This week’s Featured Lyrics are to “The Green Door”, with music by Bob “Hutch” Davie and Lyrics written by Marvin Moore, made most famous in the U.S. by singer Jim Lowe. We’re posting lyrics of hit songs so that our songwriters can study them to see how winning songs are constructed. Of course a lot depends on the melody, the rhythm and the artist as to whether or not the song will sell… and whether or not it is in the right place at the right time!
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“The Green Door” (or “Green Door”) is a 1956 popular song first recorded by Jim Lowe, whose version reached number one on the US pop chart. The lyrics describe the allure of a mysterious private club with a green door, behind which “a happy crowd” play piano, smoke and “laugh a lot”, and inside which the singer is not allowed.
The hit version of the song in the United States was recorded by Jim Lowe, backed by the orchestra of songwriter Davie, with Davie also playing piano, and by the vocal group the High Fives. The track was arranged by Davie, who added thumbtacks to the hammers of his piano and sped up the tape to give a honky-tonk sound. Released by Dot Records, the single reached #1 on the Billboard charts for one week on November 17, 1956, replacing “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley.
In the United Kingdom, Lowe’s version reached #8 on the charts, but a version by Frankie Vaughan was even more popular, reaching #2. Another UK recording, by Glen Mason, reached #24 on the UK chart. The most popular British version was by rock and roll revivalist Shakin’ Stevens which spent four weeks at number one in August 1981.
In 1964, Bill Haley and his Comets recorded a version for a single release on Decca Records during an unsuccessful attempt to make a comeback with the label that had made them famous with “Rock Around the Clock” (this version was produced by Milt Gabler); Haley and the Comets also recorded an instrumental version in 1962 for the Mexican Orfeon Records label.
Possible inspirations
One suggestion of the song’s origins is that it was inspired by an afterhours club in Dallas, Texas, to which lyricist Moore had been refused entry because he did not know the correct password.
“The Green Door” is the name of a saloon in Cheyenne, Wyoming, as well as Park Hall, Maryland and also Chicago, Illinois.
[Article truncated] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Door# # #
Lyrics to “The Green Door”
Midnight, one more night without sleeping,
Watching till the morning comes creeping.
Green door, what’s that secret you’re keeping?
There’s an old piano
And they play it hot behind the green door;
Don’t know what they’re doing
But they laugh a lot behind the green door.
Wish they’d let me in
So I could find out what’s behind the green door.
Knocked once, tried to tell them I’d been there;
Door slammed, hospitality’s thin there.
Wonder just what’s going on in there.
Saw an eyeball peeping
Through a smoky cloud behind the green door;
When I said “Joe sent me”
Someone laughed out loud behind the green door.
All I want to do
Is join the happy crowd behind the green door.
Midnight, one more night without sleeping,
Watching till the morning comes creeping.
Green door, what’s that secret you’re keeping?
Green door what’s that secret you’re keeping?
Green door!
Songwriters: Bob Davie, Marvin Moore
Green Door lyrics © Carlin America, Inc., BMG Rights Management US, LLC
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/jim+lowe/green+door_20208447.html