Neil Sedaka initiated his musical journey in 1957 and has amassed millions of record sales throughout his career. He can proudly claim a catalog of more than 500 songs, with collaboration credits on some of them. At the age of eight, Sedaka successfully auditioned for a piano scholarship at the Juilliard School of Music’s Preparatory Division for Children, which he attended on Saturdays.
While his mother aspired for him to become a renowned classical pianist, Sedaka was gradually drawn into the world of pop music. And we’re certainly grateful for that!
Presented below is one of his most renowned compositions, titled “Oh! Carol,” penned by Neil Sedaka in 1958. The song achieved the ninth position on the American charts in 1959 and reached the coveted #1 spot on the Italian charts for four consecutive weeks in January 1960. Sedaka had a romantic history with Carole King during his high school days when she was known as Carol Klein. As a homage, he chose to incorporate his name into the song.
Gerry Goffin, King’s husband at the time, crafted a playful response titled “Oh! Neil,” which King recorded and released as a single, albeit without much success, in the same year. “Oh! Carol” has been covered by numerous artists in various languages.
The video below features a live performance of “Oh! Carol” by Neil Sedaka, captured during The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show on December 5th, 1959. Be sure to enjoy this incredible live rendition and share your thoughts with us in the comments section! Don’t hesitate to share this burst of love from the past with your family and friends!