"Graduation Day"
Single by the Four Freshmen
from the album Freshman Favorites
B-side"Lonely Night in Paris"
ReleasedApril 1956 (1956-04)
GenreJazz, pop
Length3:01
LabelCapitol
Composer(s)Joe Sherman
Lyricist(s)Noel Sherman
The Four Freshmen singles chronology
"Angel Eyes"
(1956)
"Graduation Day"
(1956)
"He Who Loves and Runs Away"
(1956)

"Graduation Day" is a song composed by Joe Sherman with lyrics by his brother Noel Sherman.[1] and was a 1956 hit song by the Four Freshmen.

Background

The song is about nostalgia[2] and was an important influence in the early rock era.[3]

Chart performance

In the US, the Four Freshmen recording reached number 27 on the Best Sellers in Stores chart.[4] in 1956. The version by the Canadian vocal group, The Rover Boys (named after the popular college-themed literary characters), reached number 16 on the U.S. charts.

Cover versions

  • Bobby Pickett released his own version of the song in 1963.[5]
  • The song was a concert staple of the Beach Boys, who were deeply influenced by the Four Freshmen.[6] A recording of it was featured on the live Capitol Records album Beach Boys Concert (1964).[7]
  • In 1967, The Arbors, recorded their version and included on their, The Arbors Sing Valley Of The Dolls LP.[8]

References

  1. "Original versions of Graduation Day written by Joe Sherman [US1], Noel Sherman". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  2. Browne, Ray Broadus; Ambrosetti, Ronald J. (1993). Continuities in Popular Culture: The Present in the Past & the Past in the Present and Future. ISBN 9780879725938.a single from the Capitol album Freshman Favorites,
  3. The Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era p218
  4. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 312.
  5. Bobby Pickett, 44177 Graduation Day, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxvEqZaAQNE
  6. Beach Boys - Graduation Day, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YGXJH1KjSs
  7. Graduation Day (Live / 2001 Remastered), YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujPojOwEgn8
  8. "The Arbors Sing Valley Of The Dolls". Discogs.com. 1967. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
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