"Sunflower" Russ Morgan

This great song is from 1949 and was the flip side of "Cruising Down The River". Many years later there was a court ruling that the song "Hello Dolly" from 1964 was directly based on this song.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• sunflower
• video

[kylierocksful]

I just finished reading Jerry Herman's memoirs, and he writes about this notorious case. He settled this ridiculous infringement case out of court because Twentieth Century Fox was interested in purchasing the film rights for Hello Dolly, but not if there was any legal cloud hanging over the property. Since it would have cost the Hello Dolly creators $3 million if the deal fell through, Herman paid $200,000 to make the Sunflower suit disappear. I can't believe the judge didn't toss the suit.

[Dirkdebruyne]

heard about this for so long,first time I actually hear the song...yea, well, greed is a strong desire when you hear a little snippet of your own little ditty in a world wide hit...too ridiculous for words ! jerry herman should demand his money back!

[afrocurl1995]

I just picked this up on the original Decca "Personality Series" label on a 78. I picked up well over 30 78s for $3. I love the Sally Anne

[marge08]

I have been LOOKING AND LOOKING for this song for quite a while now. Thank you SO MUCH for putting this up!

[wmlfan9]

The melody heard on the words "she's a sunflower she's my sunflower" is the melody heard on the words "hello Dolly well hello Dolly". Also the chord played on the syllable "sun" the second time "sinflower" is sung is the same in Herman's song. And yet, for all that, the songs are truly different. I do not hear plagerism in this.

[BristolCircle]

@vinylsingleman Technically, the case never went to trial. A judge ruled that it was close enough to warrant a case, and prevented the release of the film. Jerry Herman claimed he never heard the song, and wanted the case to go to trial, but in the interest of the Broadway production and the release of the film (which was in jeopardy), he paid a settlement. The two songs are so completely different, other than those few bars, that it seems unlikely that any plagiarism took place.

[dahsuerk]

Jack Morgan will never play this hit song of his father, Russ Morgan" at his dances. He is afraid if he plays this he will have to play all the other state songs.

[Kruschevs]

This isn't, and never has been the state song of Kansas. Home on the Range was made the state song of Kansas in 1947. Two whole years before this song was published, and I learned in school that it has been our song ever since, unless it has changed in the past 60 years unless all 3 million kansans were lied to.

[vinylsingleman]

The writers of this song sued the writers of "Hello Dolly" for copyright infringement, and the court found in their favor. Yes, there's definitely a similarity in tune.

[Beanick]

Great song! I remember listening to this as a child on a wind up gramophone. Gotta love that whistling chorus!