(NBC Primetime, 1956 - 1957)
[The 1950s may have been a "Classic" period of television music,
remembered fondly by many; but socially it was a backward time;
for those entertainers who were not white there was a struggle
for acceptance in television that seemed to take longer than
in other entertainment mediums such as night clubs, vaudeville,
Broadway musical theatre or even radio;
The first network TV variety show hosted by an African American
was a short-lived 1952 series by the energetic entertainer Billy
Daniels on ABC; the brave effort was a 15 minute show Sunday nights
which only lasted half a season (13 weeks) but it was historic;
Four years later the recording star Nat "King" Cole was given
this half-hour NBC series that lasted 64 weeks, and had many top
guest stars; But Madison Avenue was afraid to alienate customers
who lived in the South, so advertisers failed to materialize; the
network couldn't justify continuing to air it without revenues;
After it was cancelled, Nat was heard to quip, "Madison Avenue
is afraid of the dark..."]
[THEME verified as seen on excerpt broadcast on the "TVLand"
cable network 2/24/2002;
Alternate unofficial vocal title:
"May I Come And Sing To You..." arranged by Nelson Riddle]
Composers: music by Harry Warren (ASCAP)
[pseudonym of Salvatore Anthony Guaragna], and
lyric by Al Dubin (ASCAP)
1978 Publisher: Remick Music Corp. (ASCAP)
2001 Publisher: Remick Music Corporation (ASCAP)
c/o Warner Bros., Inc.
of Los Angeles, CA
Copyright Date:
Renewal Date:
Recording: