Moonlight Gambler
| "Moonlight Gambler" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Frankie Laine | ||||
| B-side | "Lotus Land" | |||
| Released | October 29, 1956 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 2:50 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Bob Hilliard, Phil Springer | |||
| Producer(s) | Mitch Miller | |||
| Frankie Laine singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Moonlight Gambler" is a song written by Bob Hilliard and Phil Springer and performed by Frankie Laine featuring Ray Conniff and His Orchestra. It reached #3 on the U.S. pop chart and #13 on the UK Singles chart in 1957.[1]
The single ranked #32 on Billboard's Year-End top 50 singles of 1957.[2]
The song begins with a spoken recitation by Laine saying:
"You can gamble for matchsticks,/ You can gamble for Gold,/ The stakes may be heavy or small,/ But, if you haven't gambled for love and lost,/ Then you haven't gambled at all"/ Which is repeated when sung in the Bridge section of the song. Laine's version also features a whistler and a clip clopping sound.
Other versions
- Gene Barry released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1962 single "Red Silk Stockings and Green Perfume".[3]
- Winifred Atwell released a version of the song on her 2001 compilation album, Best of Winifred Atwell.[4]
- T. Storm Hunter released a version of the song on his 2010 album, Airways Hotel.[5]
References
- ^ "Frankie Laine, "Moonlight Gambler" Chart Positions". Retrieved July 24, 2018.
- ^ "1957's Best Selling Records" Billboard December 23, 1957: 20
- ^ "Gene Barry, "Red Silk Stockings and Green Perfume" single release". Retrieved July 24, 2018.
- ^ "Winifred Atwell, Best of Winifred Atwell". AllMusic. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
- ^ "T. Storm Hunter, Airways Hotel". Discogs. Retrieved July 24, 2018.