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This Ole House#Shakin' Stevens version

{{Short description|Stuart Hamblen song}}

{{about|the Stuart Hamblen song|the Shakin' Stevens album|This Ole House (album)|the television show|This Old House|similarly named topics|This Old House (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox song

| name = This Ole House

| cover =

| type = single

| artist = Stuart Hamblen

| album = It Is No Secret

| B-side = When My Lord Picks Up the 'Phone

| released = {{Start date|1954|05}}

| format =

| recorded = 29 March 1954{{Cite web|title=RCA Victor 20-5500 - 20-6000 78rpm numerical listing discography|url=http://www.78discography.com/RCA205500.htm|access-date=30 October 2020|website=www.78discography.com}}

| studio = RCA Victor 24th Street, New York City

| genre = Country

| length = {{Duration|m=2|s=55}}

| label = RCA Victor

| writer = Stuart Hamblen

| producer =

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

"This Ole House" (sometimes spelled "This Old House") is an American popular song written by Stuart Hamblen, and published in 1954.{{cite book

| first= Jo

| last= Rice

| year= 1982

| title= The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits

| edition= 1st

| publisher= Guinness Superlatives

| location= Enfield, Middlesex

| isbn= 0-85112-250-7

| page= 15}} Rosemary Clooney's version reached the top of the popular music charts in both the US and the UK in 1954. The song again topped the UK chart in 1981 in a recording by Shakin' Stevens.

Stuart Hamblen version

Hamblen recorded the song in March 1954 and released it as a single in May 1954.{{Cite web|date=28 January 2020|title=Stuart Hamblen "This Old House" Classic 45, 1954|url=http://ultimatetwang.com/2020/01/28/stuart-hamblen-this-houseclassic-451954/|access-date=30 October 2020|language=en-US}} It became very successful, peaking at number two on the Billboard Country & Western chart, as well as being a top-30 hit on the Hot 100, known then as the Best Sellers in Stores. It was his last hit on the country charts, and with the royalties, he bought the mansion that had been owned by the late Errol Flynn.{{Cite book|last=McNeil|first=W. K.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=beGNAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA172|title=Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music|date=18 October 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-37700-7|pages=172|language=en}}

= Composition=

Hamblen was supposedly out on a hunting expedition in the Sierra with guide Monte Wolfe, when his fellow hunter, actor John Wayne, and he came across a hut in the mountains. Inside was the body of a man, and the man's dog was still there, guarding the building. This inspired Hamblen to write "This Ole House".

The song describes the last words of an old man living in an old house that has fallen into such disrepair that it is no longer structurally sound. The man tells of how the house "once knew his children" and "once knew his wife," but that he was not going to need it any longer, nor did he have time to repair the house's numerous flaws because he is dying and going to heaven very soon ("ready to meet the saints").

= Reception =

The single was reviewed twice in Billboard magazine. It was described as "a powerful religioso item with a message and an infectious beat. Hamblen sells it with fervor." and that it "could easily break thru into country and pop".{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-05-08.pdf|title=Reviews of New Sacred Records|magazine=Billboard|page=31|date=8 May 1954|access-date=30 October 2020}} In the following issue, it was described as "a sacred item which re-establishes Hamblen as the top man in his field" and "a sock debut for Hamblen on the label."{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-05-15.pdf|title=Country & Western Records|magazine=Billboard|page=31|date=15 May 1954|access-date=30 October 2020}}

= Charts =

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

==Weekly charts==

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1954)

!Peak
position

scope="row" |US Best Sellers in Stores (Billboard){{Cite web|title=This Ole House (song by Stuart Hamblen) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts|url=https://www.musicvf.com/song.php?title=This+Ole+House+by+Stuart+Hamblen&id=39674|access-date=30 October 2020|website=www.musicvf.com}}

|26

scope="row" |US Country & Western Records (Billboard)

|2

scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 10 Country Best Sellers{{cite web |url=https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives-c/50s_files/19541120C.html|title=Cash Box Top 10 Country Best Sellers – Week ending November 20, 1954 |work=Cash Box magazine|access-date=30 October 2020}}

|3

{{col-2}}

==Year-end charts==

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1954)

!Position

scope="row" |US Country & Western Records (Billboard){{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ChwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA18|title=Billboard|date=21 May 1955|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|page=18|language=en}}

|13

{{col-end}}

Rosemary Clooney version

{{Infobox song

| name = This Ole House

| cover =

| type = single

| artist = Rosemary Clooney with Buddy Cole and His Orchestra

| album =

| A-side = "Hey There" (US)

| released = {{Start date|1954|06}} (US)

| format =

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = Traditional pop

| length = 2:18

| label =

| writer = Stuart Hamblen

| producer = Mitch Miller

| prev_title = Hey There

| prev_year = 1954

| next_title = Sisters

| next_year = 1954

}}

Soon after Hamblen released his version, Rosemary Clooney recorded a version of "This Ole House" with Buddy Cole and His Orchestra. It featured bass vocals by Thurl Ravenscroft and topped the charts in the US and the UK.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LCMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA52|title=Billboard|date=4 December 1954|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|language=en}}

In the US, it was released as the flip side to "Hey There", which also reached number one. However, in the UK, it was released as the A-side, with the flip side "My Baby Sends Me".

