When the Red Red Robin . . .

What do robins, hit songs, and burgers have in common?
More than you might think – as  you will find out in this post.

Meanwhile, there’s been a lot of robins in and around the F&P backyard this spring-summer. We’re caught some of the offspring in the yard – not actually – only through the lens.

Thanks to Red Red Robin songwriter Harry Woods (more details later). First, some “awww” photos.

   There’s nothing quite as tasty as worms – if you’re a baby robin.

 

Proud mother and fledgling.
Notice any family resemblance?

Ready for my close-up now

     L-U-N-C-H

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Good looking little guy and a good model

OK, now some answers  . . . (What were the questions?)

When the Red Red Robin Comes Bobbin’ Along ( Harry M. Woods ) was a hit in the mid 1920s and recorded by several popular singers including “Whispering” Jack Smith and Al Jolson who had a #1 hit. In 1952, Doris Day recorded another hit version. The song inspired the name of the Red Robin American casual dining restaurant chain, which started as “Sam’s Red Robin.” Sam, the original restaurant owner, sang in a barbershop quartet which often sang the tune. The business was originally called “Sam’s Tavern” but was renamed after the song in the 1940s. The restaurant, located in Seattle at the corner of Furhman and Eastlake Avenues E. near the University of Washington, became a popular student hangout.

In 1969, Gerry Kingen, a Seattle restaurant entrepreneur bought the business, renamed it  to Red Robin and expanded it. Today there are over 400 Red Robins throughout the U.S. and the chain is known for gourmet burgers, bottomless steak fries and freckled lemonade. Its Royal Red Robin Burger  has a fried egg on the patty. The original restaurant closed in March 2010 reportedly because of  costly maintenance for the old building.

Rockin' Robin is a song written by Leon René under the pseudonym Jimmie Thomas and recorded by Bobby Day (born Robert James Byrd) an early American rock and roll and R&B musician. In 1958 Day’s solo recording was a a “one-hit wonder” and reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold record.

Despite numerous recordings with various record labels, Day never achieved another Top 40 hit. But, he was also a songwriter, and his credits include Little Bitty Pretty One popularized by Thurston Harris (1957), Clyde McPhatter (1962) and the Jackson Five (1972) and  Over and Over which was a hit for the Dave Clark Five (1965).