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March 6, 2022 6:16 pm  #1


Bob Denver, Star of Gilligan's Island & Dobie Gillis Show - Singer?!

I had one of my call-in listeners put an interestingly wild, wild question to me:
He starts with he heard a song which some alleged was sung by Bob Denver.  A few lines, he the listener, remembered: "South of the California Border" and "Never took the time, never took the time".  He didn't recognize the melody at all and couldn't even sing or hum any of the melody. 
When I researched these clues, I came up with several items from a few of my key web sites.  AllMusic and Wikipedia had absolutely nothing.  However, 45cat.com had an interesting listing including Where You Been composed by Bobby Russell and Pay It No Mind composed by Bergen White.
http://www.45cat.com/record/nc262007us#comments
Both songs back-to-back on one 45 rpm, sung by Bob Denver.  Note in the "Comments", Where You Been has three YouTube links to three people who recorded that song, including Bob Denver.  Additionally, Pay It No Mind has one YouTube link citing only Bob Denver.  Discussions include several people expressing disbelief, or at least skepticism: is it REALLY Bob Denver.  I have my own opinions.  I listened to both songs lyrics and neither mentions any of the aforementioned lyrics my listener provided (South of the California border or Never too the time, never took the time.)
I looked on eBay and found this:
https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/the-spar-records-story-the-singles-collection-mr0003394081
On CD #3, Tracks 13 and 14 list Bob Denver's alleged songs and several songs by Russedll and White are listed.
I found this on YouTube where Denver sings "Ho Daddy, Surf's Up" from a 1964 movie, "For Those Who Think Young."
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=bob+denver+ho+daddy

What so you on The Board?  Denver a singer or not?!  Thanks
 

Last edited by Little Rich (March 6, 2022 6:41 pm)

 

March 6, 2022 9:11 pm  #2


Re: Bob Denver, Star of Gilligan's Island & Dobie Gillis Show - Singer?!

I listened to the clip and I believe it is Bob Denver. It wouldn’t surprise me at all. Back in the mid-60s, there was a concerted effort by agents and producers to get teenage stars to cut a record and hope to not only cash in on their fame, but get publicity for their current TV shows. Back to Bob in a moment.
 
Dwayne Hickman, Denver’s co-star on Dobie Gillis, cut an album for Capitol when the show became a hit. They even had him sing a few of the tunes on the show, no doubt hoping to spur record sales. It didn’t. I happen to have this album and a few of the songs weren’t actually terrible, including one with the unlikely title of “Don’t Send A Rabbit.”

 
Then there was Shelley Fabres of the Donna Reed Show. She told the producers she couldn’t sing, but they didn’t care. Her “Johnny Angel” was sung on the show and was a huge hit - but she never had another. This LP somehow ended up in my collection as well, although I know I didn’t buy it. And I’ve never listened to it once in all these years.

 
 
Her TV brother, Paul Petersen, was also given the teen idol treatment and it resulted in two hits: the novelty song “She Can’t Find Her Keys,” and “My Dad,” which he sang to his TV father, Carl Betz, on the show. It might be forgotten if it wasn’t trotted out every year on Father’s Day, because there just aren’t that many complimentary songs about dads that you can find.
 
Which brings me to Patty Duke, who also was sure she couldn’t sing. It didn’t matter. “Say Something Funny To Me” and my personal favorite of all of them, “Don’t Just Stand There” both did OK on the charts. 

And on it goes - Edd “Kookie” Byrnes on 77 Sunset Strip pairing with Connie Stevens for “Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb,” and The Rifleman’s Johnny Crawford celebrating “Cindy’s Birthday” and warning “Your Nose Is Gonna Grow.”
 
I’m sure there are probably more I’ve forgotten.
 
So that’s why I’m sure that Denver vocal is the real deal. And here’s one last thing. Before his death, the former Gilligan set up the Denver Foundation, a charitable organization, that also ran a radio station. It still exists today.

WGAG-FM, aka Little Buddy Radio, a non-profit titled after the Skipper’s affectionate nickname for his first mate, is located in Princeton, West Virginia and plays a lot of oldies. You can listen to it on the web here.  

 

March 7, 2022 6:15 pm  #3


Re: Bob Denver, Star of Gilligan's Island & Dobie Gillis Show - Singer?!

Because a number of movie/TV stars recorded songs offers nothing in the way of proof that Gilligan's Bob Denver did also, but it was interesting seeing the examples.
If he did, I expect that he would not have recorded a 45 on a 39-cent knockoff label like HIT.

Regarding the 2 songs Little Rich linked on the SPAR 45 record credited to a "Bob Denver", Where You Been, composed by Bobby Russell and Pay It No Mind, composed by Bergen White:
Just a sidenote, Bobby Russell composed and sang lead on a rare original release on the HIT label credited to their studio group The Chellos, titled I'm Sure Going To Miss Her, that was covered by Gary Lewis & The Playboys (Sure Gonna Miss Her). 

