Winfield Scott (November 27, 1920 – October 26, 2015), also known as Robie Kirk, was an American songwriter and singer. He wrote or co-wrote the hit songs "Tweedle Dee" for LaVern Baker, and he was a co-writer with Otis Blackwell of "Return to Sender" for Elvis Presley.[1] "Return to Sender", written for the Presley film Girls! Girls! Girls!, was a U.K. No.1 single and peaked at No.2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Scott was born in Bloomfield, New Jersey. In the 1950s, he was a member of a vocal group, The Cues.[2]
Scott was a longtime collaborator of Otis Blackwell and together they were hired to write a song for the Elvis Presley film Roustabout. While the film was released in 1964, the song "I'm a Roustabout" was not used, producer Hal Wallis instead preferring "Roustabout", written by Bill Giant, Bernie Baum and Florence Kaye, as the title song.[3] In 2003, a remark made to Peter Guarraci, a Star Ledger reporter, by Scott started a search for the lost recording of the Presley song, which was eventually found and released on the 2003 Elvis Presley compilation album, 2nd to None.[4][5] Another Scott and Blackwell collaboration is the R&B classic "Home In Your Heart".[6]
Scott also wrote "Many Tears Ago" for Connie Francis. Released in October, 1960, the song reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Scott died on October 26, 2015, at age 94.[2]
Partial song list
edit- "Tweedlee Dee" (LaVern Baker and The Gliders)
- "Burn That Candle" (Bill Haley, Emmylou Harris)
- "Bop-Ting-a-Ling" with Blackwell (LaVern Baker)
- "We’re Comin’ In Loaded" with Blackwell (Elvis Presley)
- "(Such an) Easy Question" with Blackwell (Elvis Presley)
- "Return to Sender" with Blackwell (Elvis Presley)
- "One Broken Heart for Sale" with Blackwell (Elvis Presley)
- "Oh Why?" (Little Richard)
- "Please Don’t Drag That String Around" with Blackwell (Elvis Presley)
- "Long Legged Girl (with the Short Dress On)" with Leslie McFarland (Elvis Presley)
- I'm a Roustabout with Blackwell (Elvis Presley)
- "Stranger in the Crowd" (Elvis Presley)
- "Comfy'n Cozy" with Blackwell (Conway Twitty)
- "A Bucket of Tears" (Peggy Lee)
- "Sweetheart" (Peggy Lee)
- "That's Right" (Mills Brothers) 1956
- "Mister Moon" (Pat Boone) 1963
- "Many Tears Ago" (Connie Francis)
References
edit- ^ "Interview with Winfield Scott". Retrieved 2006-11-13.
- ^ a b "Winfield Scott Obituary". unionfuneralhome.com. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
- ^ "Press Release - "I'm A Roustabout"". Retrieved 2009-11-01.
- ^ "Lost Elvis Song I'm a Roustabout". Retrieved 2006-11-20.
- ^ Thomas, Stephen (2003-10-07). "2nd to None - Elvis Presley : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
- ^ "The Derek Trucks Band". Archived from the original on 2006-11-12. Retrieved 2006-11-20.