Originally posted by Elaine Williams:
I know that I should know the tune, but where does Puffin Billy come from?
Elaine in Richmond, VA
Hi Elaine!
Your question intrigued me enough to look around the internet a bit. The tune will be forever associated with "Kaptain Kangaroo", as the following attests...
Theme 1 (CBS: 1954 - 1974): "Puffin' Billy"
[aka: "Puffin' Billy (The Captain Kangaroo Theme)";
aka: "Captain Kangaroo Theme";
aka: "Captain Kangaroo";
This was a track from a British production library known as the "Chappell Recorded Music Library" which was sold through a New York company called Emil Ascher; the tune's original title referred to a British steam locomotive; it
became so popular, that in 1957 permission was granted for Mary Rodgers to write lyrics to the tune and it was given the vocal title "Captain Kangaroo"]
Composers: music by Edward G. White (ASCAP) with
lyric added by Mary Rodgers (ASCAP) [professional name of Mary Rodgers Guettel]
Orig. Publisher: Chappell & Co., Ltd. (British PRS)of London, England
1978 Publisher: Chappell & Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
1998 Publisher: Jim Long Companies, Inc. (ASCAP)
of Dallas, TX
[as the original instrumental "Puffin' Billy"]:
U.S. Instrumental Copyright Date: Feb. 17, 1954; EFO-25 579.
U.S. Instrumental Renewal Date: Sep. 30, 1982; RE-138-358.
[as vocal version, "Captain Kangaroo"]:
U.S. Vocal Copyright Date: May 17, 1957; Eu 478 268.
U.S. Vocal Renewal Date: Jan. 7, 1985; RE-245-114.
Recordings:
78rpm single: by the Melodi Light Orchestra
conducted by Ole Jensen Chappell CHAP 433
CD - from the Chappell Recorded Music Library
CHAP 119 CD "Children"
[available through the Robert Farnon Society]
CD - "Television's Greatest Hits (Vol. 1) (1986)
TeeVee Toons Records TVT 1100 CD
But the above is NOT the CD used on Beethoven Radio. Theirs is a Naxos release...you'll have to ask them for the number of the disc!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
-john-
by Elaine Williams » Tue Jan 06, 2004 1:41 pm