Ensiklopedia Dunia

Technopedia Center

Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
S1 Informatics S1 Information Systems S1 Information Technology S1 Computer Engineering S1 Electrical Engineering S1 Civil Engineering

faculty of Economics and Business
S1 Management S1 Accountancy

Faculty of Letters and Educational Sciences
S1 English literature S1 English language education S1 Mathematics education S1 Sports Education

Alvin's Harmonica - Wikipedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Alvin's Harmonica" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

"Alvin's Harmonica"

Single by David Seville and The Chipmunks

from the album Let's All Sing with The Chipmunks

B-side

"Mediocre"

Released

February 20, 1959

Recorded

January 1, 1959

Genre

Pop

Length

2:39

Label

Liberty

Songwriter(s)

Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.

Producer(s)

Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.

The Chipmunks singles chronology

"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)"
(1958)

"Alvin's Harmonica"
(1959)

"Ragtime Cowboy Joe"
(1959)

"Alvin's Harmonica" is a song from the fictional musical group, Alvin and the Chipmunks, which also features additional vocals by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. who plays David Seville in the song. The song was released as the second single from the group's debut album, Let's All Sing with the Chipmunks in 1958. Like "Witch Doctor" and "The Chipmunk Song", it was adapted as one of the musical segments featured in The Alvin Show.

The Recording Process

A contemporary writeup describes Bagdasarian’s production sequence:

“It took nine perfect tapes, or tracks, and three days’ work in the recording studio, to transfer this work from the composer’s head to acetate. First, having set down a melody, he recorded it a simplified orchestra—two saxophones, four rhythm instruments—at normal speed. Then on a second tape he recorded two pianos playing at half speed. Played back at normal speed, the pianos had a tinkly, mandolinlike sound. Bagdasarian made a third tape of his own normal voice at normal speed, shouting ‘Alvin!’, ‘Stop that!’ and the like. The fourth tape was Simon, the lowest voiced of the three chipmunks in the song. His lines were recorded in a normal voice at half speed, then played back at normal speed to produce a squeaky tone. By this time the control booth of the recording studio was filling up with tape like a cauldron of spaghetti, so the first four tapes were combined on a fifth. The sixth tape was a variation for Theodore, the laughing chipmunk: ‘Ha…Ha…Ha’ spoken carefully at half speed in a tone pitched slightly higher than Simon’s. The seventh was Alvin’s, also at half speed and pitched highest of all. An eighth track was added for the harmonica, normal speed. Finally one master tape combined all the others in one glorious tonal conglomeration.”^[1]

Chart performance

After the group's previous single, "The Chipmunk Song", reached No. 1 on the charts, it was hoped that "Alvin's Harmonica" would reach the Top Ten. The single peaked at No. 3 on Billboard's Pop Singles Chart, becoming the group's second consecutive (and final) Top 10 single on the charts. Since the song was also credited to David Seville by Billboard, the song became his third consecutive Top 10 single on the charts, although it was his first to not reach No. 1.

"Alvin's Harmonica" sold more than 500,000 singles making it a certified gold record.^[2]

"Alvin's Harmonica" re-entered the charts in 1961 and 1962, peaking at No. 73 and No. 87, respectively.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ross Bagdasarian Sr.

No.	Title	Credited artist	Length
1.	"Alvin's Harmonica"	David Seville and The Chipmunks	2:39^[3]
2.	"Mediocre"	The Music of David Seville	1:50^[3]

References

^ Alexander, Shana. “’Alvin!’: Composer’s yells at son inspire another chipmunk hit.” LIFE, 23 March 1959, 44.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2000). Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits - 7th Edition. Cincinnati, OH: Billboard Books. p. 563. ISBN 0-8230-7690-3.
^ ^a ^b "Alvin's Harmonica"/"Mediocre", Discogs.com

Alvin and the Chipmunks

Characters

Music

Singles	"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" "Alvin's Harmonica" "Alvin's Orchestra" "Alvin for President"
Albums	Let's All Sing with The Chipmunks Sing Again with The Chipmunks Around the World with The Chipmunks The Alvin Show The Chipmunk Songbook Christmas with The Chipmunks The Chipmunks Sing the Beatles Hits The Chipmunks Sing with Children Chipmunks à Go-Go The Chipmunks See Doctor Dolittle The Chipmunks Go to the Movies The Very Best of The Chipmunks Chipmunk Punk Urban Chipmunk A Chipmunk Christmas Chipmunk Rock The Chipmunks Go Hollywood Songs from Our TV Shows 'Munk Rock Solid Gold Chipmunks The Chipmunks and The Chipettes: Born to Rock The Chipmunks Rock the House Chipmunks in Low Places Greatest Hits Here's Looking at Me! A Very Merry Chipmunk When You Wish Upon a Chipmunk Club Chipmunk: The Dance Mixes The A-Files: Alien Songs Greatest Hits: Still Squeaky After All These Years Undeniable
Soundtracks	Alvin and the Chipmunks The Chipmunk Adventure (soundtrack) The Squeakquel Chipwrecked Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks (soundtrack) We're the Chipmunks (Music from the TV Show)

Television series

The Alvin Show (1961–1962)
Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983–1990)
- episodes
Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks (2015–2023)
- episodes

Specials and
home video

A Chipmunk Christmas (1981)
A Chipmunk Reunion (1985)
Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue (1990; guest appearance)
Rockin' Through the Decades (1991)

Feature films

Animated	The Chipmunk Adventure (1987)
Live-action	Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) The Squeakquel (2009) Chipwrecked (2011) The Road Chip (2015)
Direct-to-video	Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein (1999) Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman (2000) Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks (2003)

Video games

People

Category

Categories:

Hidden categories: