Elmore Magazine :: June 2005

Question One: Who was the voice and creator of the Chipmunks? What was his real name?

Answer: The man who created the Chipmunks was David Seville. His real name was Ross Bagdasarian

David Seville, born Ross Bagdasarian, was the creator and voice of the Chipmunks, whose record "The Chipmunk Song" spent 4 weeks at the top of the pop music charts in December, 1958. It was re-released and entered the top 40 charts for several more years at Chtistmas time, making it one of the biggest Christmas hits of all time. Before recording "The Chipmunk Song," he had another number one hit in April, 1958, with "Witch Doctor." Is anyone old enough to remember "Oo ee oo ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang"? David Seville passed away at the age of 52 on January 16, 1972.

According to The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, "Witch Doctor" was recorded by David Seville and listed as "(The music of) David Seville." It spent 18 weeks in the Top 40 in 1958 and 3 weeks at #1, beginning on April 14, 1958.

The Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon & Theodore), created by David Seville and listed as "The Chipmunks with David Seville," posted 8 top 40 hits between 1958 and 1962. Actually, 3 of the entries were for the same song, "The Chipmunk Song." That record was #1 for 4 weeks in 1958 and then topped out at #40, on both March 31, 1962 and December 29, 1962. Another recording, "Alvin's Harmonica," entered the Top 40 twice, in February, 1959, and February, 1960.

-Gene Knapp

Question Two: Ironically, the 2 instrumental groups that included both Steve Cropper
and Donald "Duck" Dunn both had "Number 3" hits on the Billboard
charts. What were the groups and the songs?

Answer: The Mar-Keys hit #3 with "Last Night" in the summer of 1961.
Booker T. and the MGs hit #3 with "Green Onions" in the fall of 1962.