70-Year-Old Songs: Salty Dog
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (65390)
United States
April 12, 2024 10:56am CST
One of the great things about doing countdowns like this is the research. I majored in library science in college so I could do research like this. It’s great, because I get to learn things that I never knew, and hopefully pass it on to y’all. In the process, long-buried music gets a second chance. That’s the case of today’s song that’s turning 70 this year.
Salty Dog - The Lamplighters
These poor guys don’t even have a Wikipedia page!! If that doesn’t scream obscure I don’t know what does! According to Discogs, the group changed their name at least six times before having a hit in 1962 with “Papa Oom Mow Mow” as The Rivingtons. I mean, John Mellencamp could get away with changing his name every week because HE was well established!
This song was written by Rudy Toombs, who wrote hits for Ruth Brown and the Clovers. Toombs was robbed and murdered in his apartment building in 1962.
This is a fun song (and NO relation to the bluegrass standard “Salty Dog Blues”), and I’m happy to let someone else hear it.
Salty Dog
Written by Rudy Toombs
Recorded by The Lamplighters
Released as a single, 1954
The rabbit jumped over the fence:
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8 people like this
6 responses
@LindaOHio (170715)
• United States
13 Apr
Sounds vaguely familiar. I certainly remember Papa Oom Mow Mow. Have a good weekend.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (65390)
• United States
13 Apr
They probably would have had a good career if they’d settled on one name for the group.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (77609)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
12 Apr
Not them or the song but I do remember having a cocktail called Salty Dog
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (65390)
• United States
13 Apr
I couldn’t have one of those. You can’t drink grapefruit juice while taking statins.
1 person likes this
@Scarred4Lyfe (431)
•
12 Apr
Already deals I has to one salty dog song mai Hoomin plays and now nothern.
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1 person likes this
@FourWalls (65390)
• United States
12 Apr
You had better watch how much Procol Harum you listen to, Scar. It might turn you a whiter shade of pale.
And something about the face of Alice Ghostley…..
1 person likes this
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