Buck Ram

Buck Ram (November 21, 1907 Chicago, Illinois - January 1, 1991 Las Vegas, Nevada) was an American songwriter, and popular music producer and arranger.

He was born Samuel Ram to Jewish parents.cite web | last =Bloom| first =Nate| authorlink =| coauthors =| title=The Jews Who Wrote Christmas Songs| publisher =InterfaithFamily| date =2006-12-19 | url =http://www.interfaithfamily.com/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=ekLSK5MLIrG&b=297399&ct=3303147| format =| accessdate =2006-12-19 ] It has been written that the history of rock and roll could not be written without Buck Ram's contributions. He was one of BMI's top five songwriters/air play in its first 50 years, alongside Paul Simon, Kris Kristofferson and Paul McCartney. Ram also wrote, produced and/or arranged for The Coasters, The Drifters, Ike and Tina Turner, Ike Cole, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, and many others.

Ram is now mainly remembered for his long association with the highly successful singing group The Platters, whom he signed to a management contract in 1953. Ram was working as a talent manager, A&R man and saxophone player in a dance band when Tony Williams, the brother of one of Ram's clients, auditioned for him. Ram was looking for a group to sing the songs he wrote and found the voice he was looking for in Williams. He built The Platters around him. Ram arranged and produced all recordings by The Platters, from their signing with Mercury Records until his death, and wrote their biggest hits including "Only You," "The Great Pretender," "Magic Touch," and "Twilight Time."

When Mercury announced that they would release "Only You" on their purple "race music" label, Ram insisted that the records be relabeled, stating that The Platters had worked too hard to have their (and his) market limited by a record label. Mercury agreed, and the records were relabeled, thereby breaking down racial barriers and laying the groundwork for the black groups of the 1960s and beyond.

Ram wrote the lyrics to "The Great Pretender" in the washroom of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas after being asked what The Platters follow-up to "Only You" would be. In 1987, when the song hit #1 in England for Freddie Mercury, Ram had no idea who Mercury was but was thrilled his song was on the charts again - thirty one years after its 1956 premiere by The Platters, and like Dolly Parton and Liberace, he laughed all the way to the bank. Ram also wrote "The Magic Touch," the lyrics for "Come Prima (For the First Time)," "Twilight Time," "Chew Chew Chew Your Bubble Gum," (with Ella Fitzgerald), "Remember When," and "Ring Telephone Ring," among others. Controversy has surrounded "I'll Be Home for Christmas," since it was first published. The label on Bing Crosby's recording of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" credits "I' to Kent, Gannon, and Ram. Later recordings usually credit only Kent and Gannon. The discrepancy arose from the fact that on December 21, 1942 Buck Ram copyrighted a song titled "I'll Be Home for Christmas (Tho' Just in Memory)" although that version bore little or no resemblance, other than its title, to the Crosby recording. A song titled "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was also copyrighted on August 24, 1943, by Walter Kent (music) and James "Kim" Gannon (words). Kent and Gannon revised and re-copyrighted their song on September 27, 1943, and it was this version that Bing Crosby made famous. [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200000010/default.html]

According to Ram and newspaper articles from the era, Ram wrote the lyrics to "I'll Be Home For Christmas" as a gift for his mother when he was a sixteen year old college student. In 1942, Ram's publisher chose to hold the song for release because they were going to release Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" first. Not completely satisfied with the song, Ram discussed his concerns with two acquaintances in a bar. He left a copy of the song with them but never discussed it with them again. Both Ram and his publisher were shocked when the song was released. Ram's publisher sued and won. Ram's name has been included with that of his casual acquaintances ever since. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" was played by the Astronauts on the moon.

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