We don't know. But We Do Know .... that this is a Mitch Miller Song.
"So What?" you ask.
Consider
Miller served as the head of A&R (Artists and Repertoire) at Mercury Records in the late forties, and then joined Columbia Records in the same capacity in 1950. This was a pivotal position in a recording company, because the A&R executive decided which musicians and songs would be recorded and promoted by that particular record label.
He defined the Columbia style through the early 1960s, signing and producing many important pop standards artists for Columbia, including Patti Page, Frankie Laine, Johnnie Ray, Ray Conniff, Percy Faith, Jimmy Boyd, Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett, and Guy Mitchell (whose pseudonym actually was based on Miller’s first name), and helped direct the careers of artists who were already signed to the label, like Doris Day, Dinah Shore and Jo Stafford, to just name a few. Miller also discovered Aretha Franklin and signed her to her first major recording contract. She left Columbia after a few years when Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records promised her artistic freedom to create records outside the pop mainstream in a more rhythm-and-blues-driven direction.
Miller also was responsible for not pursuing certain artists and tunes: he disapproved of rock 'n' roll, and passed on Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly, who became stars on other labels. (He had offered Presley a contract, but balked at the amount Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was asking.) Despite his distaste for rock 'n' roll, Miller often produced records for Columbia artists that were rockish in nature. Songs like "A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)" by Marty Robbins, and "Rock-a-Billy" by Guy Mitchell are just two examples. In 1961, Miller was instrumental in getting Bob Dylan signed to the label, working on the recommendation of colleague John Hammond.
Consider
Mitch Miller HATED rock and roll music. During his career as an executive and producer at Columbia Records he supported the signing of Bob Dylan because folk music was sweeping the country at the time, but that’s as close as he got to a electric guitar and drum kit. He eventually lost his job at Columbia due to his refusal to sign acts that teenagers were buying.
Instead he released his own series of records, ‘Sing Along With Mitch’ – LPs in gatefold covers into which were stapled several copies of the lyrics to the songs on the album that could be torn out and passed around at home so everyone could, well, sing along. The ‘Mitch Miller’ sound was instantly identifiable – a very masculine male chorus, harmonica, all soaked in heavy reverb for a spacious sound. They sold in the millions, and even spawned a couple of hits, notable the ‘Colonel Bogey March’ from the movie Bridge On The River Kwai
As a record producer, Miller gained a reputation for both innovation and gimmickry. Although he oversaw dozens of chart hits, his relentlessly cheery arrangements and his penchant for novelty material (e.g. "Come on-a My House", "Mama Will Bark") has drawn heavy criticism from some admirers of traditional pop music. Music historian Will Friedwald wrote in his book Jazz Singing (Da Capo Press, 1996) that "Miller exemplified the worst in American pop. He first aroused the ire of intelligent listeners by trying to turn — and darn near succeeding in turning — great artists like Sinatra, Clooney, and Tony Bennett into hacks. Miller chose the worst songs and put together the worst backings imaginable — not with the hit-or-miss attitude that bad musicians... traditionally used, but with insight, forethought, careful planning, and perverted brilliance." (221)
Consider
there was the case of Frank Sinatra. For any number of reasons, Sinatra's career was pretty much down the tubes by the late 1940s, as were his record sales at Columbia. Mitch Miller thought he could make Mr. S. a star again via his proven formula for novelty songs, and strongly suggested that Sinatra record dreck like "Bim Bam Baby," and the truly embarrassing "Mama Will Bark" from 1951. The latter was duet between Sinatra and a then-popular, pinup television star named Dagmar. And yes, there was actual barking on the track, though not by Sinatra as is widely thought, but by a dog impressionist by the name of Donald Bain.
A few years later, when Sinatra's career was reborn as an Academy Award-winning film star and hit-maker at Capital Records, Sinatra sent telegrams to judiciary and senate committees, accusing Miller of presenting him with inferior songs, and of accepting money from writers whose songs he (Miller) had used.Miller always said that Sinatra and other Columbia artists could not be forced to perform anything they didn't want to. Mr.S.wouldn't hear of any of it. Years later, it is said, the two physically crossed paths in a Las Vegas casino. Whomever was with Sinatra or Miller on the scene that night tried to affect a reconciliation.
"Fuck you, keep walking," was Sinatra's reply.
Consider
"The reason kids like rock 'n roll is their parents don't." Mitch Miller
And Finally, Consider:
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