Buck Ram

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Buck Ram (November 21, 1907 - January 1, 1991) was an American songwriter and businessman.

Born Samuel Ram in Chicago, Illinois, he signed The Platters to a management contract in 1953. He was looking for a group to sing his songs and found the voice he was looking for in Tony Williams who he made the lead singer of the highly successful singing group, The Platters.

Erroneously credited with writing the Bing Crosby version of “I'll Be Home for Christmas.” The label on Crosby's recording credits “I'll Be Home for Christmas” to Kent, Gannon, and Ram. Later recordings usually credit only Kent and Gannon. The discrepancy arose from the fact that on December 21, 1942 Buck Ram copyrighted a song titled “I'll Be Home for Christmas (Tho' Just in Memory) ” although, it should be noted, that version bore little or no resemblance, other than its title, to the Crosby recording. A song titled “I'll Be Home for Christmas” was also copyrighted on August 24, 1943, by Walter Kent (music) and James “Kim” Gannon (words). Kent and Gannon revised and re-copyrighted their song on September 27, 1943, and it was this version that was made famous by Bing Crosby. Source: The Library of Congress' “Patriotic Melodies” Website at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200000010/default.html

According to Ram and newspapers articles from the era, Ram wrote the lyrics to "I'll Be Home For Christmas" as a sixteen year old (Jewish) college student as a gift for his mother. In 1942, Ram's publisher chose to hold the song for release because they wanted to release Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" first. Not completely satisfied with the song, Ram discussed his concerns with two acquaintances in a bar. He left a copy of the song with them but never discussed it with them again. He, and his publisher, were shocked when the song was released by another publisher, without Ram being credited. Ram's publisher sued, won, and Ram's name has been included with that of his casual acquaintances since. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" was played on the moon.

Ram wrote the lyrics to "The Great Pretender" in the washroom of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas after being asked what his follow-up to "Only You" would be for The Platters. When the song hit #1 in England for Freddie Mercury in 1986, Ram had no idea who Mercury was but was thrilled that his song had made the charts again some twenty years after its first entry in 1956 with The Platters. Like Dolly Parton and Liberace, he laughed all the way to the bank. Ram also wrote "The Magic Touch," the lyrics for "Come Prima (For the First Time)," "Twilight Time," "Chew Chew Chew Your Bubble Gum," (with Ella Fitzgerald), "Remember When," and "Ring Telephone Ring," among others.

Ram was one of BMI's top five songwriters/air play in BMI's first 50 years, alongside Paul Simon, Kris Kristofferson and Paul McCartney.

Ram arranged and produced all The Platters recordings from their signing with Mercury Records until his death. He also wrote, produced and/or arranged for The Coasters, The Drifters, Ike and Tina Turner, Ike Cole, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, and Ella Fitzgerald and many others.

It has been written that the history of rock and roll (The History of Rock and Roll) could not be written without Buck Ram's contributions. When Mercury Records announced that they would be releasing "Only You" on their purple "race music" label, Ram had a fit. He insisted that the records be relabeled. The Platters had worked too hard to have their (and his) market limited. The records were relabeled thereby breaking down racial barriers and laying the groundwork for black groups of the 60's and beyond.

Buck Ram died on New Years Day 1991 in Las Vegas, Nevada.