Whispering Grass

"Whispering Grass"
Song
Songwriter(s)Fred Fisher, Doris Fisher

"Whispering Grass (Don't Tell the Trees)" is a popular song written by Fred Fisher and his daughter Doris Fisher.[1] The notion of "whispering grass" which reveals a person's secrets extends back to Greek mythology, notably the myth of Midas.

The song was first recorded by Erskine Hawkins & His Orchestra in 1940.[2] The Ink Spots featuring Bill Kenny also recorded it the same year.[3] A live instrumental version was played and recorded by Johnny Hodges with Duke Ellington and his orchestra in the Cristal Ballroom, Fargo, North Dakota, also in 1940.[citation needed]

The song has been covered by numerous singers, including Ringo Starr on his 1970 album Sentimental Journey.[4] In 1975, a version by the British actors Windsor Davies and Don Estelle topped the UK singles chart.

Windsor Davies and Don Estelle version

"Whispering Grass"
Single by Windsor Davies and Don Estelle
from the album It Ain't Half Hot Mum
B-side"I Should Have Known"
ReleasedApril 25, 1975 (1975-04-25)
RecordedJanuary 25, 1975 (1975-01-25)
StudioAbbey Road Studios, London
Length3:06
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Walter J. Ridley
Windsor Davies and Don Estelle singles chronology
"Whispering Grass"
(1975) 		"Paper Doll"
(1975)

A version of "Whispering Grass" was recorded in 1975 by the British actors Windsor Davies and Don Estelle. Davies and Estelle played the characters of Battery Sergeant Major Williams and Gunner "Lofty" Sugden, respectively, in the BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum, which had begun the previous year and which centered on a British Armed Forces concert party stationed in Burma during the Second World War. The series proved extremely popular, and had made household names of Davies and Estelle. Estelle was a trained singer[5] and wanted to use his new-found fame to launch a recording career, but producer Wally Ridley decided that it would be better to record an album capitalizing on the sitcom's success, featuring the cast of the show performing monologues and popular songs from the 1940s era.[6] Issued on EMI Records, the It Ain't Half Hot Mum album was recorded in a single day at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London on January 25, 1975.[7]

Davies and Estelle had been planning a cabaret act based on their characters from the TV show, and "Whispering Grass" was one of the songs that they had planned to include in their show. According to Estelle, when Ridley asked for suggestions for songs to include on the It Ain't Half Hot Mum record, Estelle put forward "Whispering Grass".[7] As Davies did not have a good singing voice, the song was recorded in a semi-comedic style, with Estelle singing in a straight manner and Davies providing spoken word verses and interjections in character as Battery Sergeant Major Williams.[6] Estelle told Record Mirror that with his looks it would have been impossible to sing a romantic song and be taken seriously, and said, "Without the comedy element, I doubt if the song would have taken off."[8] The backing vocals on the track were by the Mike Sammes Singers,[7] with Sammes himself providing the bass note vocals that Davies mimed along to in performances of the song.[9]

Ridley saw the song's potential as a single,[8] and "Whispering Grass" was released on April 25, 1975,[7] with the full credit of "Windsor Davies as B.S.M. Williams and Don Estelle as Gunner Sugden (Lofty)". It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks from 7 June 1975.[10] The single also reached the top five in Ireland, and was a minor hit in New Zealand in 1976 and in Australia in 1977, after It Ain't Half Hot Mum was broadcast in those countries.

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[16] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Whispering Grass (Don't Tell The Trees) - The Ink Spots | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  2. ^ "Coleman Hawkins with Erskine Hawkins and Their Orchestras - Coleman Hawkins | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  3. ^ "Ink Spots* - Whispering Grass (Don't Tell The Trees) / Maybe (Shellac)". Discogs.com. 2016-10-06. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  4. ^ Miles, Barry (1998). The Beatles a Diary: An Intimate Day by Day History. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780711963153.
  5. ^ Barker, Dennis (August 4, 2003). "Obituary: Don Estelle". The Guardian. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Kutner, Jon; Leigh, Spencer (2005). 1000 UK Number One Hits. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-8444-9283-1.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Estelle, Don (1999). Sing Lofty: Thoughts of a Gemini. Don Estelle Music Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9537-3770-3.
  8. ^ a b Iles, Jan (May 31, 1975). "Out to grass in Jersey". Record Mirror. p. 6.
  9. ^ a b Clayson, Alan (June 21, 2001). "Obituary: Mike Sammes". The Guardian. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  10. ^ Roberts, David, ed. (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 187. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  11. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 83. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Whispering Grass". Irish Singles Chart.
  13. ^ "Windsor Davies & Don Estelle – Whispering Grass". Top 40 Singles.
  14. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  15. ^ "Top 50 Singles 1975" (PDF). Music Week. December 27, 1975. p. 25 – via World Radio History.
  16. ^ "British single certifications – Don Estelle and Windsor Davies – Whispering Grass". British Phonographic Industry.
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