Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

SEDAKA, Neil

(b 13 March '39, NYC) Singer- songwriter who had early candyfloss success and stayed the course. Parents played piano (grandmother to concert standard); began writing in high school, enlisting schoolmate Howard Greenfield as lyricist. 'While I Dream' demo issued on Melba '56, written for the Tokens but not recorded by them; local success encouraged him; combined scholarship to Juilliard with writing, also recorded for Decca, Guyden labels. Wrote with Greenfield '58 for Don Kirshner's Aldon Music, their songs recorded by LaVern Baker, Clyde McPhatter, Connie Francis ('Stupid Cupid' no. 14 hit '58, 'Frankie' top ten '59); signed to RCA late '58, immediate success was big: only Elvis Presley outsold him for five years. Thirteen top 40 hits '59--63 from 'The Diary' to 'Bad Girl' incl. top tens 'Oh! Carol' (for Carole King), 'Stairway To Heaven', 'Calendar Girl', 'Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen', 'Breaking Up Is Hard To Do' (no. 1 '62), 'Next Door To An Angel'. All were cute pop songs, his light tenor double-tracked, Latinesque backing and his pounding piano added to simple sound. British Invasion washed him away; Sedaka/Greenfield turned to MOR, writing through '60s for Peggy Lee, Johnny Mathis, Fifth Dimension, etc.

His Brill Building contemporary Carole King brought singer-songwriters back and he enjoyed a second chart career '70s: after LP Emergence '71 he worked with 10CC on The Tra-La Days Are Over (incl. 'That's Where The Music Takes Me', top 20 UK hit '73, top 30 USA '75); 'Laughter In The Rain' '74 was his second USA no. 1, twelve years after the first; he did it again '75 with 'Bad Blood' (harmony vocal by Elton John, on whose Rocket label his records appeared in USA), had top ten '76 with slow remake of 'Breaking Up Is Hard To Do'. He wrote with Greenfield, Phil Cody and daughter Dara (they scored top 20 USA '80 with 'Should've Never Let You Go'). Quality pop was also recorded by Captain and Tennille, Partridge Family, others; popular in UK, where top 40 hits total 15. Laughter And Tears '76 compiled later work; early RCA hits much anthologized; Elton John is just one piano player who owes a lot to Sedaka.