Edd Byrnes and Connie Stevens, Yakety Yak, by The
Coasters, Y.M.C.A., by the Village People, Bohemian
Rhapsody, by Queen, The Purple People Eater, by
Sheb Wooley, and You Know My Name (Look Up The
Number), by The Beatles. Good company, indeed!
Merv Griffin, the US television host, once had me
on his show and remarked: ―Tony Bennett is going
through life with ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco.’
Frank Sinatra is going through life with ‘My Way,’ and you are going through life with ‗Shaddap You
Face’.‖ I thought it was funny - but also a sincere
compliment.
An international signature song that stands the test
of time is no mean feat to achieve for a songwriter.
Though it will never represent who you really are or
your entire catalogue of creative work, it still is quite
a rare and special thing and something worth
celebrating.
Percy Grainger, one of Australia‘s most gifted
composers, once wrote: ‗Anyone can compose an
oratorio. I want to write one of the world‘s songs.‘
And he did too. Country Gardens. Many of the
musical intelligentsia of his time pigeonholed him as
a popular sell-out after that. Not a serious composer.
But who remembers those critics' names? Their
works? Grainger was dead serious. Percy Grainger
created one of the world‘s songs.
Photo by Lin van Hek
me, performed their one main identifiable signature
song. There was absolutely no differentiation between
one-hit wonder and signature song. Time is the great
equalizer in these matters.
My international signature song, so far, is Shaddap
You Face. It was once included in a US book called
The Wacky Top Forty, between Louie Louie, by the
Kingsmen, and Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka
Dot Bikini, by Bryan Hyland. I consider that good
company. Other songs included in this strange brew
of a collection were They’re Coming To Take Me
Away Ha-Haa, by Napoleon XIV, The Monster Mash,
by Bobby Picket, Kookie Lend Me Your Comb, by
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