When reviewed in Billboard, it was described as "a bright, bouncy rendition from the thrush, supported solidly by an unbilled male singer and the Buddy Cole ork. Tho not as strong as the flip. It has a sparkle that could make it grab juke loot."{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oB4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30|title=Billboard|date=26 June 1954|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|language=en}} A version similar to the Clooney version was also recorded by UK singer Alma Cogan in 1954, but without chart success.

= Track listings =

7" (US)

  1. "Hey There" – 2:57
  2. "This Ole House" – 2:18

7" (UK)

  1. "This Ole House"
  2. "My Baby Sends Me"

= Charts =

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

==Weekly charts==

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1954)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|1|artist=Rosemary Clooney|rowheader=true|refname="Clooney UK"}}
scope="row" |US Best Sellers in Stores (Billboard){{Cite web|title=This Ole House (song by Rosemary Clooney) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts|url=https://www.musicvf.com/song.php?title=This+Ole+House+by+Rosemary+Clooney&id=35822|access-date=30 October 2020|website=www.musicvf.com}}

|1

scope="row"|US Cash Box Best Selling Singles{{cite web |url=https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/50s_files/19541113.html|title=Cash Box Best Selling Singles – Week ending November 13, 1954 |work=Cash Box magazine|access-date=30 October 2020}}

|3

{{col-2}}

==Year-end charts==

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1954)

!Position

scope="row" |US Best Sellers in Stores{{cite magazine |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-12-25.pdf|title=1954's Top Popular Records according to Retail Sales|magazine=The Billboard|date=25 December 1954|page= 17|volume=66|issue=52}}

|12

{{col-end}}

Shakin' Stevens version

{{Infobox song

| name = This Ole House

| cover = File:Shakin' Stevens This Ole House single.jpg

| type = single

| artist = Shakin' Stevens

| album = This Ole House

| B-side = Let Me Show You How

| released = {{Start date|1981|02|20|df=yes}}

| format =

| recorded = 1980

| studio = Eden Studios. London

| genre = Rock and roll

| length = {{duration|2:58}}

| label = Epic

| writer = Stuart Hamblen

| producer = Stuart Colman

| prev_title = Shooting Gallery

| prev_year = 1980

| next_title = You Drive Me Crazy

| next_year = 1981

}}

In 1981, Welsh singer Shakin' Stevens covered NRBQ's arrangement {{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoGVEJpTXAo|title=NRBQ - This Ole House / Don't She Look Good|website=YouTube |date=3 March 2023 }} of the song for his album of the same name. It became very successful, topping the UK Singles Chart for three weeks, as well as being a hit in several other countries. It was re-released in 2005 as a double A-side with a cover of Pink's "Trouble" after his appearance in the TV show Hit Me Baby One More Time and reached number 20 in the UK Singles Chart.

=Charts=

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

==Weekly charts==

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
Chart (1981)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}

|1

{{single chart|Austria|8|artist=Shakin' Stevens|song=This Ole House|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Flanders|3|artist=Shakin' Stevens|song=This Ole House|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|17|chartid=6937|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Denmark (Hitlisten){{cite web|url=https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/chart-analysis/121831-danish-chart-archive-singles-1979-____-b-t-ifpi-dk?q=this%20ole%20house|title=Danish Chart Archive - Singles 1979 - ____ (B.T./IFPI DK)|website=www.ukmix.org|date=17 November 2018|access-date=30 October 2020}}

|6

scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{Cite web|last=Timo|date=13 August 2015|title=Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit STEP - SUE|url=http://suomenlistalevyt.blogspot.com/2015/08/step-sue.html|access-date=21 July 2020|website=Sisältää hitin}}

|12

{{single chart|Germany|5|artist=Shakin' Stevens|song=This Ole House|songid=736|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Iceland (Vísir){{Cite web|title=Vísir - 66. Tölublað (20.03.1981) - Tímarit.is|url=https://timarit.is/page/3504149?iabr=on#page/n16/mode/2up/search/this%20ole%20house|access-date=2 November 2020|website=timarit.is}}

|9

{{single chart|Ireland2|1|song=This Ole House|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Israel (IBA){{cite web|url=https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/chart-analysis/46793-israel-singles-charts-1987-1995?q=this%20old%20house|title=Israel Singles Charts 1987-1995|website=www.ukmix.org|access-date=30 October 2020}}

|4

{{single chart|Dutch40|5|artist=Shakin' Stevens|song=This Ole House|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|6|artist=Shakin' Stevens|song=This Ole House|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|3|artist=Shakin' Stevens|song=This Ole House|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(S).html|access-date=30 October 2020}}

|1

{{single chart|Switzerland|4|artist=Shakin' Stevens|song=This Ole House|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|1|artist=Shakin Stevens|rowheader=true|refname="Shaky UK"}}
scope="row"|Zimbabwe (ZIMA){{Cite web|title=World singles charts and sales TOP 50 in 58 countries: SHAKIN' STEVENS|url=http://artisteschartsventes.blogspot.com/2015/03/shakin-stevens.html|access-date=30 October 2020|website=World singles charts and sales TOP 50 in 58 countries|date=December 2015}}

|19

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
Chart (2005)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)

|20
(with "Trouble")

