Ivory Tower (1956) - R&B and Pop versions (Gale Storm)

1) Otis Williams and The Charms had it as a rhythm and blues hit.
2) Gale Storm did a white version, reaching #6.

This was not an original black song but was written by New York writers, and recorded simultaneously by blacks and whites.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• R&B
• 1950s
• 1956
• oldies

[CheckMate657879]

I remember Gale Storm from a tv series, "Oh Susanna." I attended kindergarten in the afternoon, and that was one of the shows I watched each morning before leaving for school - a must-see for me, that one along with Tennessee Ernie Ford's show and Ernie Kovak.

[GSilverWorld]

@CheckMate657879 Very good. Oh Susanna was before my time but it sounds interesting.

[waynebrasler]

Gale's version actually was a cover of Cathy Carr's cover of the Charms' original. Cathy was on Fraternity Records, Gale on Dot but both versions were done at Universal Studios in Chicago with the same engineers. Gale covered many black artists, including Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers' "Why Do Fools Fall in Love." For an artist who was a classically-trained soprano she did amazingly well with this music, mostly because she respected much. With her perfect pitch, Gale was a dream to record.

[GSilverWorld]

Oh, you worked there?

I see Gale's entered the chart ~ a month after Cathy's. Cathy's #2, Gale #6.

Were the major labels associated with particular movie studios, eg Capitol?

[katty4god]

my dad used to sing this to me all the time when my sister and I were little...I am 19 now! and while studing in Southern California, this song randomly came into my head and so I had to listen to it! great times!

[hah13]

gale storm should have stayed away from covering black artists

[QWZXM]

I agree-a great era for music, at least songs were understood. Not this bonk bonk bang bang stuff kids listen to these days.

[pornguy2]

Excellent explanation of pop covers of black music. I lived thru the era as a teenager

I always bought the black originals, except for Gale Storm, because she was so good on

'My Little Margie' I bought both versions.

Gale passed away two weeks ago, 2 days after Michael Jackson and almost no one

noticed.

Gale was an unappreciated talent both as a singer and actress, she made 50s TV worth watching.

An odd comparison, she was kinda an early

female Ricky Nelson, using TV to promote

her music.

[mishijos7]

The best years 1950's thanks for bringing those beautiful songs

[waynebrasler]

M-G-M Records had its own label. Fox later started a label. RCA, Columbia and Decca were music operations but often linked up with movie studios. Dot was Randy Wood's operation out of Tennessee and Fraternity as I remember came out of Cincinnati (maybe Cleveland). My own history--google Wayne Brasler.