"Standing on the Corner" is a

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...

written by

Frank Loesser Frank Henry Loesser (; June 29, 1910 – July 28, 1969) was an American songwriter who wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musicals ''Guys and Dolls'' and ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'', among others. He won a Tony ...

and published in 1956. It was introduced by Shorty Long, Alan Gilbert, John Henson, and Roy Lazarus in the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

, ''

The Most Happy Fella ''The Most Happy Fella'' is a 1956 musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The story, about a romance between an older man and younger woman, is based on the 1924 play '' They Knew What They Wanted'' by Sidney Howard. The show i ...

.'' A recording of it by

the Four Lads The Four Lads was a Canadian male singing quartet which, in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, earned many gold singles and albums. Its million-selling signature tunes include "Moments to Remember"; " Standing on the Corner"; "No, Not Much"; "Who Needs ...

(made March 1, 1956) was popular in 1956. It was released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

as catalog number 40674. It first reached the ''Billboard'' charts on April 28, 1956, and peaked at No. 3 on each of the various charts at the time: the Disk Jockey chart, the Best Seller chart, the Juke Box chart, as well as the composite chart of the top 100 songs. The flip side was " My Little Angel". Jimmy Arnold, lead tenor for

The Four Lads The Four Lads was a Canadian male singing quartet which, in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, earned many gold singles and albums. Its million-selling signature tunes include "Moments to Remember"; " Standing on the Corner"; "No, Not Much"; "Who Needs ...

in 1956, is sometimes erroneously listed as the song's co-author."Standing On The Corner" page on the Frank Loesser website
citing his exclusive authorship.

Other recordings

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

also released a version in 1956, which reached No. 22 on ''Billboard''s chart of Most Played by Jockeys and No. 29 on ''Billboard''s Top 100 chart. *A version by

The King Brothers The King Brothers were a British pop vocal trio popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They are best remembered for their cover versions of " Standing on the Corner" and " A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation)". Career The group was co ...

became popular in the United Kingdom in 1960, reaching No. 4 in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

, when the musical was staged in

London's West End The West End of London (commonly referred to as the West End) is a district of Central London, west of the City of London and north of the River Thames, in which many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buil ...

, and the Four Lads' version also made the lower reaches of the UK chart at this point.Official Charts website - 5-11 May 1960; lists the King Brothers at number 4 and the Four Lads at number 34
Officialcharts.com *On February 9, 2010, the Irish group

Celtic Thunder Celtic Thunder is an Irish singing group and stage show known for its eclectic, theatrical style show. The group is backed by the Celtic Thunder Band on their concert tours, and their live shows are known for the use of dramatic set pieces (of ...

released their fourth album, entitled ''It's Entertainment''. This album, meant to pay homage to past musical styles, features their youngest member

Damian McGinty Damian Joseph McGinty Jr. (born 9 September 1992) is an Irish singer and actor. McGinty has been performing for over a decade, and a member of the group Celtic Thunder for thirteen years starting when he was fourteen. On 21 August 2011, McGinty ...

singing "Standing on the Corner". Celtic Thunder's DVD of the same name features McGinty dressed in a sweater and cabbie performing the number.

References

External links

Frank Loesser website

The Four Lads home page
* {{The Four Lads 1956 singles Dean Martin songs The Four Lads songs Songs written by Frank Loesser Songs from musicals 1956 songs