This Ole House

"This Ole House" (or sometimes written "This Old House") is a popular song by Stuart Hamblen published in 1954. It describes a house in a state of disrepair after its owner's death, and was inspired by a real-life house found by Hamblen and his friends while on a fishing trip. Despite its subject matter, the song is normally performed in an upbeat style. Hamblen intended this to symbolize the joy of the man's going to Heaven.

The recorded version of "This Ole House" by Rosemary Clooney, featuring bass vocals by Thurl Ravenscroft, reached #1 on the Billboard charts in 1954. Clooney's version also topped the charts in the United Kingdom, although there were other UK hit versions by Billie Anthony, and Alma Cogan, both done in 1954.

The recording by Alma Cogan was released by HMV as catalog number 7M 269. The flip side was "Skokiaan".

In March 1981, Shakin' Stevens took the song back to number one for three weeks in the United Kingdom. His version was re-released in 2005, after his appearance in the TV show "Hit Me Baby One More Time", and reached number 20 in the UK charts.

The song was also covered by the Cathedral Quartet and Hovie Lister & The Statesmen as a Southern Gospel song with slightly modified lyrics, using the house as an analogy for an old body about to die and the soul about to go to Heaven, usually tying the song in with "When the Saints Go Marching In".

When Olle Adolphson wrote lyrics in Swedish as "Trettifyran" ("Number thirty-four"), a Per Myrberg recording stayed at Svensktoppen for 39 weeks during the period 26 June 1964-27 March 1965, where it peaked at #1. The song was also recorded by dansbands as Thorleifs (1981) and Ingmar Nordströms (1988).

Ismo Kallio recorded the song in Finnish now named "Seiska", with Saukki's new lyrics (about an old street car number 7), in 1965 and Moog Konttinen recorded a second cover version 35 years later, in 2000.

Recorded versions

* Liz Anderson
* Allison Durham Speer
* Billie Anthony
* Black Lace
* Bill Black
* Wilf Carter
* Cathedral Quartet
* Rosemary Clooney
* Alma Cogan
* Wilma Lee Cooper
* Jimmy Dean
* Brownie Ford
* Golden Hammond
* Stuart Hamblen
* Jessica King
* Enoch Light
* Hovie Lister
* Bruce Low
* Bette Midler
* Mrs. Miller
* The Mom and Dads
* NRBQ
* Carl Perkins
* Joan Regan
* Brian Setzer Orchestra
* The Statler Brothers
* Shakin' Stevens
* Johnny Tillotson
* Vocal Spectrum
* George Younce
* Boxcar Willie
* The Cathedrals
* Tex Williams & Rex Allen
* The Shafer Quartet

External links

* [http://www.rosemaryclooney.com/LyricPages/Thisolehouse.html Lyrics to "This Ole House"]