No drums, just a record boss patting his knees. The story behind a bouncy 1954 classic.
Listen closely to this 1954 record and you will hear a steady, bouncy beat. There is no drummer behind it. The rhythm comes from Archie Bleyer, the founder of a small record label, simply patting his own knees.
The song is “Mr. Sandman,” sung by the Chordettes, a female vocal quartet.
“Knees Played By…”
Bleyer conducted the session and kept the band to a minimum, so the four voices could shine. The record label even gave him credit for his knees.
He is also the man you hear say a single word, “Yes?”, in the middle of the song.
A Song for Sweet Dreams
Written by Pat Ballard, the song is a playful plea to the Sandman for a dream sweetheart. The Chordettes’ version went to No. 1 and sold about two million copies.
Why It Still Matters
Seventy years later, those bouncy harmonies and famous knee slaps still show up in movies, commercials and TV shows whenever someone wants an instant taste of the 1950s.
Could you sing along to this one without missing a word? Tell us in the comments on Facebook. We read every one.