Obituary: Patti Page

Yet another well-known figure from my childhood has died: Singer Patti Page, 85, who had her biggest success in the 1950s with songs like "The Tennessee Waltz" and "How Much is That Doggie in the Window," died yesterday of undisclosed causes.

Her music was critically derided as bland and utterly unadventurous even at the time, but 100 million record buyers disagreed.

She sold 10 million copies of the country-infused “Tennessee Waltz” alone. That song, recorded by Mercury Records at the start of the 1950s, was expected to be a throwaway number and was relegated to the B-side of “Boogie Woogie Santa Claus.”

In the end, only Bing Crosby’s recording of “White Christmas” outsold Ms. Page’s lament of stolen love.

Page had no idea why the song was so popular, but it was. I remember it being played in my parents' house ad nauseum.

She was also popular on television and in the movies, although her role in the 1961 dud Dondi was perhaps a role she would rather have forgotten.

Speaking of which, here is a clip: