The “Golden Hits Of The 50s”
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ART & DOTTY TODD
“CHANSON D’AMOUR (SONG OF LOVE)“
(Wayne Shanklin)
Era 1064
No. 6, May 5, 1958
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Arthur (b. Mar. II, 1920) and Dolly (b. June 2l, 1923) Todd wore born and raised in Elizabeth, New
Jersey. It wasn’t until a chance encounter in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1941 that they met and
learned of their mutual interest in making music. At the time, Art was playing both guitar and banjo
and studying music at Syracuse Univensity; Dot had studied the piano, and attending a business
college.
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Before the year’s end, Art and Dot shared the same last name, and before the decades end, the
twosome was performing together at clubs and hotels. RCA Victor issued some of their duets,
which had sold well in Europe but which stiffed in the United States.
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Art then happened on to what he thought was a neat number by the fellow who wrote “Jezebel” for
Frankle Laine, Wayne Shanklin, called “Chanson D’Amour.” Possibly with the successful sounds of
Les Paul and Mary Ford in mind, Art and Dotty shaped and recorded their own mellow shuffle.
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“‘One day this songwriter named Shanklin walked into our office and said, ‘Lou, l got a master I did
at Gold Star [Studios], and I’ve been turned down by six people,” reported the eo-owner of ERA
Records, Lou Bedell. in an article for Goldmine. “I took it into this room and played it. The song
was by this guy and his wife, from Rhode Island. I knew it was a hit. I asked Wayne what kind of
deal he wanted. He said ‘Give the artists four percent, give me $400 for the publishing, and it’s
yours.’ I wrote him out a cheek right there.
”When Herb [Newman, the other owner of ERA] came back from the psychiatrist–where he went
three times a week–he asked, “Anything happening?” I said, ‘Yeah, I just bought a master called
Chanson D’Amour.’ When I played it for him, he yelled, ‘You paid $400 for this piece of shit?!”‘
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Within weeks the disk topped the mighty “Lucky Strike Hit Parade” and with near immediate sales
of 650,000, the husband-and-wife act had their one and only crash into the nation’s Top 10. The
couples’ next number, “Straight as an Arrow,” whined by with bare a notice. For years, the two
recorded Shanklin tunes and their own creations, but nowhere was that follow-up hit to he found.
When last spotted, the Todds were performing as a lounge act in the Las Vegas area. An album by
Art, I Love the Banjo, is still in print on the GNP label; when last a peak taken.
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Brown, THEf>LA KtLGORE, and the R & B classic “Howlmprcssiom, the Shirdks, Chuck Jackson,
Maxine Can I Forget” for the late Jimmy Holiday. 1ownsend also wrote and produced Dee Dee
Warwick” Grammy nominee jFoolish
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“I’m especially proud of the twc albums I did with”Lc:t1s Get It On.1 Nelson Riddle for Capitol.!tfid ‘I
Love You,’ and ‘There Is NEnd’ on Libertysaid Ed pawing, t<ofleeting. “‘If a Peanut farmer Can Do It
So Can I,’ not my favorite record, but I’ve always believed if you try you’ll get more out of life than if
you don’t. Thoy <an •top you from getting the pri'”• but not from winning:•
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Townlf:nd’s son David is a member of the band Surface, the highly successful trio known for four
R & B number (mes'”OoRr Than Fricnd t Your Love,” “You Are My Everything,” and “‘The First Time.”‘