Bobby Rydell

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Bobby Rydell 1998
Bobby Rydell 1998

Bobby Rydell (born Robert Louis Ridarelli, April 26, 1942 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American teen idol from the early 1960s era of Rock and Roll.

Contents

[edit] Career

During his pre-teen years, he was on the Paul Whiteman show, singing and doing imitations.[citation needed] As a teenager, he played with Frankie Avalon in a band known as Rocco and the Saints. [See: Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990, Record Research, Inc., Menomonee Falls WI, 1991] He was later signed by Cameo Records and became an international star. In 1963, he portrayed Hugo Peabody in the movie version of Bye Bye Birdie with Ann Margret and Dick Van Dyke.

During the 1960s, Rydell had nineteen hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. These included his most popular hit, 1960's "Wild One" (his highest charting single, it reached #2). Other songs included, "Volare (song)", "Swingin' School," "Kissin' Time," "Sway", "I've Got Bonnie" and "Forget Him" (which peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart).

Rydell's 18 charted hits — six of which hit the Top 10 and 12 of which hit the Top 20 — was quite a feat in the age when Elvis Presley was still king and the Beatles, the Beach Boys and the Motown sound hadn't hit the American musical scene yet. Rydell's hits came in the four years after the death of Buddy Holly, the Army induction of Presley, the jailing of Chuck Berry, the scandal that hit Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard's retirement into ministry.

Although those major rockers, for the most part, weren't charting hits anymore, Rydell did share the airwaves with The Everly Brothers, Fats Domino, Bobby Darin, Dion, Roy Orbison, Del Shannon, and, from 1960 onwards, Elvis Presley as well.

Rydell is also considered one of the "Teen Idols" — such as Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Johnny Tillotson, Jimmy Clanton and Bobby Vee — who all ruled the pop charts during this time.[citation needed]

Ironically, Rydell's last chart smash was a song called Forget Him, which hit in the waning months of 1963.

During this time, Rydell also appeared on many television shows, including the Red Skelton Show and the Danny Thomas Show.

Rydell continued to perform in nightclubs, supper clubs and Las Vegas venues throughout the 1970s and 1980s (although his career was hindered by the fact that Abkco Records didn't released any of the Cameo-Parkway hits until 2005). He still performs as a solo act, and part of "The Golden Boys" (with childhood pals and fellow Philadelphians Frankie Avalon and Fabian).[citation needed]

[edit] Media

In both the Broadway musical and film Grease, the high school was named "Rydell High" after Bobby Rydell.[citation needed]

[edit] Chart singles

Cameo Records

Release date Title Flip side Chart Positions
US Charts US AC UK R&B
1959 "Kissin' Time" "You'll Never Tame Me" 11 29
We Got Love "I Dig Girls" 6
1960 "Wild One"/ 2 10 10
"Little Bitty Girl" 19
"Swingin' School"/ 5
"Ding A Ling" 18
"Volare" "I'd Do It Again" 4 9
"Sway" "Groovy Tonight" 14
1961 "Good Time Baby"/ 11
"Cherie" 54
"That Old Black Magic" "Don't Be Afraid" 21
"The Fish" "The Third House" 25
"I Wanna Thank You" "The Door To Paradise" 21
"Jingle Bell Rock" 21
1962 "I've Got Bonnie"/ 18
"Lose Her" 69
"I'll Never Dance Again" "Gee It's Wonderful" 14
"The Cha-Cha-Cha" "The Best Man Cried" 10
1963 "Butterfly Baby" "Love Is Blind" 23
"Wildwood Days" "Will You Be My Baby" 17
"Little Queenie" "The Woodpecker Song"
"Let's Make Love Tonight" "Childhood Sweetheart"
1964 "Forget Him" "Love, Love Go Away" 4 3
"I Just Can't Say Goodbye" 94
"Make Me Forget" 43
"A World Without Love" 50
1965 "Diana" 98

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

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