A YouTube poster also noted about 3 different artist names for Where You Been: 
"If you really want to have your mind blown, this was released 3 different times on 3 different labels. It was released as (under)  "Charlie Brown" on "Country & Western Records," "Charles Baker" on "Hit Records," and, of course, this version (Bob Denver) right here on Spar. The labels were all tied in together and did this pretty often!"

For me, The Smoking Gun: 
Turns out that the Pay It No Mind 45 record is also linked on YouTube to an artist called Tom Bell on Country & Western label, who sounds exactly like the Bob Denver artist on SPAR!  Hmm...the games they played with artist names. In fact there are numerous 45s issued on the Country & Western label under an artist named "Bobby Denver".  Little Rich, perhaps the listener heard one of these?


And I did listen to Where You Been on the SPAR 45, and it sounds to me like Bobby Russell. 
So, I vote no that Gilligan sang either of these 2 songs.

 

March 7, 2022 6:52 pm  #4


Re: Bob Denver, Star of Gilligan's Island & Dobie Gillis Show - Singer?!

Not to beat a dead horse but what are the thoughts on the movie, FOR THOSE WHO THINK YOUNG?  And the novelty song, allegedly by Bob Denver, "Ho Daddy, Surf's Up?"
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=bob+denver+ho+daddy
 

     Thread Starter
 

March 7, 2022 11:15 pm  #5


Re: Bob Denver, Star of Gilligan's Island & Dobie Gillis Show - Singer?!

I liked, and still like those old corny beach movies, but I don't recall this one.

I was wondering too if Denver really sang Ho Daddy, Surf's Up. And if it was really him in the sand, how he managed to stay buried for so long during the filming takes.  According to what I "dug up", he did sing it and really was buried.

Due to some snafu, Denver was unaware that he had that singing part, nor had he seen the sheet music until informed on the soundstage that a full orchestra and backup singers were waiting for him to record, which he did, a little at a time. As for the buried in sand scene, it took many takes of lip synching, and the director praised Denver for his patience and for "digging in there, not causing delays".

Source: Hollywood Beach and Surf Movies, The First Wave 1959-1969.  A book by Thomas Lisanti.

 

March 8, 2022 7:24 am  #6


Re: Bob Denver, Star of Gilligan's Island & Dobie Gillis Show - Singer?!

I also enjoyed those early 60s beach movies - guilty pleasures, I guess. One of the highlights of many of those movies was Donna Loren doing a solo song. 

Here is Donna Loren from several years ago singing "Muscle Bustle" and "It Only Hurts When I Cry".  The Rip Chords are her backup band, and Donna is still looking and sounding real good. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_UUABw_DKY&list=RDMM4j5M9tZlt_k&index=2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j5M9tZlt_k&list=RDMM4j5M9tZlt_k&index=1

 

April 4, 2022 7:44 pm  #7


Re: Bob Denver, Star of Gilligan's Island & Dobie Gillis Show - Singer?!

Little Rich wrote:

I had one of my call-in listeners put an interestingly wild, wild question to me:
He starts with he heard a song which some alleged was sung by Bob Denver.  A few lines, he the listener, remembered: "South of the California Border" and "Never took the time, never took the time".  He didn't recognize the melody at all and couldn't even sing or hum any of the melody. 
When I researched these clues, I came up with several items from a few of my key web sites.  AllMusic and Wikipedia had absolutely nothing.  However, 45cat.com had an interesting listing including Where You Been composed by Bobby Russell and Pay It No Mind composed by Bergen White.
http://www.45cat.com/record/nc262007us#comments
Both songs back-to-back on one 45 rpm, sung by Bob Denver.  Note in the "Comments", Where You Been has three YouTube links to three people who recorded that song, including Bob Denver.  Additionally, Pay It No Mind has one YouTube link citing only Bob Denver.  Discussions include several people expressing disbelief, or at least skepticism: is it REALLY Bob Denver.  I have my own opinions.  I listened to both songs lyrics and neither mentions any of the aforementioned lyrics my listener provided (South of the California border or Never too the time, never took the time.)
I looked on eBay and found this:
https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/the-spar-records-story-the-singles-collection-mr0003394081
On CD #3, Tracks 13 and 14 list Bob Denver's alleged songs and several songs by Russedll and White are listed.
I found this on YouTube where Denver sings "Ho Daddy, Surf's Up" from a 1964 movie, "For Those Who Think Young."
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=bob+denver+ho+daddy

What so you on The Board?  Denver a singer or not?!  Thanks
 

When I first saw this post I did a little surfin' and found that Bergen White, the writer of the B side of Denver's single, Pay It No Mind, is still alive and kicking on Facebook. I asked him who sang the song and he finally got back to me today. "Roman, that was actually me singing it. Bobby Russell sang so much of the stuff we did but since I wrote it they wanted me to sing it." Looks like you can lump Gilligan in with Milli Vanilli.
 

 

April 4, 2022 8:40 pm  #8


Re: Bob Denver, Star of Gilligan's Island & Dobie Gillis Show - Singer?!

Thanks Roman.  It was worth investigating this.
 

     Thread Starter
 

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