"Donna the Prima Donna" | ||||
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Single by Dion | ||||
from the album Donna the Prima Donna | ||||
B-side | "You're Mine" | |||
Released | August 20, 1963 | |||
Genre | Rock and roll | |||
Length | 2:47 | |||
Label | Columbia Records 42852 | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Robert Mersey | |||
Dion singles chronology | ||||
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"Donna the Prima Donna" is a song written by Dion DiMucci and Ernie Maresca and performed by Dion. It reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, [1] No. 9 on the Cash Box Top 100, [2] and No. 17 on Billboard's R&B chart in 1963, [1] while reaching No. 17 on Canada's CHUM Hit Parade, [3] and No. 2 in Hong Kong. [4] It was from Dion's 1963 album, Donna the Prima Donna. [5]
The track was produced by Robert Mersey and arranged by DiMucci. [6] The backing group is the Del-Satins.
It was ranked No. 86 on Billboard magazine's Top Hot 100 songs of 1963. [7] It references Zsa Zsa Gabor and how the titular girl tries to look like her.
Dion Francis DiMucci, better known as Dion, is an American singer and songwriter. His music incorporates elements of doo-wop, pop, rock, R&B, folk and blues. Initially the lead singer of the vocal group Dion and the Belmonts, Dion embarked on a solo career, and was one of the most prominent rock and roll performers of the pre-British Invasion era. He had 39 Top 40 hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a solo performer, or with the Belmonts and the Del-Satins. He is best remembered for his signature hit songs "Runaround Sue", "The Wanderer", "Ruby Baby" and "Lovers Who Wander", among others.
"Denise" is a song written by Neil Levenson that was inspired by his childhood friend, Denise Lefrak. In 1963, it became a popular top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, when recorded by the American doo-wop group Randy & the Rainbows. A cover version by the American new wave group Blondie, re-titled "Denis", hit number 2 in the UK Singles Chart in 1978. Dutch actress and singer Georgina Verbaan covered "Denis" in 2002 and reached number 30 on the Dutch Singles Chart.
"All by Myself" is a song by American singer-songwriter Eric Carmen released in 1975. The verse is based on the second movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff's circa 1900–1901 Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18. The chorus was taken from the song "Let's Pretend", which Carmen wrote and recorded with the Raspberries in 1972. The slide guitar solo was performed by studio guitarist Hugh McCracken.
"Dream Lover" is a song written by American musician Bobby Darin. Darin recorded his composition on March 5, 1959 and released it as a single the following month. It was produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler and engineered by Tom Dowd.
"Diana" is a song written and first performed by Paul Anka, who recorded it in May 1957 at Don Costa’s studio in New York City. Anka stated in his autobiography that the song was inspired by a girl named Diana Ayoub, whom he had met at his church and community events, and had developed a crush on. Session musicians on the record included George Barnes playing lead guitar, Bucky Pizzarelli playing the "Calypso" riff on guitar, Irving Wexler on piano, Jerry Bruno on bass, and Panama Francis on drums. The song was recorded in May 1957 at RCA Studios in New York. Backup singers included Artie Ripp.
"Take Good Care of My Baby" is a song written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. The song was made famous by Bobby Vee, when it was released in 1961.
"Hot Stuff" is a song by American singer Donna Summer from her seventh studio album Bad Girls (1979), produced by English producer Pete Bellotte and Italian producer Giorgio Moroder and released as the lead single from Bad Girls in 1979 through Casablanca Records. Up to that point, Summer had mainly been associated with disco songs but this song also showed a significant rock direction, including a guitar solo by ex-Doobie Brother and Steely Dan guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter. It is the second of four songs by Summer to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Ernest Peter Maresca was an American singer, songwriter and record company executive, best known for writing or co-writing some of Dion's biggest hits, including "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer".
"The Wanderer" is a song written by Ernie Maresca and originally recorded by Dion, released on his 1961 album Runaround Sue. The song, with a 12-bar blues-base verse and an eight-bar bridge, tells the story of a travelling man and his many loves. The song is ranked number 243 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Dion and the Belmonts were an American vocal trio prominent throughout the 1950s. All of its members were from the Bronx, New York City. In 1957, Dion DiMucci joined the vocal group the Belmonts. The established trio of Angelo D'Aleo, Carlo Mastrangelo and Fred Milano formed a quartet with DiMucci.
"To Know Him Is to Love Him" is a song written by Phil Spector, inspired by words on his father's tombstone, "To Know Him Was to Love Him." It was first recorded by the only vocal group of which he was a member, the Teddy Bears. Their recording spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1958, while reaching No. 2 on the UK's New Musical Express chart. Peter & Gordon and Bobby Vinton later had hits with the song, with its title and lyrics changed to "To Know You Is to Love You". In 1987, the song was resurrected by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris, whose Trio recording topped the U.S. country singles chart. The song is in 12/8 time.
"Runaround Sue" is a rock and roll song, originally a US No. 1 Hot 100 hit for the singer Dion during 1961, after he split with the Belmonts. It was written by Dion with Ernie Maresca, and tells the story of a disloyal lover. The song ranked No. 351 on the Rolling Stone list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
"Just One Look" is a song co-written by American R&B singers Doris Troy and Gregory Carroll. The recording by Doris Troy was a hit in 1963. The Hollies, Anne Murray, Linda Ronstadt and Iain Matthews each achieved great success with the song. There have also been many other versions.
"Forget Him" is a song written by Tony Hatch and released in 1963 by Bobby Rydell. The song spent 16 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 4 on January 18, 1964, while it spent 14 weeks on the United Kingdom's Record Retailer chart, reaching No. 13. The song also reached No. 3 on Billboard's Middle-Road Singles chart, No. 3 on Canada's CHUM Hit Parade, No. 8 on the Irish Singles Chart, and No. 2 in Hong Kong.
"See the Funny Little Clown" is a song written and sung by Bobby Goldsboro, which he recorded on October 17, 1963 and released on November 18, 1963. In 1964, the song spent 13 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 9, while reaching No. 3 on Billboard's Middle-Road Singles chart, No. 10 on the Cash Box Top 100, and No. 30 on Canada's CHUM Hit Parade.
"Please Love Me Forever" is a song written by John Malone and Ollie Blanchard. The song was originally released by Tommy Edwards in 1958. Hit versions were later released by Cathy Jean and the Roommates in 1960 and Bobby Vinton in 1967.
"My Heart Belongs to Only You" is a song written by Frank Daniels & Dorothy Daniels. Bette McLaurin and June Christy both released versions of the song in 1952. In 1953, the song reached No. 27 on Cash Box's chart of "The Nation's Top 50 Best Selling Records", in a tandem ranking of June Christy, Bette McLaurin, these versions were marked as bestsellers.
"The Gypsy Cried" is a song written by Twyla Herbert & Lou Christie, using his actual name Lugee Sacco, which was released by Lou Christie as a single in 1962. The name "Lou Christie" was chosen by C & C Records, and "The Gypsy Cried" was credited to "Lou Christie" before they had consulted with Sacco about the name.
"This Little Girl" is a song written by Bruce Springsteen. A version by Gary U.S. Bonds was listed on music charts in 1981.
"Out of My Mind" is a song written and sung by Johnny Tillotson, which he released in 1963. The song spent 10 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 24, while reaching No. 11 on Billboard's Middle-Road Singles chart, No. 28 on Canada's CHUM Hit Parade, No. 34 on the UK's Record Retailer chart, and No. 23 on the UK New Musical Express chart.