The “Golden Hits Of The 60s” 

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LOLITA 

“SAILOR“ 

(Werner Scharfenberger, Fini Busch)

Kapp 349

No. 5    December 19, 1960

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Loiita Ditta was born in St. Poelten, Austria, about 40 miles outside of Vienna.  Until getting a chance

airing over Radio Linz, Ditta was a children’s nurse who sang mostly in her church choir on  Sundays.

The response to her radio debut was such that TV appearances, films, and the chance to make records

were offered to her.  One of the petite fraulein’s first vinyl efforts was “Sailor.”

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A copy of  the husky-voiced nurse’s recording landed on the desk of  the president of Kapp Records,  Dave

Kapp.   Sensing something, Kapp released the record in the U. S.  Despite its German lyrics, and with only

a breathy monologue over one chorus in English, “Sailor” sold well enough to become the very first  record

sung in German by a female to reach Billboard’s top 10.

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Despite the higher probability back in the ’50s of having a hit with a song in a foreign tongue, outlanders

like ROCCO GRANTA, IVO ROBIC, and KYU SAKAMOTO never managed to explore the reaches of the top

40 more than once.  And holding to the tradition, Lolita’s “Sailor” was her lone top 40 success.