The Stripper--A Cultural Icon

There are a few pieces of music that have transcended whatever chart position they held or moment in time they occupied as a verifiable hit---to become literally synonymous with a particular activity or mood. These few arrangements of notes have somehow become part of the fabric of our society, a cultural “touchstone” that is common to everyone who hears it.

As The History Channel points out, playing the theme from “The Twilight Zone” evokes the occurrence of a spooky situation or kooky or scary scene. Likewise, someone humming the opening notes from that theme song of “Jaws” while sneaking up behind you in a swimming pool---will send a chill up your spine—as you conjure up the image of a Great White shark coming after you.

Such is the case for the theme from “Deliverance”, the “Theme From Rocky” and “Psycho”—and a few other songs whose repeated exposure has been associated with a specific situation.

One such tune is “The Stripper” by David Rose and his Orchestra, which reached #1 on the Pop charts on this date in 1962. Like many songs, its path to being a hit was something of an accident.

Composed in 1958 , it was used in an obscure TV show called “Burlesque”. The original composition was a total of 8 measures, used as background music-almost inaudible in the context of the show. Then, purely as a joke, Rose used a few spare minutes of studio time to record an extended version, using brass and enhanced percussion. He pressed it to vinyl and handed copies out as novelty gifts to orchestra members.

That was apparently that—until someone at MGM Records pulled the 1 minute and 55 second master recording out of the archives to throw on the “B” side of Rose’s release of “Ebb Tide”.

It took a Los Angeles DJ just one listen to realize the true hit was indeed NOT “Ebb Tide”, but “The Stripper”—and he played it almost continuously during one show. It became a local, then regional, then national smash hit!.

Here is a “video” slideshow—with the song as sound track—don’t worry—this is rated “G”!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2W-cClCt4I

Hear that song anywhere, any time----and you, like everyone else—will think of only one thing.

And that one thing is NOT “G”-rated.

The unlikely hit for David Rose became the song that—regardless its association—has become a cultural icon!

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