It's All In The Game

Tommy Edwards was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1922 and eventually grew up to be a talented pianist and singer/songwriter.  Edwards died in 1969 of a brain aneurysm at a young age 47.

His self-penned This Chick’s Too Young To Fry, was popularized by Louis Jordan in 1946 while other better-known solo recordings eventually became bigger hits for other artists, such as A Fool Such As I by Elvis Presley (#2; 1959) and The Morning Side of The Mountain by Donnie & Marie (#8; 1975.) 

But it was Edwards’ recording of a timeless ballad entitled It’s All In The Game, which he originally released and took into the top 20 in 1951, that made him stand out.  By the end of the 1950s, however, Edwards was looking to salvage his sinking career and decided to dust off the old tune one more time. 

With a new arrangement of the song that was geared towards the new rock & roll generation (as well as being an early stereo recording) he once again lent his unique voice & performed it on the Ed Sullivan show in September 1958.  It became his biggest and best known hit. 

It’s All In The Game also has a distinct and distinguished history in that it is the only charted song written by a Vice-President of the United States.  Charles Dawes, 30th VP of the United States to Calvin Coolidge during his 2nd administration in 1925, wrote the song in 1912 when he was an investment banker in Chicago.  Prior to the addition of lyrics by Carl Sigman, the tune was known as Melody In A Major and also Dawes’ Melody.  Dawes died in 1951; the same year the lyrics were added. 

On this day in history, Charles Dawes was born in 1865 while today in 1958, his signature piece It’s All In The Game was in its 2nd week of a 6 week run at #1 on the Billboard charts.  And as this tune approaches its 100th anniversary in 2012, it’s clear by the added lyric that the “game” is always on.

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