Moments to Remember explained

Moments to Remember
Type:	single
Artist:	The Four Lads
B-Side:	Dream On, My Love, Dream On
Released:	July 18, 1955
Recorded:	June 21, 1955
Genre:	Popular music
Length:	3:10
Label:	Columbia
Composer:	Robert Allen, Al Stillman
Producer:	Ray Ellis
Prev Title:	Too Much! Baby, Baby
Prev Year:	1955
Next Title:	I Heard the Angels Singing
Next Year:	1955

"Moments to Remember" is a 1955 popular song about nostalgia^[1] recorded by Canadian quartet The Four Lads.^{[2] [3]} The song was originally written by Robert Allen and Al Stillman for Perry Como but was turned down by Como's management.^[4]

The Four Lads recording

The Four Lads recorded it in June 1955 for Columbia Records as the B side to the single "Dream On, My Love." Bernie Toorish of the Four Lads credited the enthusiastic endorsement of Cleveland radio DJ Bill Randle for increasing radio airtime play and popularizing the recording.^[5] It eventually reached number 2 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 hit list (an early version of the Hot 100), sold 4 million copies and became the group's first gold record.

Besides the voices of the male quartet, the song also contains two uncredited female parts. According to the Four Lads' Frank Busseri, the introductory verse, ("January through December/We'll have moments to remember"), as well as the repeat of the Bridge section in harmony, ("When summer turns to winter",) were sung by Lois Winters of the Ray Charles Singers and the poetic spoken words in mid-song: ("A drive-in movie/Where we'd go/And somehow never watched the show/") were recited by Pat Kirby who at that time was a singer on Steve Allen's television show Tonight!.^[6]

Other noted versions

• Bing Crosby recorded the song on November 23, 1955, with Buddy Cole and His Orchestra.^[7]
• Louis Armstrong - a single release (1955).^[8]
• Ronnie Hilton with orchestra conducted by Frank Cordell recorded "Moments to Remember" in London on December 13, 1955, and released it on HMV POP-154 (78 rpm record) and HMV 7M 358 (single).
• The American vocal group Deep River Boys Featuring Harry Douglas with Pete Brown's orchestra recorded it in Oslo on August 30, 1956. It was released on the 78 rpm record HMV AL 6037.
• The song was recorded by both the Statler Brothers and the Vogues in 1969, inciting a minor cover remake battle against the Buddah Records version by the Smoke Ring.
• The Norman Luboff Choir - On the album "Moments to Remember" - 1960
• The musical Forever Plaid includes their cover of the song.

Popular culture

• Sirius XM Satellite Radio, from July 2006 through March 2009, aired the "Moments to Remember" show hosted by Bob Moke on their '50s channel that featured the song as part of its theme music.^[9]

Notes and References

1. Book: Continuities in Popular Culture: The Present in the Past & the Past in the Present and Future. 9780879725938. Browne. Ray Broadus. Ambrosetti. Ronald J.. 1993.
2. Web site: There's an album for everything under the sun. 10 April 2010. Younkman, Tim. Michigan Live LLC. The Bay City Times.
3. Web site: Four Lads singer Codarini dies. https://archive.today/20120709052746/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/F/Four_Lads/2010/04/29/13766456-qmi.html. usurped. July 9, 2012. QMI Agency. jam.canoe.ca.
4. News: Frank Busseri and The Four Lads Moments to remember. Mitchell. Marilyn. March 20, 2013. Palm Desert Entertainer. 21 November 2013.
5. Book: Adams, Deanna R.. Rock 'n' Roll and the Cleveland Connection. 2002. Kent State University Press. 0873386914. 14.
6. Web site: Frank Busseri. Allen. Ronnie. Ronnie Allen Podcast. Jersey Girls Sing. 25:16–30:45. 21 November 2013.
7. Web site: A Bing Crosby Discography. BING magazine. International Club Crosby. October 2, 2017.
8. Web site: 45cat.com. 45cat.com. October 2, 2017.
9. News: Jo Stafford brings to mind a forgotten generation of singers. David. Hinckley. New York Daily News. 18 July 2008. 2 February 2024.