Rose Marie

Album: Favorites (1954)
Charted: 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was originally the title song of a 1924 musical, which took place in the Canadian Rockies and told the story of Rose-Marie La Flemme, a French-Canadian girl who loved miner Jim Kenyon. The operetta-style musical had music by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart, and book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work premiered on Broadway on September 2, 1924, and run for 557 performances. It was the longest-running Broadway musical of the 1920s until it was surpassed by The Student Prince.
  • This song was originally recorded in 1925 by Jesse Crawford. Another well-known version was by Nelson Eddy and Jeanette McDonald in the 1936 film adaption of the musical.
  • Slim Whitman was one of the first country artists to tour Great Britain and his version of the song spent 11 consecutive weeks at #1 in the UK in 1955, a record until 1991 when Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You," spent 16 weeks at the top.
  • This was the second song from the Rose Marie musical that Whitman turned into a million seller. In 1951 he hit the American Top 10 with "Indian Love Call."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Kip Winger

Kip WingerSongwriter Interviews

The Winger frontman reveals the Led Zeppelin song he cribbed for "Seventeen," and explains how his passion for orchestra music informs his songwriting.

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

The Punk Photography of Chris Stein

The Punk Photography of Chris SteinSong Writing

Chris Stein of Blondie shares photos and stories from his book about the New York City punk scene.

Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks

Ron and Russell Mael of SparksSongwriter Interviews

The men of Sparks on their album Hippopotamus, and how Morrissey handled it when they suggested he lighten up.

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn YankeesSongwriter Interviews

Revisit the awesome glory of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees: cheesily-acted videos, catchy guitar licks, long hair, and lyrics that are just plain relatable.