A Teenager in Love
The Pomus and Shuman song Dion thought wimpy, until the Belmonts found the ooh-wah.
Dion (1959)
- Written by
- Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
- Released
- 1959
Laurie Records commissioned the song from Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, originally for the Mystics, then gave it to Dion and the Belmonts instead. Pomus and Shuman quickly wrote Hushabye for the Mystics. Dion first thought it sounded wimpy, but he changed his mind when the Belmonts began singing ooh-wah at the start. It was released in March 1959, with I've Cried Before on the B-side, and peaked at number five on the Hot 100 in May and number 28 in the UK. It appeared on their first album, Presenting Dion and the Belmonts.
Angelo D'Aleo, who sang the falsetto, recalled that he was in the Navy when he was called back to finish the album, and that he disliked the song. In 1959 three versions charted together in the UK, the others by Marty Wilde, who reached two, and Craig Douglas, who reached thirteen.
Covers and versions
- Marty Wilde (1959) Reached number two in the UK.
- Craig Douglas (1959) Reached number thirteen in the UK.
- Connie Stevens Performed with the Mutations in season one of The Muppet Show.
More songs by Dion
Runaround Sue, The Wanderer, Abraham, Martin and John, Ruby Baby, Born to Be with You
Sources
- A Teenager in Love, Wikipedia
- The Belmonts, Wikipedia
- I Wonder Why, Wikipedia
- Where or When, Wikipedia