Reissue Theory: David Seville, By Any Other Name

If you told anyone following the music industry in 1958 that David Seville’s musical legacy would be eagerly consumed by kids more than 50 years into the future, they might laugh. After all, Seville’s greatest “discoveries” aren’t exactly real – they’re in fact a trio of animated chipmunks named Alvin, Simon and Theodore. And their musical style – a high-pitched warbling that made novelties like “Witch Doctor” and “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” into left-field, award-winning hits – constantly travels on the line between clever and crazy.

But if you can believe it, The Chipmunks have had a rather extraordinary few years. Two theatrical releases in 2007 and 2009 grossed $361.3 million and $443.1 million worldwide, respectively. Their respective soundtracks – both Top 10 hits – went platinum and gold. In spite of more than a half-century of recording advancement and shifting popular taste, kids just cannot get enough of songs sped up as though the singers inhaled helium.

Seville – the stage name of one Ross Bagdasarian, a moderately successful songwriter best known outside Chipmunk lore for his appearance as the frustrated songwriter in Alfred Hitchock’s 1954 film Rear Window – wasn’t some crazy guy (although he created characters who now make kids laugh by eating poop). Seville had a huge hit as co-writer of the semi-ethnic “Come On-a My House” (which Rosemary Clooney took to the top of the charts in 1951) and another considerable hit with “The Trouble with Harry,” a novelty tune that further connected him with Hitchcock; it was based on the Master of Suspense’s film of the same name.

Of course, it was Bagdasarian’s purchasing of a V-M tape recorder and penning of a catchy tune called “Witch Doctor” that propelled him to success in 1958. Later that year, he would take the high-speed voice in the chorus of “Witch Doctor,” multiply it by three and give the world those unforgettable Chipmunks. But Seville had a good three years of recorded singles before “Witch Doctor” – all released on Liberty Records – that today prove his worth as a pretty funny tunesmith without all the production gimmicks. Today, most of these tracks have been relegated to the dustbin of history, with only a few hard-to-find compilations making the rounds.

Would EMI – the current executors of the Liberty Records catalogue – ever reissue this material to capitalize on the rather surprising endurance The Chipmunks seem to have? If they ever did, it might look a little something like this Reissue Theory look at the David Seville discography. You’ll hardly stand to wait to see what it looks like after the jump!Various Artists, The David Seville Anthology

Disc 1

1. The Trouble with Harry – Alfi and Harry
2. Little Beauty – Alfi and Harry
3. The Word Game Song – Alfi and Harry
4. Persian on Excursion – Alfi and Harry
5. Armen’s Theme
6. Carousel in Rome
7. The Donkey and the Schoolboy
8. The Gift
9. Safari – Alfi and Harry
10. Closing Time – Alfi and Harry
11. Gotta Get to Your House
12. Camel Rock
13. Pretty Dark Eyes
14. Cecelia
15. Baghdad Express
16. Starlight, Starbright
17. Amapola
18. Third Man Theme
19. Willow Weep for Me
20. Goofus
21. Bonjour Tristesse
22. Dance from Bonjour Tristesse
23. Witch Doctor
24. Don’t Whistle at Me Baby
25. The Bird on My Head
26. Hey There Moon
27. Little Brass Band
28. Take Five
29. The Mountain
30. Mr. Grape

Disc 1, Tracks 1-2 released as Liberty single 55008, 1955
Disc 1, Tracks 3-4 released as Liberty single 55016, 1955
Disc 1, Tracks 5-6 released as Liberty single 55041, 1956
Disc 1, Tracks 7-8 released as Liberty single 55055, 1957
Disc 1, Tracks 9-1o released as Liberty single 55066, 1957
Disc 1, Tracks 11-12 released as Liberty single 55079, 1957
Disc 1, Tracks 13-14 released as Liberty single 55105, 1957
Disc 1, Tracks 15-16 released as Liberty single 55113, 1957
Disc 1, Tracks 17-20 from The Music of David Seville LP – Liberty 3073, 1957
Disc 1, Tracks 21-22 released as Liberty single 55124, 1958
Disc 1, Tracks 23-24 released as Liberty single 55132, 1958
Disc 1, Tracks 25-26 released as Liberty single 55140, 1958
Disc 1, Tracks 27-28 released as Liberty single 55153, 1958
Disc 1, Tracks 29-30 released as Liberty single 55163, 1958

Disc 2

1. Dinah
2. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
3. Almost Good
4. Mediocre
5. Judy
6. Maria from Madrid
7. Flip Side
8. Copyright 1960
9. Swanee River
10. Sack Time
11. Oh Judge, Your Honor, Dear Sir, Sweetheart
12. Freddy, Freddy
13. Yeah Yeah – The Bedbugs
14. Lucy Lucy – The Bedbugs
15. The Prom
16. Navel Maneuver
17. Scallywags and Sinners
18. Come on-a My House
19. Lazy Lovers
20. One Finger Waltz
21. Red Wine
22. The Walking Birds of Carnaby
23. The Winds of Time
24. When I Look in Your Eyes
25. I Treasure Thee
26. Jone Cone Phone
27. Spanish Pizza
28. You’ve Got Me on a Merry-Go-Round
29. You Better Open Your Eyes
30. The Song of Bruce and Dutch – Bruce & Dutch
31. I Remember Dillinger – Bruce & Dutch

Disc 2, Tracks 1-2 from The Witch Doctor Presents David Seville & His Friends LP – Liberty 3092, 1958
Disc 2, Track 3 was the B-side to “The Chipmunk Song” – Liberty 55168, 1958
Disc 2, Track 4 was the B-side to “Alvin’s Harmonica” – Liberty 55179, 1959
Disc 2, Tracks 5-6 released as Liberty single 55193, 1959
Disc 2, Track 7 was the B-side to “Ragtime Cowboy Joe” – Liberty 55200, 1959
Disc 2, Track 8 was the B-side to “Alvin’s Orchestra” – Liberty 55233, 1960
Disc 2, Track 9 was the B-side to the reissue of “Witch Doctor” – Liberty 55272, 1960
Disc 2, Track 10 was the B-side to “Alvin for President” – Liberty 55277, 1960
Disc 2, Tracks 11-12 released as Liberty single 55314, 1961
Disc 2, Tracks 13-14 released as Liberty single 55679, 1964
Disc 2, Tracks 15-18 from The Mixed-Up World of Bagdasarian LP – Liberty 7451, 1966
Disc 2, Tracks 19-29 from Ross Bagdasarian a.k.a. David Seville Vol. 2 – Liberty LRP-23274
Disc 2, Tracks 30-31 released as Liberty single 56041, 1968

Assembling the original LPs

The following track sequences based on the above hypothetical list will allow listeners to create the original long-playing albums of David Seville:

• The Music of David Seville: Disc 1, Tracks 5, 7, 17, 11, 8, 13, 14, 6, 12, 18, 19, 20
• The Witch Doctor Presents David Seville & His Friends: Disc 1, Tracks 23, 11; Disc 2, Track 1; Disc 1, Tracks 13, 14, 20, 5, 24, 25, 7; Disc 2, Track 2; Disc 1, Tracks 27, 12, 8 28
• The Mixed-Up World of Bagdasarian: Disc 1, Tracks 11, 13; Disc 2, Tracks 15, 16, 13; Disc 1, Track 5; Disc 2, Tracks 14, 6, 17; Disc 1, Track 15; Disc 2, Tracks 12, 18