Party Doll
Encyclopedia
"Party Doll" is a 1957 rockabilly
song written by Buddy Knox
and Jimmy Bowen
. It was performed by Buddy Knox with the Rhythm Orchids and became a hit on the Roulette
label.
Buddy Knox was a teenager living near Happy
, Texas
in 1948 when he wrote the original verses of "Party Doll" behind a haystack on his family farm. While attending college at West Texas State University
, he and two college friends, Jimmy Bowen and Don Lanier, traveled to Clovis
, New Mexico
to record the song at the studio of Norman Petty
. Knox's sister and two of her friends, Iraene Potts of Amarilo and a neighbor, sang background vocals on the song and a girl from the marching band of Clovis High School was recruited to play cymbal
. After pressing copies of the record, a DJ
in Amarillo
began playing "Party Doll" in 1956 and it soon became a regional hit. After being contacted by Roulette Records in New York City
, the song was distributed around the U.S. and became a chart-topping hit, spending a week at #1 on the Top 100 chart, the precursor to the Billboard Hot 100
, in March 1957.
Almost immediately after Roulette released Knox's version of the song, competing versions of "Party Doll" were recorded and released by other record labels. Wingy Manone
and Roy Brown
recorded R&B versions of the song which saw some success. A less rock and roll
version by singer Steve Lawrence
(with Dick Jacobs
conducting the orchestra) also became a pop hit that year, reaching #5 on the Billboard Top 100. Lawrence's version was released on the Coral Records
label. The Crests
recorded a cover version for their 1960 album, The Crests Sing All Biggies. The Fleetwoods
also recorded a version of the song.
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
song written by Buddy Knox
Buddy Knox
Buddy Knox was an American singer and songwriter, best known for his 1957 rockabilly hit song, "Party Doll".-Biography:...
and Jimmy Bowen
Jimmy Bowen
Jimmy Bowen is an American record producer and former pop music performer.Bowen was born in Santa Rita, New Mexico. He began as a teenage recording star in 1957 with "I'm Stickin' With You," originally the flip side of the hit record "Party Doll" by Buddy Knox, but ultimately a Top 20 recording...
. It was performed by Buddy Knox with the Rhythm Orchids and became a hit on the Roulette
Roulette Records
Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
label.
Buddy Knox was a teenager living near Happy
Happy, Texas
Happy is a town in Randall and Swisher counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 647 at the 2000 census. The Randall County portion of Happy is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 1948 when he wrote the original verses of "Party Doll" behind a haystack on his family farm. While attending college at West Texas State University
West Texas A&M University
West Texas A&M University , part of the Texas A&M University System, is a public university located in Canyon, Texas, a small city south of Amarillo. West Texas A&M opened on September 20, 1910...
, he and two college friends, Jimmy Bowen and Don Lanier, traveled to Clovis
Clovis, New Mexico
Clovis is the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 32,667 at the 2000 census; according to 2010 Census Bureau estimates, the population had risen to 37,775....
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
to record the song at the studio of Norman Petty
Norman Petty
Norman Petty was an American musician, songwriter, and pioneer record producer who helped shape modern popular music, including pop and rock....
. Knox's sister and two of her friends, Iraene Potts of Amarilo and a neighbor, sang background vocals on the song and a girl from the marching band of Clovis High School was recruited to play cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
. After pressing copies of the record, a DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
in Amarillo
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
began playing "Party Doll" in 1956 and it soon became a regional hit. After being contacted by Roulette Records in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the song was distributed around the U.S. and became a chart-topping hit, spending a week at #1 on the Top 100 chart, the precursor to the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, in March 1957.
Almost immediately after Roulette released Knox's version of the song, competing versions of "Party Doll" were recorded and released by other record labels. Wingy Manone
Wingy Manone
Wingy Manone was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, singer, and bandleader. His major recordings included "Tar Paper Stomp", "Nickel in the Slot", "Downright Disgusted Blues", "There'll Come a Time ", and "Tailgate Ramble".- Biography :Manone was born Joseph Matthews Mannone in New Orleans,...
and Roy Brown
Roy Brown (blues musician)
Roy James Brown was an American R&B singer, songwriter and musician, who had an influence on the early development of rock and roll music. His "Good Rocking Tonight" was covered by Wynonie Harris, Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Pat Boone, and the rock group Montrose. In addition,...
recorded R&B versions of the song which saw some success. A less rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
version by singer Steve Lawrence
Steve Lawrence
Steve Lawrence is an American singer and actor, perhaps best known as a member of a duo with his wife Eydie Gormé, billed as "Steve and Eydie"...
(with Dick Jacobs
Dick Jacobs
Dick Jacobs was an American musician, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, music director and an artists-and-repertoire director for several record labels who helped Jackie Wilson, Buddy Holly, Bobby Darin and others form their careers in the late 1950s and early 1960s.-Life and career:He was born...
conducting the orchestra) also became a pop hit that year, reaching #5 on the Billboard Top 100. Lawrence's version was released on the Coral Records
Coral Records
Coral Records was a Decca Records subsidiary formed in 1949. It recorded pop artists McGuire Sisters and Teresa Brewer, as well as rock and roller Buddy Holly....
label. The Crests
The Crests
The Crests were a New York R&B doo-wop group of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Their most popular song was "16 Candles", which rose to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1959. It sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc. The interracial group had three black members , one Puerto...
recorded a cover version for their 1960 album, The Crests Sing All Biggies. The Fleetwoods
The Fleetwoods
The Fleetwoods were a singing trio from Olympia, Washington, United States; formed in the late 1950s. They were responsible for eleven hit songs, beginning with "Come Softly to Me"...
also recorded a version of the song.
In popular culture
- Knox's version of the song was included on the soundtrack to the 1973 film American GraffitiAmerican GraffitiAmerican Graffiti is a 1973 coming of age film co-written/directed by George Lucas starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips and Harrison Ford...
.