Bill Buchanan (April 30, 1930 – August 1, 1996) was an American songwriter.
Contents
Career
His most famous composition took place in 1956, when he and Dickie Goodman created the sound collage "The Flying Saucer". This novelty record marked the beginning of the so-called "break-in record". After Buchanan and Goodman severed their partnership in 1959, Buchanan wrote the song "Please Don't Ask About Barbara" for Bobby Vee. He also co-produced records for other artists, one of which was The Three Stooges. Some records he co-produced with Dickie Goodman, with whom he ran the Luniverse record label.
In 1962, with his then partner, Brill Building veteran Howard Greenfield, he wrote and produced a break-in for a new recording artist, Susan Smith ("A Letter From Susan"/"Will You Love Me When I'm Old?", Dynamic Sound 502). A few years later, she met one of Bill's old partners, Dickie Goodman, and recorded with him, later becoming his wife and the mother of their children, one of which is Jon Goodman, who continues in Dickie's footsteps, making break-in records, and recently wrote the book Dickie Goodman: King Of Novelty.
He also was president of a company manufacturing Disk-Go Cases, a plastic cylindrical portable record storage unit.
In his later years, he worked in a jewelry store in Texas until a few years before his death. He died of cancer on August 1, 1996, at age 66.
Singles
Bill Buchanan
Gone Records 5032
The Thing/Oh Happy Day (9/27/1958)
"The Thing" was a cover version of Phil Harris' hit of the same name. "Oh Happy Day" was recorded by someone else, before Buchanan did this version.
United Artists Records 531
The Night Before Halloween/Beware (10/11/1962)
This was a Halloween-based version of "The Night Before Christmas". "Beware" was also a pretty good Halloween rocker.
Buchanan and Ancell
Flying Saucer Records 501
The Creature (From A Science Fiction Movie)/Meet The Creature (From A Science Fiction Movie) (11/30/1957)
This song includes a joke on a break-in when one of the characters tells the creature to stop talking to him in records.
Buchanan and Cella with Cast of Thousands
ABC-Paramount Records 45-10,033
Side 1: String Along With Pal-O-Mine
Side 2: More String Along With Pal-O-Mine/Still More String Along With Pal-O-Mine (8/16/1959)
Buchanan and Goodman
Luniverse Records
101
The Flying Saucer Part 1/The Flying Saucer Part 2 (7/25/1956)
101X
Back To Earth Part 1/Back To Earth Part 2 (7/25/1956)
102
Buchanan And Goodman On Trial/Crazy (11/7/1956)
103
The Banana Boat Story/The Mystery (In Slow Motion) (1957)
105
Flying Saucer The 2nd/Martian Melody (7/13/1957)
107
Santa And The Satellite Part 1/Santa And The Satellite Part 2 (12/14/1957)
108
The Flying Saucer Goes West/Saucer Serenade (1958)
Comic Records 500
Flying Saucer The Third/The Cha Cha Lesson (1959)
Novelty Records 301
Frankenstein Of '59/Frankenstein Returns (1959)
Buchanan and Greenfield
Novel Records 711
The Invasion/What A Lovely Party (8/11/1964)
Other involvements
Other records he was involved with:
Gone Records 5031
Eddie Platt & His Orch. / Cha-Hua-Hua / Vodka (9/27/58)
It's not known for sure if the Bill Buchanan listed on the label as producer of "Vodka" is the same one this page is about, but, since both records on Gone were released back to back, it's a reasonable assumption that they are the same person.
Golden Records
The Three Stooges / Party At Your House (1959)
This album concept and songs were written by Dick Cella in one week. It was co-produced Dick Cella and Bill Buchanan. The back-up band, The Music Wreckers, was assembled Dick & Bill Studio sessions were co-produced by Dick Cella and Bill Buchanan. The tracks on this album are as follows:
We're Coming To Your House
The Concert
At The Baseball Game
Click Dart's Band Stand
The Chipped Monks
Let's Cut A Record
Sing-Along With Moe
At The Circus Parts 1 & 2
The Toy Store Parts 1 & 2
Goodbye, Auld Lang Syne!
Golden Records 559
The 3 Stooges / All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth / I Gotta Cold For Christmas (12/1959)