{{col-2}}

==Year-end charts==

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
Chart (1981)

!Position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1981 |publisher= Kent Music Report |issue= 393 |page= 7 |via= Imgur |date= 4 January 1982 |access-date= 11 January 2022 |url= https://i.imgur.com/RgsDOOc.jpg}}{{Cite web|title=AMR Top Singles of 1981|url=https://www.top100singles.net/2011/11/amr-top-singles-of-1981.html|access-date=30 October 2020|website=www.top100singles.net}}

|11

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1981|title=Jaaroverzichten 1981|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=30 October 2020}}

|26

scope="row"|Denmark (Hitlisten)

|28

scope="row"|Germany (GfK Entertainment){{cite web |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1981|title=Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts|language=de |work=GfK Entertainment |publisher=offiziellecharts.de |access-date=30 October 2020}}

|22

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1981|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981

|website=www.top40.nl|access-date=30 October 2020}}

|17

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url= https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1981&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten - Single 1981|website=www.dutchcharts.nl|access-date=30 October 2020}}

|23

scope="row"|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|title=Top Selling Singles of 1981|website=Official NZ Music Charts.com. Recorded Music New Zealand Limited|url= https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1981-12-31|access-date=30 October 2020}}

|5

scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|title=Top 20 Hit Singles of 1981|url=http://rock.co.za/files/sahits_1981.html|access-date=30 October 2020}}

|4

scope="row"|UK Singles{{cite journal|title=Chartfile Top 100|journal=Record Mirror|date=26 December 1981|page=27|url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/sets/72157715619558432/|via=flickr.com|access-date=30 October 2020}}

|4

{{col-end}}

=Certifications and sales=

{{certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=This Ol' House|artist=Shakin' Stevens|type=single|relyear=1981|certyear=1981|region=Australia|award=Platinum|certref={{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GCQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT61 |volume=94|number=23|title=Majors Flight Economics with Quirky Rock Originals|magazine=Billboard|page=A/NZ-8|date=6 December 1982|access-date=10 November 2021}}{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1982/CB-1982-05-08.pdf|title=IT'S SHAKIN' TIME DOWN UNDER |magazine=Cash Box|via=World Radio History|page=26|date=8 May 1982|access-date=5 December 2021}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=This Ole House|artist=Shakin' Stevens|type=single|relyear=1981|certyear=1981|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|access-date=4 December 2021|id=7567-1676-1}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

Other notable recordings

  • 1954: Billie Anthony's version was a hit in the UK, peaking at number four in October{{Cite web|title=BILLIE ANTHONY {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/1382/billie-anthony/|access-date=30 October 2020|website=www.officialcharts.com}}
  • 1954: Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1954{{cite web|title=A Bing Crosby Discography|url=http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/bingmagazine/CBS.html |website=BING magazine|publisher=International Club Crosby|access-date=9 December 2017}} for use on his radio show, and it was subsequently included in the CD Bing & Rosie: The Crosby-Clooney Radio Sessions (2010).{{cite web|title=allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/bing-rosie-the-crosby-clooney-radio-sessions-mw0002076504|website=allmusic.com|access-date=9 December 2017}}
  • 1964: Per Myrberg recorded the song in Swedish as "Trettifyran",{{Cite web |title=Trettifyran / Per Myrberg |url=https://smdb.kb.se/catalog/id/001442013 |access-date=21 March 2025 |website=Svensk mediedatabas |publisher=National Library of Sweden}} which was a hit in Sweden on Svensktoppen music chart for 39 weeks.{{Cite web |date=26 October 2012 |title=Svensktoppen 50 år firas med konsert i Berwaldhallen |url=https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/5324947 |access-date=21 March 2025 |website=Sveriges Radio |language=Swedish}}
  • 1966: The Cathedral Quartet recorded the song on their album With Strings.
  • 1987: The Cathedral Quartet re-recorded the song with "When the Saints Go Marching In" on their album Symphony of Praise.
  • 1998: The Brian Setzer Orchestra on The Dirty Boogie{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-dirty-boogie-mw0000039465|title=The Dirty Boogie - the Brian Setzer Orchestra | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|website=AllMusic}}
  • 2010: Ernie Haase and Signature Sound on their DVD/CD A Tribute to The Cathedral Quartet

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.rosemaryclooney.com/LyricPages/Thisolehouse.html Lyrics to "This Ole House"]

{{Rosemary Clooney}}

{{Shakin' Stevens}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1954 singles

Category:1981 singles

Category:UK singles chart number-one singles

Category:Number-one singles in Australia

Category:Songs written by Stuart Hamblen

Category:Shakin' Stevens songs

Category:Rosemary Clooney songs

Category:Stoney Cooper songs

Category:Wilma Lee Cooper songs

Category:Stuart Hamblen songs

Category:1954 songs

Category:Songs about old age

Category:Songs about death