THE FOUR LADS Moments To Remember (1955) - 78 RPM Record

The Four Lads – Moments To Remember
Orchestra under direction of Ray Ellis
Written by Al Stillman and Robert Allen
78 RPM audio transfer from the Bowness Arts collection of vintage records

The Four Lads – Moments To Remember / Dream On, My Love Dream On
Label: Columbia 40539 (Canada)
Format: Shellac, 10", 78 RPM
Country: Canada
Recorded: June 21, 1955
Released: 1955
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal, Spoken Word
Other side of this record: Dream On, My Love Dream On

"Moments to Remember" is a 1955 popular song about nostalgia recorded by Canadian quartet The Four Lads. The song was originally written by Robert Allen and Al Stillman for Perry Como but was turned down by Como's management. The Four Lads recorded it in June 1955 for Columbia Records as the B side to the single "Dream On, My Love." It eventually reached number 2 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 hit list, sold 4 million copies and became the group's first gold record. Among the lists of memorable moments in the song's lyrics include: Doing the town on New Year's Day when they tore the goal post down, the quiet walks, the noisy fun, and almost winning the Ballroom Prize. Besides the voices of the male quartet, the song also contains two uncredited female parts. According to the Four Lads' Frank Busseri, the introductory verse, ("January through December/We'll have moments to remember"), as well as the repeat of the Bridge section in harmony, ("When summer turns to winter",) were sung by Lois Winters of the Ray Charles Singers and the poetic spoken words in mid-song: ("A drive-in movie/Where we'd go/And somehow never watched the show/") were recited by Pat Kirby who at that time was a singer on Steve Allen's television show Tonight!.

The Four Lads - Members:
Corrado "Connie" Codarini (Bass) was born February 11, 1930 in Toronto, Ontario. He died on April 28, 2010 in Concord, North Carolina, at the age of 80.

John Bernard "Bernie" Toorish (Lead) was born March 2, 1931 in Toronto, Ontario.

James F. "Jimmy" Arnold (Tenor) was born January 4, 1932 in Toronto, Ontario. He died June 15, 2004 in Sacramento, California, at the age of 72.

Frank Busseri (Baritone) was born October 10, 1932 in Toronto, Ontario. He died January 28, 2019 in Rancho Mirage, California, at the age of 86.

The Four Lads were a Canadian male doo-wop quartet who gained prominence in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, the founding members, Corrado "Connie" Codarini, John Bernard "Bernie" Toorish, James F. "Jimmy" Arnold, and Frank "Frankie" Busseri, all attended St. Michael’s Choir School and honed their singing skills there. In 1950, the quartet began performing in local clubs and quickly caught the attention of scouts. Their talent was recognized by Mitch Miller, an executive at Columbia Records, who invited them to provide backup vocals for some of the artists he recorded, including Johnnie Ray. This collaboration led to the Four Lads signing a recording contract with Columbia. Their breakthrough came in 1952 with their first hit, "The Mocking Bird," which reached #23 on the Billboard pop charts. This success prompted their transition to the Columbia label, where they continued to achieve more hits throughout the 1950s. One of their most notable songs was "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" in 1953, which became their first top-ten hit in the United States. The Four Lads' signature tunes, such as "Moments to Remember" and "Standing on the Corner" from the Broadway musical "The Most Happy Fella," solidified their fame in the music industry. In the late 1950s, they had their last significant pop hit with a re-recording of "The Mocking Bird." After their Columbia contract expired in 1960, the group recorded for various labels throughout the 1960s without chart success. In recognition of their achievements, the Four Lads were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.