Song of the Day #5,915: ‘The Little Shoemaker’ – The Gaylords

Throwing back to the week of September 11, 1954, we find two repeats atop the Billboard chart: The Crew Cuts’ ‘Sh-Boom‘ and Rosemary Clooney’s ‘Hey There.’

At #3 was vocal trio The Gaylords with ‘The Little Shoemaker,’ a song based on the French tune ‘Le petit cordonnier’ by Rudi Revil.

The song certainly has a European flair, with two of the choruses sung in Italian (maybe they had too much trouble singing in French?).

Multiple versions of the song have been recorded, by artists including Petula Clark and (again) Rosemary Clooney. But it was The Gaylords’ version that had the most success in the U.S., peaking at #2 on the Billboard chart.

Tap, tap, stitch and tap
Making a pair of shoes

Lei scarpini de bailare, bailare
Bailaremos tutusi
Lei scarpini de bailare, bailare
Bailaremos con cosi

In the shoemaker’s shop, this refrain would never stop
As he tapped away, working all the day
At his bench, there was he, just as busy as a bee
Little time to lose for the boots and shoes

But his heart went pop inside the little shop
When a lovely girl set him all a-whirl
She had come to choose some pretty dancing shoes
And he heard her say in a charming way

Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
Dancing, dancing all the day
Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
Dancing all my cares away

Then he tapped and he stitched for his fingers were bewitched
And he sewed a dream into every seam
Making shoes, oh so neat, just like magic on her feet
And he hoped she’d know that he loved her so

But she danced, danced, danced as though she were entranced
Like a spinning top all around the shop
On her dainty feet she whirled in the street
And he heard her say as she danced away

Lei scarpini de bailare, bailare
Bailaremos tutusi
Lei scarpini de bailare, bailare
Bailaremos con cosi

Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
Dancing all my cares away
All my cares away

2 thoughts on “Song of the Day #5,915: ‘The Little Shoemaker’ – The Gaylords

  1. Dana Gallup says:

    Not familiar with this one at all.

  2. Peg says:

    never heard of this one either

Leave a reply to Peg Cancel reply

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