This Ole House

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For the television show, see This Old House.

"This Ole House" (sometimes written "This Old House") is a popular song written by Stuart Hamblen, and published in 1954.[1]

Background

Hamblen was supposedly out on a hunting expedition when he and his fellow hunter, actor John Wayne, came across a hut in the mountains.[1] Inside was the body of a dead man.[1] The man's dog still there, guarding the building. This inspired Hamblen to write "This Ole House".[1]

Recording success

The recorded version of "This Ole House" by Rosemary Clooney, featuring bass vocals by Thurl Ravenscroft, reached #1 on the Billboard chart in 1954 as the flip side to her previous #1 song, "Hey There." Clooney's version also topped the UK Singles Chart, although there were other UK hit versions around by Billie Anthony and Alma Cogan, both recorded in 1954. The recording by Alma Cogan with Felix King, piano and orchestra was made in London on September 2, 1954. The song was released by EMI on the His Master's Voice label as catalogue numbers B 10761 and 7M 269. The flip side was "Skokiaan."

In March 1981, Shakin' Stevens took the song back to #1 for three weeks in the United Kingdom. His version was re-released in 2005 after his appearance in the TV show Hit Me Baby One More Time and reached #20 in the UK chart.

The song was also covered by the Cathedral Quartet and Hovie Lister and the Statesmen as a Southern Gospel song with slightly modified lyrics, using the house as an analogy for an old body about to die and the soul about to go to heaven, usually tying the song in with "When the Saints Go Marching In."

The song was most recently recorded by Bette Midler (in ballad form) on her 2003 tribute to Rosemary Clooney, "Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook," and included on her compilation "Jackpot: The Best Bette" in 2008.

Cover versions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 15. ISBN 0-85112-250-7. 

External links

Preceded by
"My Son, My Son" by Vera Lynn		 UK Singles Chart number-one single (Rosemary Clooney version)
November 26, 1954 		Succeeded by
"Let's Have Another Party" by Winifred Atwell
Preceded by
"Jealous Guy" by Roxy Music		 UK Singles Chart number-one single (Shakin' Stevens version)
28 March 1981 - 11 April 1981 		Succeeded by
"Making Your Mind Up" by Bucks Fizz
Preceded by
"Jealous Guy" by Roxy Music		 Australian Kent Music Report number-one single (Shakin' Stevens version)
June 8, 1981 		Succeeded by
"Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes
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