Leoncavallo who composed "Pagliacci", wrote it in 1904 ,titled "Mattinata" -"morning"in Italian. Caruso first recorded it. English words were added in 1948. It was big hit by Clark & Vic Damone in same year. Clark was killed when the small airplane he was riding with friends ran out of gas and crash-landed on a Los Angeles street in 1949. Great singer in the Bing Crosby tradition.
Great version. Sunny Skylar , the last of the song writers of the big band era, wrote the English lyrics to this song with Sinatra in mind. He turned it down. But when Vic Damone 's manager heard it he told Sunny he would give it considerable play on his many juke boxes he had everywhere if he let Vic record it. A big hit for him . It became his theme song. Almost all the big vocalists back in the day recorded it, even the Ink Spots, but Damone nailed it. Hey! It's an Italian song.
Buddy was unique . His voice was between tenor and baritone . He was blessed with a New England (Boston) accent and diction . Most of all he could put beautiful feeling in his interpetation of a song . Case in Point ; listen to "For You" . There are parts where he is singing with only one musical instrument accompanying him . Just beautiful . And his birth name was Abe Goldberg (Sic) .
Used to have this as an old 78 when I was a kid. My mother did tell me that he died in a plane crash. I forget what was on the flip side. Thanks for putting up your record collection online! :D
Buddy Clark - what a talent - in my book he was the absolute best of the baritones...I was about 9 when he was killed in the plane crash. Carnation Contented... Hour was super....
Buddy Clark was killed on a night flight on the corner of Rampart St and Beverly Blvd
Sam Hayes, the news man survived the crash. Thy were in a Beech Bonanza. I lived nearby and was shocked by the loss.
I appreciate finding this song here and I also much appreciate all the informative postings by your other listeners! I don't remember Buddy Clark, but I am certain that I liked his songs even as a preschooler.