The Bachelors' (pop group) obsession with silent films!

[pmp]

Trivia time!

In the Uk in the 1960s, the pop group The Bachelors had 1 #1 hit and 8 top ten hits in the space of a few years. What isn't spoken about much, though, is their source for four of their hits.

It's a bit of a shock to some that Diane was written for a silent film, Seventh Heaven (1927). This wasn't unusual, many songs became popular through being written as musical themes for silent films. It went to #1 for the Bachelors in 1964. The film was remade in 1937 in a version starring James Stewart - a film that was once was regularly shown on UK TV screens, but seems to have vanished from them recently.

Another theme from a silent film is Charmaine, the theme from the war film What Price Glory (1926). It was a hit for the group (their first), this time going to #6 in the UK charts in 1963. What Price Glory was remade in 1952 with James Cagney.

Also, there's Marie, by Irving Berlin, written for the lost silent film The Awakening (1928). It was a #9 hit in 1965 for the group.

Finally, there's Ramona, written for the silent film of the same name from 1928. The Bachelors took that to #4 in the charts in 1964. Ramona had been previously filmed in 1910 and 1916, and would be filmed again in 1936. The 1928 version starred Dolores del Rio, would go on to star alongside Elvis in Flaming Star.

Four songs written for silent films, all of them being hits for The Bachelors. I have no idea if they purposefully went in search of this kind of material, but surely it can't be a coincidence?

[MikeFromHolland]

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It sure looks like the purposefully went searching for these, what an interesting find.

And also nice to find out Dolores del Rio recorded Ramona in 1928 already. In 1960 it was a big hit in The Netherlands by The Blue Diamonds. Didn’t know it had such a history.




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[pmp]

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It sure looks like the purposefully went searching for these, what an interesting find.

And also nice to find out Dolores del Rio recorded Ramona in 1928 already. In 1960 it was a big hit in The Netherlands by The Blue Diamonds. Didn’t know it had such a history.




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I didn't notice that she had recorded the song. Good spot!