The Mountain's High

Album: The Mountain's High (1961)
Charted: 37 2
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Songfacts®:

  • This was the first hit single by the California duo comprised of Richard Gosting (Dick St. John) and Mary Sperling (Dee Dee). The song was originally the flip side to their first 45 demo produced by the Wilder Brothers and Don Ralke, "I Want Someone." After the single got tested in San Francisco and "The Mountain's High" wound up receiving more airplay than the A-side did, Liberty records bought the distribution rights to the song and it became a hit.
  • This was the first in a long list of hit singles recorded in Armin Steiner's homegrown garage studio in Formosa Street, Los Angeles. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Leonardo - Roma, Italy, for above 2

Comments: 7

  • Chris from Auburn, NyI'm curious about the drumming in the song. Did the drummer play the same riff over & over?
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NySixty years ago today on September 25th, 1961 "The Mountain's High" by Dick and Dee Dee peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Top 100 chart, for the two weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for those two weeks was "Take Good Care of My Baby" by Bobby Vee...
    "The Mountain's High" reached #37 on the United Kingdom's Singles chart...
    Between 1961 and 1965 the California duo had eight records on the Top 100 chart, one made the Top 10, the above "The Mountain's High"...
    They had two Top 20 records, "Young and In Love" {#17 in 1963} and "Thou Shalt Not Steal" {#13 in 1965}...
    Dick St. John passed away on December 27th, 2003 at the age of 63 {an accidental fall}...
    May he R.I.P.
    And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of Billboard's Top 10 on September 25th, 1961:
    At #3. "Michael" by The Highwaymen
    #4. "Crying" by Roy Orbison
    #5. "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Over Night)" by Lonnie Donegan and His Skiffle Group
    #6. "Little Sister" by Elvis Presley
    #7. "Who Put The Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)" by Barry Mann
    #8. "My True Story" by The Jive Five
    #9. "Without You" by Johnny Tillotson
    #10. "(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame" by Elvis Presley
    Note: Three records in the above Top 10 were recorded on June 26th, 1961 at RCA Studio 'B' on 1611 Roy Acuff Place in Nashville, Tennessee. Roy Orbison's "Crying" {at #4}, Elvis' "Little Sister {at #6}, and his "(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame" {at #10}...
  • Steve from OhioI, (along with two others who have posted the same question) would like to know this song's meaning for certain--even though I **think** I might know what it's about. It sounds like the girlfriend died and went to heaven, and he's lost without her. Just a thought.
  • Sherry from KansaCan someone please explain the meaning
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 2nd 1963, a rock 'n roll show titled 'Limbo Party' was held at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, CA...
    One of the eight* acts appearing on the show was Dick and Dee Dee; at the time the duo didn't have a record on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart but eight days later on March 10th, 1963 their "Young and Love" entered the chart at #89, and seven weeks later on April 29th it peaked at #17 {for 1 week} and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
    Between 1961 and 1965 the duo had eight Top 100 records; with one making the Top 10, "The Mountain's High" at #2 for two weeks on September 25th, 1961...
    * The other acts were the Four Seasons, Marvin Gaye, the Crystals, Lou Christie, Paul & Paula, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, and Chubby Checker {who hosted the show}.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn November 14th 1964, Dick & DeeDee performed "The Mountain's High" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    Three years earlier on September 25th, 1961 the song peaked at #2* {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart...
    On the same 'Bandstand' show the duo also performed "Thou Shalt Not Steal"; and the very next day it entered the Top 100 at position #94, then on January 10th, 1965 it peaked at #13 {for 2 weeks} and also spent 13 weeks on the Top 100...
    Dick St. John passed away on December 27th, 2003 at the age of 63 {an accidental fall]...
    * The two weeks "The Mountain's High" was at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "Take Good Care of My Baby" by Bobby Vee.
  • Susan from Hartland, VtCould someone explain the meaning of this song? Thanks!
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