Bill Buchanan (April 30, 1930 – August 1, 1996) was an American songwriter.
His most famous composition took place in 1956, when he andDickie Goodman created the sound collage "The Flying Saucer". Thisnovelty record marked the beginning of the so-called "break-in record".[1][2] After Buchanan and Goodman severed their partnership in 1959, Buchanan later wrote the song "Please Don't Ask About Barbara" forBobby Vee.[3] He also co-produced records for other artists, one of which wasThe Three Stooges.[4] Some records he co-produced withDickie Goodman, with whom he ran the Lunaverse record label.[5]
In 1962, with his then partner,Brill Building veteranHoward 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 bookDickie 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.[citation needed]
Gone Records 5032
"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.
This was a Halloween-based version of "The Night Before Christmas". "Beware" was also a pretty good Halloween rocker.
This song includes a joke on a break-in when one of the characters tells the creature to stop talking to him in records.
ABC-Paramount Records 45-10,033
101X
102
103
105
107
108
Comic Records 500
Novelty Records 301
Novel Records 711
Other records he was involved with:Gone Records 5031Eddie 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 RecordsThe 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 HouseThe ConcertAt The Baseball GameClick Dart's Band StandThe Chipped MonksLet's Cut A RecordSing-Along With MoeAt The Circus Parts 1 & 2The Toy Store Parts 1 & 2Goodbye, Auld Lang Syne!
Golden Records 559The 3 Stooges / All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth / I Gotta Cold For Christmas (12/1959)
Golden Records 623The 3 Stooges / Sing Happy Yuletide SongsThe tracks on this e.p. are as follows:I Want A Hippopotamus For ChristmasI Gotta Cold For ChristmasWreck The Halls With Boughs Of HollyJingle Bells DragDown Through The Housetop
20th Century Fox Records 45-139The Little Toy Band / The Little Tin Man / Teeny Little Me (1/1960)This was written and produced by Buchanan & Cella
Guaranteed Records 204The Prancers / Short Short `nin' / Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer (1/1960)This one was produced by Buchanan & Goodman.
Triodex Records 112James MacArthur / (The Story Of) The In-Between Years - (Parts 1 & 2) (1961)This was also released on Scepter.It was produced and co-written by Bill Buchanan.The singer on this record would turn up in a much more famous Role on the hit t.v. show "Hawaii 5-0". When Steve McGarrett would say, "Book `em Dano!", this is who he was talking to.
Dynamic Sound Records 502Susan Smith / A Letter From Susan / Will You Love Me When I'm Old? (1962)This was written and produced by Greenfield & Buchanan.
Liberty Records F-55419Bobby Vee /Please Don't Ask About Barbara / I Can't Say Goodbye (2/24/1962)Barbara was written by Bill Buchanan.
Rori Records 714Joel Langran / I Really Want To Be A "Singar" / Young And Foolish (1964)Written & produced by Buchanan & Goodman.
Label UnknownSusan Smith (Susan Smith Goodman) / Never Play Poker With A Man Named Doc Or Eat At A Place Called Mom's (1966)[6][7]Produced byDickie Goodman and/or Bill Buchanan.
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