This week at Glyn Wilton’s Mixed Music Bag, he’s asking us to write about a song in which the title or a line mentions the current month. Here’s my featured January artist and his song.
This week’s featured song is pure fun; I’ve chosen a golden oldie, written and recorded by the legendary Neil Sedaka.
Born March 13, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York. Neil Sedaka is a singer, composer, and pianist and one of the most prolific songwriters of his era. Sedaka has written or cowritten more than 500 songs, including the hits “Calendar Girl” (1959), “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” (1960), and “Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen” (1961). Although Sedaka himself performed many of his songs, others were sung by well-known performers, among them Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones and the Monkees.
Neil Sedaka received many awards and accolades during his lengthy career, including being given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2004 he was honored with the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in furthering the success of songwriters.
My song choice for this week in January is “Calendar Girl”. Written by Neil Sedaka and his songwriting partner Howard Greenfield, “Calendar Girl” became one of Sedaka’s signature hits. It was also, at the time, his highest-charting hit on the Billboard charts …. a personal record that would not be broken until his 1962 recording of “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”.
“Calendar Girl” follows the very simple premise of linking each of the 12 months of the year to a sweetheart’s endearing personality trait with holidays or special events as the main focus (Valentine, Easter Bunny, etc.).
The idea of a ‘calendar girl’ dates back to the 1890s and, in later years, became popular through the use of wall calendars featuring photos of beautiful actresses and/or models wearing swimsuits. They are synonymous with wartime movies, auto repair shops, teenage boys bedrooms and sports locker rooms. Some of the earliest, most famous calendar pin-up girls were Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe and even Betty Boop.
“Calendar Girl” became Neil Sedaka’s 6th hit in two years but was also his first top-five record. The song peaked at #4 on the US Billboard chart.
This is “Calendar Girl” by Neil Sedaka
LYRICS
I love, I love, I love my calendar girl Yeah, sweet calendar girl I love, I love, I love my calendar girl Each and every day of the year (January) You start the year off fine (February) You’re my little valentine (March) I’m gonna march you down the aisle (April) You’re the Easter Bunny when you smile Yeah, yeah, my heart’s in a whirl I love, I love, I love my little calendar girl Every day (every day), every day (every day) of the year (Every day of the year) (May) Maybe if I ask your dad and mom (June) They’ll let me take you to the Junior Prom (July) Like a firecracker all aglow (August) When you’re on the beach you steal the show Yeah, yeah, my heart’s in a whirl I love, I love, I love my little calendar girl Every day (every day), every day (every day) of the year (Every day of the year) Yeah, yeah, my heart’s in a whirl I love, I love, I love my little calendar girl Every day (every day), every day (every day) of the year (Every day of the year) (September) Light the candles at your Sweet Sixteen (October) Romeo and Juliet on Halloween (November) I’ll give thanks that you belong to me (December) You’re the present ‘neath my Christmas tree Yeah, yeah, my heart’s in a whirl I love, I love, I love my little calendar girl Every day (every day), every day (every day) of the year (every day of the year) I love, I love, I love my calendar girl Yeah, sweet calendar girl I love, I love, I love my calendar girl Yeah, sweet calendar girl
The Elephant's Trunk 