Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999), nicknamed “the Velvet Fog“, was an American musician, singer, composer, arranger, drummer, actor, and writer. He composed the music for “The Christmas Track” (“Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Hearth”) and co-wrote the lyrics with Bob Wells. Tormé received two Grammy Awards and was nominated a complete of 14 instances.
“Comin’ House Child” is a music initially written as an instrumental by Ben Tucker and first recorded by the Dave Bailey Quintet for his or her album 2 Ft within the Gutter in 1961, and shortly thereafter by Herbie Mann on his dwell album Herbie Mann on the Village Gate. Lyrics had been added by Bob Dorough, and the vocal model grew to become a US Prime 40 hit on the Billboard Sizzling 100 for American jazz singer Mel Tormé from his album Comin’ House Child! in 1962. The music has since been lined quite a few instances.
Tucker then persuaded his buddy, lyricist Bob Dorough (later of Schoolhouse Rock! fame), to put in writing a lyric for the tune, and producer Nesuhi Ertegun persuaded singer Mel Tormé, who had just lately joined the Atlantic label, to report it. Tormé was initially reluctant to report the music, and later wrote that: “It was a minor-key blues tune with trite repetitious lyrics and an ‘reply’ sample to be sung by the Cookies, a lady trio that had as soon as labored for Ray Charles“. The recording occurred in New York Metropolison 13 September 1962.
