Back in the “Game” with Tommy Edwards

Most tales surrounding Tommy Edwards revolve around his big hit “It’s All In The Game” and the fact that it was co-written by a former United States’ Vice President – Charles G. Dawes in 1911 – Dawes was not yet VP – that would come in 1925 – He was the running mate of President Calvin Coolidge.  Dawes was a second choice – taking the nomination when it was turned down by Frank Lowden.

Dawes created the melody to “It’s All in the Game” in 1921 with a composition he called “Melody in A Major”.  As an instrumental, the tune became very popular well before the arrival of charts and was played at many social events live.   The arrangement for orchestra was done by Adolf G. Hoffman.

Dawes enjoys some additional honors:  He and Sonny Bono are the only two U.S. Senators to have a number 1 hit record.  Dawes and Bob Dylan are the only two Nobel Prize winners to have had a number one pop hit!

It would be not until 1951 that words would be added – those by lyricist Carl Sigman.  Carl was the lyricist for many songs including “The Day the Rains Came”, “What Now My Love?”, “My Heart Cries For You” and a monster song “Ebb Tide”.

Second Time Is A Charm

Tommy Edwards was born Thomas Jefferson Edwards on October 15th, 1922 in Richmond, Virginia.  At the age of 17 Tommy was hosting a radio program – a daily 15 minute slot featuring him singing and accompanying himself on the piano.

In 1943 – in his early 20’s – Edwards made the move to New York City where he would begin presenting songs he had composed to publishers on New York’s ‘Tin Pan Alley’ district.  He took a room in a Christian-based Harlem boarding house.  In the Spring of ’43 he would sign on with a talent agency and begin performing and touring the eastern part of the country.

His earliest recording session took place the following year backed by the Sammy Price Orchestra.  Two songs from that session did not make it to vinyl.  A couple of years later, songs penned by Edwards would be recorded first by Samuels with his group the Cats “N” Jammer Three and then by Louis Jordan and his band.

Tommy would form a group in 1947, the Tommy Edwards Trio first recording for Top Records and then in 1949, with National Records.

Edwards’ would next sign on with Signature Records where he failed to release any of his own singles.  But during that time one of his compositions – “One Lie Leads To Another” – would be recorded by an upcoming young Tony Bennett.  Tommy worked hard to peddle his tunes, and appeared on nationally broadcast radio programs to pitch them such as “The Show Goes On” and “Songs For Sale”.

He would come to the attention of MGM Records via his composition of “All Over Again”.  A contract would be offered and accepted and in late 1950 Tommy would begin recording for MGM and begin a stretch of recording success that would continue – once interrupted – until the mid 1960’s.  During that stretch, Edwards would place 19 songs on the nation’s charts.

Three of his earliest charting numbers (The Morning Side of the Mountain, Please Mr. Sun and It’s All In the Game) would all resurface later in the 1950’s – all receiving an updated more ‘modern’ treatment with the attention of capturing the teen market.  It worked, especially with “It’s All in Game” which hit the top of the Hot 100 for six weeks and earned Tommy appearances on youthful TV programs including American Bandstand.

It is noticeable that Edwards experienced a ‘charting gap’ between late 1952 and the summer of 1958.  Tommy didn’t cut any new records from the Fall of 1955 not resuming again until mid 1958.  Edwards was forced to borrow money during this time and personally felt that rock and roll music was responsible for his demise.  His style had become passé and predictable.

MGM was on the verge of terminating Edwards’ contract when someone at the label elected to dust off and update “It’s All in the Game”.  The song approached four million in sales.  Tommy was truly a big ‘come back’ star – making appearances in addition to American Bandstand, on Ed Sullivan, Your Hit Parade” and others.

Seems like a happy future was in store – but when the hits waned in the early 1960’s and his MGM days came to an end – the end was near for Tommy.  Tommy Edwards would pass away on October 23rd, 1969 back in his home county of Henrico – a victim of heavy drinking  – Tommy Edwards was only 47 years old….

Tommy Edwards Discography

(with selected songs composed by Tommy Edwards and recorded by others)

78 – Red Foley and Cecil Grant with Grady Martin – Decca (unreleased single) – 1950

78 – Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five – That Chick’s Too Young To Fry

78 – The Deep River Boys – RCA Victor 1863 – That Chick’s Too Young Too Fry

78 – Bill Samuels and the Cats “N” Jammer Three – Mercury 8021 – My Bicycle Tillie

78 – Tony Bennett – Columbia 39060 – One Lie Leads to Another

78 – MGM 10884 – Once There Lived A Fool b/w A Friend Of Johnny’s – January, 1951

Tommy’s first U.S. pressing

45 – MGM 10989 – The Morning Side of the Morning Number 24 Pop Charts b/w F’r Instance – June, 1951

45 – MGM 11035 – It’s All In the Game Number 17 Pop Charts Number 1 R&B b/w All Over Again Number 10 R&B – August, 1951

First appearance of “It’s All In The Game”

78 – MGM 11134 – Please Mr. Sun Number 22 Pop Charts b/w Where May I Live With My Love – December, 1951

First appearance of Please Mr. Sun

45 – MGM 11326 – You Win Again Number 13 Pop Charts b/w Sinner Or Saint – September, 1952

45 – MGM 11209 – My Girl b/w Piano, Bass and Drums – 1952

45 – MGM 11395 – Now and Then There’s A Fool Such As I b/w I Can’t Love Another – 1953

