#7: Violetta by Ray Adams

City: Hamilton, ON
Radio Station: CKOC
Peak Month: June 1962
Peak Position in Hamilton ~ #1
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “Violetta”
Lyrics: “Violetta”

Ragnar Asbjørnsen was born in 1931 in Norway. In the late 1950s he was part of the vocal group named The Cavaliers. The group released “Eselsangen” in 1958, and  In 1958, he was part of a recording duo called Ruth & Ragnar, releasing a single titled “Når Tusen Stjerner Tenner Lys”.  The following year they released the single “Den Gamle Tango (Cocktail Tango)”. Additionally, he released a duet with Alf Blyverkets Kvartett titled “Ungkarsdilemma”. Asbjørnsen released “Jeg Håper, Jeg Ønsker, Jeg Drømmer” in 1959. In 1960, he released a solo single titled “Roser Vil Jeg Alltid Gi Deg”. He changed his name to Ray Adams and recorded his first single, “Ding Dong Girl Bonny Belle”, in 1960. In 1961, he released a single titled “Dagen Er Din”.

In 1961, Ragnar Asbjørnsen changed his name to Ray Adams. He released a single titled “Here My Song, Violetta”.

“Hear My Song, Violetta” was written by German composer Othmar Klose. The song is about a suitor who seeks to woo Violetta. He invites her to “come to me in my gondola, waiting in the old lagoon.” Across the water there is a serenade that tells a tale of love by lovers long ago.

“Violetta” peaked at #1 in Hamilton (ON), #6 in Chicago, and El Cajon (CA), #11 in Cleveland and Jefferson City (MO), and #13 in Toronto. “Violetta” peaked at #3 in Norway. It sold over 300,000 copies in Europe.

In 1962-63, Adams song “Jag Har Bott Vid En Landsvag” peaked at #5 in Norway. In 1963, his song “De Tusen Sjoars Land” peaked at #2 on the Norwegian pop charts. He also released “Cowboyens Himmel” later that year. In 1965, he released a duet with Anita Thallaug titled “I Eventyrland”.

And in 1968, Ray Adams Norwegian cover of the Tom Jones song, “Deliah”, peaked at #9 on the pop charts in Norway.

He retired in 1970 and started a salad bar in Uddevalla, Sweden. Years later he worked as a dry cleaner in Oslo, Norway. Ragnar Asbjørnsen died at the age of 72 in 2003.

CKOC 1150-AM Hamilton (ON) Top Ten | June 2, 1962