Tammy
1956



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Highlights
  • Written for the 1957 Universal International Pictures film Tammy And The Bachelor starring Debbie Reynolds, Leslie Nielsen and Walter Brennan.
  • Tammy and the Bachelor, Tammy Tell Me True, Tammy and the Doctor, Tammy and the Millionaire comprise the Tammy movies, a series of four light-hearted films about Tambrey “Tammy” Tyree, a naïve young girl from Mississippi produced by Universal International Pictures between 1957 and 1967.
  • The films were adaptations of novels by Cid Ricketts Sumner.
  • Tammy the television series was a sitcom loosely based on the Tammy movies that starred Debbie Watson in the title role.
  • The television series was produced by Universal City Studios, with 26 color half-hour episodes that aired on ABC form September 17, 1965 to March 11, 1966.
  • "Tammy", the song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song for 1957.
  • This song has become an irresistible target for parody over the years, most notably in Stan Freberg’s “Madison Ave. Werewolf”: “When I hold your sweet, hairy hands tight in min… Clammy! Clammy!”
  • Debbie Reynolds was voted second for the 1957 Golden Laurel Awards for Top Female Comedy Performance from Motion Picture Exhibitor Magazine, Tammy and the Bachelor was awarded third place for Top Comedy Picture.
  • This song became a number one smash hit for Debbie Reynolds in 1957. It spent 23 weeks on the Top 40 charts, staying at no. 1 for five weeks. It was eventually certified gold.



Recording History
The 1,000 Strings
The Ames Brothers and Joe Reisman and his Orchestra, single, RCA Victor Records, 47-6930
John Arpin
George Barnes, George Barnes and his Music, Decca Records, 9-30398
Karen Benjamin and Alan Chapman
Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra, Wonderland by Night, Decca Records, DL 74101
Stanley Black
Johnny Burt
Grace Chang, Jin Zheung Ge Lan Ming Dian, EMI
The Chordettes
The Columbia Ballroom Orchestra
Sam Cooke
Dean Courtney, single, RCA Victor Records, 47-9049
Floyd Cramer, On the Rebound, RCA Victor Records, LSP-2359, Produced by Chet Atkins
Dracula and Vampira
Michael Feinstein, Livingston & Evans Songbook, Concord Records, FCD-3101-2, 2002
Connie Francis
Frank DeVol and His Orchestra, Fabulous Hollywood!, Columbia Records, CS8172
Fred Ellis with Chorus and Orchestra directed by Henry Jerome, (single), Coral Records, 62264
Andre Gagnon
John Gary, The Choice of The Greatest, RCA Victor Records, LPM-3501
The Gunter Kallman Chorus and Orchestra, 4 Corners of the World, Polydor Records, FC4-146
Clancy Hayes
Joni James
Jonah Jones
Joseph Gershenson and The Universal International Orchestra, Coral Records, 9-61845
Pat Kirby, single, 4 Corners of the World/Polydor Records, FC4-146
Liberace
Trini Lopez
Mantovani and his Orchestra
Jane Morgan
Mutshiro Nishiwaki
Marty Paich
Ray Conniff and his Orchestra, Memories are Made of This, Columbia Records, CK-8374
Debbie Reynolds and Joseph Gershenson and The Universal International Orchestra, Tammy and 11 Other Great Folk Hits, Dot Records, DLP 3492
Debbie Reynolds and Joseph Gershenson and The Universal International Orchestra, single, Coral Records, 61851
Richard Hayman his Orchestra and Chorus, Mercury Records, 71123X45
Jimmie Rodgers
Edmundo Ros, Hollywood Cha Cha Cha, London Records, LI 3100, 1959
Bob Scobey
Nancy Sinatra
Bill Snyder, single, Decca Records, 9-30433
Jimmy Wakely
Jon Weber, It's Never Quite the Same, Mood Records, MD-1111, 1998
Andy Williams, Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing, Columbia Records, CL 1751 Orchestra conducted by Robert Mersey
Roger Williams, Greatest Hits, RCA Records, MCAD-63
Lyrics
I hear the cottonwoods whisp'rin above,
Tammy! Tammy!
Tammy's my {in} love!
The ole hootie owl
Hootie-hoo's to the dove;
Tammy! Tammy!
Tammy's my (in) love!

Does my darling (lover) feel
What I feel
When she (he) comes near?
My heart beats so joyfully,
You'd think that she (he) could hear!

Wish I knew if she (he) knew
What I'm dreaming of!
Tammy! Tammy! Tammy's my (in) love!

Whippoorwill, whippoorwill, you and I know,
Tammy! Tammy! Can't let him go!
The breeze from the bayou keeps murmuring low;
Tammy! Tammy!
You love him so!

When the night is warm,
Soft and warm,
I long for his charms!
I'd sing like a violin
If I were in his arms!

Wish I knew if he knew
What I'm dreaming of!
Tammy! Tammy!
Tammy's in love!
TAMMY From the Universal-International Picture, Tammy, Northern Music Corp., 1956. Music and Lyrics by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans (Special Picture Release)