Later a hit for Elvis in 1959

45 – MGM 11485 – Take These Chains From My Heart b/w Paging Mr. Jackson – 1953

Later a hit for Ray Charles in 1963

45 – MGM 11718 – The Joker (In the Card Game Of Life) b/w Within My Heart – March, 1954

45 – MGM 12095 – Baby, Let Me Take You Dreaming b/w My Sweetheart, My Best Friend and I – October, 1955

45 – Swallows – King 4656 – Trust Me – 1955

45 – MGM 12342 – My Ship b/w The Day That I Lost You – September, 1956

45 – MGM 12688 – It’s All in the Game Number 1 Hot 100 for Six Weeks b/w Please Love Me Forever Number 61 Hot 100 – July, 1958

A new recorded version from the original

45 – MGM 12722 – Love Is All We Need Number 15 Hot 100 b/w Mr. Music Man – October, 1958

45 – MGM 12757 – Please Mr. Sun Number 11 Hot 100 – Number 18 R&B b/w The Morning Side Of the Mountain Number 27 Hot 100 – January, 1959

Two more dusted off tracks which charted in the early 1950’s

45 – MGM 12794 – My Melancholy Baby Number 26 Hot 100 – Number 27 R&B – Number 29 UK b/w It’s Only the Good Times Number 86 Hot 100 – April, 1959

45 -MGM 12814 – I’ve Been There Number 53 Hot 100 b/w I Looked At Heaven Number 100 Hot 100 – July, 1959

45 – MGM 12837 – (New) In the Ways Of Love Number 47 Hot 100 b/w Honestly and Truly Number 65 Hot 100 – October, 1959

Tommy Sands – Capitol EP 1129 – This Thing Called Love with Tommy Edwards’ All Over Again – 1959

MGM – 12871 – Don’t Fence Me In Number 45 Hot 100 b/w I’m Building Castles Again Number 102 Bubbling Under – January, 1960

45 – MGM 12890 – I Really Don’t Want To Know Number 18 Hot 100 b/w Unloved – May, 1960

45 – MGM 12918 – It’s Not The End Of Everything Number 78 Hot 100 b/w Blue Heartaches – September, 1960

45 – MGM 12981 – Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You) Number 102 Bubbling Under b/w One and Twenty Bubbling Under – January, 1961

45 – MGM 13002 – The Golden Chain Number 103 Bubbling Under b/w That’s The Way With Love (Viaggio Nell’ Infinito) – April, 1961

45 – MGM 13032 – I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry Number 114 Bubbling Under b/w My Heart Would Know – August, 1961

45 – MGM 13100 – Tonight I Won’t Be There Number 131 Bubbling Under b/w Please Don’t Tell Me – October, 1962

45 – MGM 13128 – Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Lose Number 139 b/w May I – March, 1963

Tommy Edwards final charting single

45 – MGM13317 – Take These Chains From My Heart b/w You Win Again – February, 1965

Final MGM released for Edwards – Most likely recorded a year or two earlier

45 – Musicor 1159 – I Cried I Cried b/w I Must Be Doing Something Wrong – February, 1966

Tommy Edwards’ only recording on a label other than MGM

It’s All in the Game Covers

45 – Dinah Shore – RCA Victor 4233 – August, 1951

45 – Louis Armstrong with Gordon Jenkins Orchestra – Decca 27899 – December, 1951

45 – Ralph Marterie – Mercury 5716 – 1951

45 EP – Nat “King” Cole” – Capitol 824 – 1957

45 – Al Christi and His Orchestra – Coast To Coast 1255 – 1958

45 EP – Roger Williams – Kapp 759 – 1958

45 – Bob Worth – Bell 93 – 1958

45 EP – Jane Morgan – Kapp 758 – 1958

45 – Lorne Greene – Columbia 44971 – September, 1969

45 – Lenny Dee – Decca EP 2645 – 1959

45 – Buddy Bailey and the Clovers – Porwin 1004 – October, 1963

Buddy Bailey was a member of the Clovers – This was a later Clover edition

45 – Cliff Richard – Epic 9633 – Number 24 – October, 1963

45 – Jackie DeShannon – Liberty 66251 – July, 1967

45 – Jimmy Ricks – Jubilee 5608 – December, 1967

Jimmy was an original member of the Ravens

45 – Faron Taylor – Columbia 44428 – January, 1968

45 – Eddie Holman – ABC 11240 – November, 1969

45 – Jerry Vale – Columbia 45043 – November, 1969

45 – Larry Clinton Orchestra – Kapp 106 – December, 1969

45 – Bing Crosby – Amos 116 – 1969

45 – The Four Tops – Motown 1164 Number 6 R&B – Number 24 Hot 100 – March, 1970

45 – Bill Watrous – MTA 186 – 1970

45 – Johnny Bush – Stop 396 – 1971

45 – Norro Wilson with the Nashville Edition – RCA Victor 62 – August, 1973

45 – Jerry Jaye – Columbia 10170 – June, 1975

45 – Tom T. Hall – Mercury 55001 – Number 12 Country – July, 1977

45 – Tyrone Davis – Daka 4563 – 1977

45 – Isaac Hayes – Polydor 2102 – July, 1980

45 – King Arthur Epps – Ripete 1017 – 1980

45 – Merle Haggard – MCA 52276 – 1983

45 – (Paul) Lymie Murray – Super Power – 2003