"Calendar Girl" is a song by Neil Sedaka. The music was composed by Sedaka and the lyrics by Howard Greenfield. Recorded in 1960 and released in December of that year, it was a Top-5 hit single for Sedaka, peaking at #4 on the US charts, #3 in Australia, and #1 on the Canadian and Japanese charts.
Background
Howard Greenfield got the inspiration for the song title from an old movie listing in TV Guide. Record producer Joe Viglione, writing for AllMusic, describes the song as a G-rated calendar of pin-ups such as Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe, using verbal rather than visual imagery. Each month gives a different reason for the singer's affection for the titular character, and September—"I light the candles at your sweet sixteen"—may be a reference to Sedaka's yet-to-be-released hit "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" or just an acknowledgement of his target audience. Other months in the song reference Valentine's Day in February, the Easter Bunny in April, a junior prom in May and June. Instrumentation on the song was provided by Stan Applebaum and His Orchestra, with Gary Chester on drums. Recording of the song required 26 takes over a three-hour period. The song was released to a 45 rpm single backed with a country-and-western song, "The Same Old Fool". Both songs were also released on a Compact 33 Single, a short-lived format that RCA Victor promoted in the early 1960s.
Promotional video
A contemporary Scopitone promotional clip for the song was filmed in color. It consists of Neil Sedaka playing the piano and dancing alongside a number of models, on a mock stage made to resemble calendar themes.
Reception
"Calendar Girl" became Sedaka's sixth hit in two years, but was also his first top-five record. The song peaked at #4 on the US Billboard chart and #1 on the Canadian and Japanese chart in 1961. In New Zealand, the song reached #7. The recording peaked at number 8 in the UK, as well as a top 5 in Australia.
Chart history
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Covers
recorded a French-language cover of this song, Tout Au Long Du Calendrier. The Swedish group Sven-Ingvars—then called Sven-Ingvars Kvartett—recorded a version of Calendar Girl on their second EP "Pony Time" in 1961. In 1963, Dee Dee Sharp recorded "Calendar Boy" published by Cameo Parkway Records. In 1973, Tirso Cruz III under Vicor Music Philippines. In 1977, Tina Arena and John Bowles recorded a version for their album "Tiny Tina and Little John". In 1978, The Beach Boys recorded a version of "Calendar Girl" with Mike Love on lead. This version was never released by The Beach Boys but was lightly modified by Mike Love for his first solo album, Looking Back with Love. In 1978, Purina Cat Chow also did a commercial using a track called "Calendar Cat", which sounds like Neil Sedaka's "Calendar Girl". In 1991, Mexican pop bandOV7 recorded a version in Spanish were entitled "Calendario de Amor". Also in 1991, Neil Sedaka recorded a new version of "Calendar Girl", which was included as the B-side of his newly released single "The Miracle Song". In 1998, the Brazilian singer Eliana recorded the song on his sixth studio album, titled "Um Calendário do Amor". In 2012, J-Pop singer Aimer recorded the song on her cover albumBitter & Sweet. In 2013, Shakey Graves recorded a cover of "Calendar Girl" for his album "Story Of My Life."
