Don't Let the Rain Come Down: The Serendipity Singers, Beatlemania, and a Folk Classic
pplpod · pplpod
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (content.rss.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the history of "Don't Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man)," the 1964 debut single by the The Serendipity Singers. We explore how this unique blend of folk and calypso music—based on the English nursery rhyme "There Was a Crooked Man"—climbed to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Adult Contemporary charts, even amidst the height of Beatlemania.
Tune in to learn about the song's origins with songwriters Ersel Hickey and Ed E. Miller, including its first recording by Jimmie Rodgers as "Crooked Little House" in 1960. We also discuss the track's international success, its chart-topping run on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey, and notable covers by artists like Trini Lopez, The Brothers Four, and Ronnie Hilton.