“April Love” is Pat Boone’s fifth number one and he would have one more in 1961. I have mentioned already that Pat was second only to Elvis Presley in record sales in the Fifties. The song was written by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster as the title song for the movie of the same name. April Love, the movie starred Pat and Shirley Jones and has become a classic over the years.

When Pat first heard the song, he didn’t think much of it. He thought it was a nice love song, but he didn’t think it packed a punch. He wondered how it could compete with the rock and roll that was being produced pretty heavily by this time. He wanted listeners to think something important was coming, so, Pat, went over in a corner and wrote the ten notes you hear right at the beginning of the song. Looking at the label of the record, it doesn’t look like Pat gets writing credit on the song but he should.

“April Love” was nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song for 1957 but lost to “All the Way” from the movie The Joker is Wild. Connie Francis and Billy Vaughn also recorded the song.

Years later, Pat bought a Ferrari (it must be nice to afford something like that.) He took those same ten notes from the beginning of “April Love” and programmed the air horn in the car to play them. He said that was the best feature of the car. He later sold the car to Tommy Smothers.

“April Love” entered the pop chart on October 28, 1957 and reached number one before the end of the year, staying there for six weeks.

Next: 1958!!! “At the Hop” – Danny and the Juniors