on two charts at the same time: The Billboard Top 40 and MOR (Middle Of the Road). Reached number 6 on Top 40 4/21/58, on charts 11 weeks. Thanks for posting, Gere

[goback3spaces]

There's nothing quite like Art and Dotty's "Chanson D'Amour." Not the greatest song ever, but unique and immediately recognizable. Just when you think you've forgotten it, that "Ra-ta-da-ta-da" starts playing in your head. And that's no small accomplishment.

[lnefouse]

I was in the 7th grade..even as a kid I loved this song and Art and Dottie's rendition. It was the 50's..when the world was real and America was America.

[MrOcto8]

@lnefouse I also recall this song and it was a favorite. We're about the same age, as well. Yes, this was a very different place, although we also saw it through different eyes. Though R&R was very big then, these types of tunes were also to be found. I'm very happy to hear the story of these folks lives and will pass along this link to friends.

[Kittielips]

Thank you.

5*****.

Jennie.

[JbrickM100A]

I'll always remember Art and Dotty Todd when they appeared on Dick Clark's Saturday night variety show back in 1958 and they sang their hit song Chanson D'Amour. This was not American Bandstand but a brief variety show Dick Clark hosted in the late 1950s. I remember the sponsor or one of them was Beech-Nut gum. Love this song, have a reissue 45 of it.

[hiboz]

do you have Broken Wings by this great duo

[Nocaro]

Sorry, I don't have that.

[GoldenOldiesOn45RPM]

@hiboz Broken Wings now uploaded on my page

[Tony7840]

Written by Wayne Shanklin, who also composed "Jezebel, The Big Hurt, Primrose Lane, The Dream, and others........"

[picwoodrick]

The last time I saw Art and Dotty was in 1998, Art took me to his beach club in Waikiki for dinner. Dottie was with us, but she had alzheimer's by then and was not able to say much...Art cared for her until she passed away. They lived at 435 Seaside Ave. in Waikiki for years. They also had a place in Encino, CA. Saw Art in Los Angeles years later, he was a good friend of my grandparents. Art and Dottie performed on Cruise ships in addition to Las Vegas!

[Nocaro]

Thanks for the wonderful comments! I thought about going into more detail on their lives in my own comments, but I sometimes think it's better to let people like you who have met these artists do so.

[rayjr62]

@picwoodrick God bless both of them and the beautiful music they gave the world.

[spachick78]

@picwoodrick: i used to hear this song on my dad's AM radio station. i lived in hawaii for 5 years, just a few streets down from seaside ave. small world :)

[dovermoreno]

I just loved the background story you gave for Chanson D'Amour. Such a wonderful story !

[nipsterstang]

What a Treasure!! Hard to find on CD but I finally did. I think YouTube is the only place you will probably ever hear a song like this-Great!! Thanks to them and you for putting it here!!