Open up Your Heart (and Let the Sunshine in)
Encyclopedia
"Open up Your Heart" is a popular
song
. It was written by Stuart Hamblen
. The song was published in 1954
.
The biggest hit version in the United States
was a recording by the Cowboy Church Sunday School (peaking at #8 on the Billboard charts
); in the United Kingdom
, by Joan Regan
and her son Rusty. Another US recording was made by the McGuire Sisters.
When the Cowboy Church Sunday School version is played at normal speed, 45 rpm, the vocal sounds unnaturally high. When played at 33⅓ rpm the vocal sounds more natural. In fact the song was recorded at that speed by Stuart Hamblen's wife and adult daughters, so that when played at 45rpm it sounds as if it is being sung by children.
The version sung by The Cowboy Church Sunday School was featured twice in the John Waters
film A Dirty Shame
. The song was first used as an angelic juxtaposition to the intolerant concept of NIMBY
. It was later used satirically in a scene depicting the religious aspects of 12-step programs.
The melody of the chorus section is identical for its first two measures to the published version of Aloha Oe by Princess Lili`uokalani (1878), and There's Music In the Air by George F. Root (1854), and all three share the same chord progression
IV-I-V-I.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
. It was written by Stuart Hamblen
Stuart Hamblen
Stuart Hamblen , born Stuart Carl Hamblen, was one of American radio's first singing cowboys in 1926, and later became a Christian songwriter, temperance supporter and recurring candidate for political office....
. The song was published in 1954
1954 in music
-Events:*January 14 - First documented use of the abbreviated term "Rock 'n' Roll" to promote Alan Freed's Rock 'n' Roll Jubillee, held at St. Nicholas Arena in New York, New York...
.
The biggest hit version in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was a recording by the Cowboy Church Sunday School (peaking at #8 on the Billboard charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
); in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, by Joan Regan
Joan Regan
Joan Regan is a traditional pop music singer from the UK, popular during the 1950s and early 1960s.-Biography:...
and her son Rusty. Another US recording was made by the McGuire Sisters.
When the Cowboy Church Sunday School version is played at normal speed, 45 rpm, the vocal sounds unnaturally high. When played at 33⅓ rpm the vocal sounds more natural. In fact the song was recorded at that speed by Stuart Hamblen's wife and adult daughters, so that when played at 45rpm it sounds as if it is being sung by children.
The version sung by The Cowboy Church Sunday School was featured twice in the John Waters
John Waters
-Entertainment:*John Waters , American film director, active 1926–29 and 1947*John Waters , American film director, writer, visual artist, actor and cult figure...
film A Dirty Shame
A Dirty Shame
A Dirty Shame is a 2004 satirical sex comedy written and directed by John Waters, and starring Tracey Ullman, Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, Chris Isaak, Suzanne Shepherd, and Mink Stole.-Plot:...
. The song was first used as an angelic juxtaposition to the intolerant concept of NIMBY
NIMBY
NIMBY or Nimby is an acronym for the phrase "not in my back yard". The term is used pejoratively to describe opposition by residents to a proposal for a new development close to them. Opposing residents themselves are sometimes called Nimbies...
. It was later used satirically in a scene depicting the religious aspects of 12-step programs.
The melody of the chorus section is identical for its first two measures to the published version of Aloha Oe by Princess Lili`uokalani (1878), and There's Music In the Air by George F. Root (1854), and all three share the same chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
IV-I-V-I.
Covers
- The most famous recording of this song for baby-boomers featured PebblesPebbles FlintstonePebbles Flintstone is a fictional character, the red-haired daughter of Fred and Wilma Flintstone...
and Bamm-BammBamm-Bamm RubbleBamm-Bamm Rubble is the adopted son of fictitious characters Barney and Betty Rubble. He is most famous in his infant form on the animated series The Flintstones, but has also appeared at various other ages, including as a teenager on the early 1970s spinoff The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show and as an...
on The FlintstonesThe FlintstonesThe Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
"No Biz Like Show Biz" episode (which originally aired September 17, 1965). The clip of the them performing this song was sometimes played during the closing credits in the show's final season (1965-1966), this episode being the opener of that season. Although Pebbles and Bamm Bamm went on to form a rock band as teenagers in the 1970s, they never approached the classic heights of their infant tune. The Flintstones version of the song was stripped of some its religious lyrics for inclusion in the show. Original vocals were provided by Rebecca Page (as Pebbles) and her mother Ricky Page (as Bamm Bamm), who later became "The Bermudas" and then "The Majorettes". They were managed by George MotolaGeorge MotolaGeorge Motola was a record producer, songwriter, and sound engineer during the 1950s till his death.-Early life and career:...
, who was Ricky's husband.
- Anne Murray included the song (in a medley with You Are My SunshineYou Are My Sunshine"You Are My Sunshine" is a popular song first recorded in 1939. It has been declared one of the state songs of Louisiana as a result of its association with former state governor and country music singer Jimmie Davis. The song is copyright 1940 Peer International Corporation, words and music by...
) on her 1977 album There's A Hippo In My TubThere's a Hippo in My TubThere's a Hippo in My Tub is a 1977 children's album by Anne Murray. Though the album did not make any of the major charts in the U.S. or Canada, it was certified Platinum in Canada...
.
- Husband and wife country duo The Wrights included the song on their album "In the Summertime", a CD composed entirely of all acoustic covers of country standards.
- Frente!Frente!Frente! are an Australian alternative rock group, formed in 1991. The original lineup featured singer Angie Hart, founder and guitarist Simon Austin, bassist Tim O'Connor , and drummer Mark Picton...
recorded a cover of the song for inclusion on the 1995 tribute albumTribute albumA tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
Saturday Morning: Cartoons’ Greatest Hits, produced by Ralph SallRalph SallRalph Sall is a record producer, music supervisor, composer, songwriter, and screenwriter. He is the president of Bulletproof Entertainment, a company involved in several facets of the entertainment industry, including film, television, comic books and graphic novels, music, internet and live...
for MCA RecordsMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
.
See also
- The Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In)Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" is a medley of two songs written for the 1967 musical Hair by James Rado & Gerome Ragni , and Galt MacDermot , released as a single by The 5th Dimension. The song peaked at number one for six weeks on the U.S...
- a different song, from the musical Hair, that references the lyrics to this song