ROGER WHITTAKER - "Durham Town (The Leavin')" (1969)

The song dates from 1969 in the UK. It charted here on AC in 1976. But I know I heard it played before that on WIP, so I'm using the earlier date. My guess is that it must have been released here originally, never charted, then re-released in 1976 following the success of "The Last Farewell." This is actually the original 45 single from 1976. I since have obtained the original 1969 single from the UK which sounds identical except that the first two lines of the introduction are excluded.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• 1960s
• 1970s
• pop
• standards
• ballad
• easy
• listening

[kakurot69]

2GADAFFI The Hero. Elevator music is easy listening music from the 50's throuth the mid 70's. aka Frank Sinatra, Roger Whittaker, Perry Como, Dean Martin and the like.

[MrTrashcan1]

@kakurot69 Actually, what you listed was not elevator music. It was certainly easy listening, AKA standards, middle-of-the-road, or adult contemporary and would have been played on AM. Elevator music was specifically INSTRUMENTAL versions of pop and rock music done by Mantovani, 101 Strings, etc. On the radio it was played on FM stations and the format was called "Beautiful Music."

[bassandtrebleclef]

This is the worst f'ing song I remember as a kid growing up in the 70's. At a time when REO Speedwagon, Styx and other great rock music was being written, I sat in the back seat of a baby excrement colored green beast being bludgeoned with this song while my mom, who thought she could sign, would repeat this piece of crap over and over.

[MrTrashcan1]

@bassandtrebleclef You must be a masochist, first being forced to listen to this when you were a child, and now voluntarily seeking it out to torture yourself again. Please play it over and over. Your suffering makes me so glad I posted the song.

[jay9843]

they played this at my great grandmas funeral. She lived in Durham town. i miss you so much grandma and i miss you. R.I.P :(

[MrTrashcan1]

@jay9843 It's such a beautiful song--I certainly wouldn't mind it being played at my funeral, even though I never lived there.

[Twanjuguna]

Roger Whittaker................his music comes out so effortlessly. I love that in music. And in Kenya, he is a hero...........just in case, someone wants to know!

[GoldenWattle1]

Thank you for posting.



[CJARCHIVES]

so you now have 30 second commercials before each song? Pays the bills I guess. I'm not leavin'

[GadaffiTheHero]

@alisterfolson

Pardon my ignorance but what is elevator music

[pbaylis1]

@Twanjuguna

Thanks for sharing. It's very interesting to know he is famous in Kenya!

[petertownend]

@jay9843 she was an old bag who was full of old knobends

[ChuckyTwoTimes]

As for the trolling riffraff and their dim-witted opinions and tasteless remarks, I wouldn't bother paying them any mind whatsoever, as doing so may create the illusion that they are worthy of acknowledgment from those whom are clearly of a higher level on the evolutionary scale...

[ChuckyTwoTimes]

Thanks for posting Mr. TCan!!... Like so many others here, this song (beautifully composed and performed by the one and only Roger Whittaker) brings back so many cherished memories of my childhood growing up in the 70's... Roger's version of this number in French (entitled "Mon Pays Bleu" and which I find to be just as stirring and inspirational as his English rendition) is also quite noteworthy as being a very big hit in the global Francophone community.

[Mightvic12345]

I love this song. But although my mom keeps on playing this song, and it was getting annoying, i still like the song.