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Theme from A Summer Place

"Theme from A Summer Place" is a song with lyrics by Mack Discant and music by Max Steiner, written for the 1959 film A Summer Place, which starred Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue. It was recorded for the film as an instrumental by Hugo Winterhalter. Originally known as the "Molly and Johnny Theme", this lush extended cue,[1] as orchestrated by Murray Cutter, is not the main title theme of the film, but an oft-heard secondary love theme for the characters played by Dee and Donahue. The theme has become a canonical representation of the easy listening genre, and is considered by some to be the definitive easy listening track of all time.[2]

For the album by Billy Vaughn, see Theme from A Summer Place (album).

Following its introduction in the film by the Warner Bros. studio orchestra, the theme was recorded by many artists in both instrumental and vocal versions, and has also appeared in a number of subsequent films and television programs. The best-known version of the theme is an instrumental version by Percy Faith and his Orchestra that was a number-one hit for nine weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1960.[3]

"Theme from A Summer Place"

"Go-Go-Po-Go"[4]

September 1959[5]

11 September 1959

2:25

lyrics by Mack Discant and music by Max Steiner

31 May 1965

1965

2:00

lyrics by Mack Discant and music by Max Steiner

In 1960, included an instrumental orchestral arrangement of the theme as the title cut to his album Theme From A Summer Place released on Dot Records, which peaked at number one on the Billboard LP chart.

Billy Vaughn

In 1961, recorded an orchestral rendition of the theme for his album Mantovani Plays Music From 'Exodus' and Other Great Themes; the album reached the Top Ten on the UK charts.

Mantovani

List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1960 (U.S.)