#55: Big Wide World by Teddy Randazzo

City: Saskatoon, SK
Radio Station: CKOM
Peak Month: March 1963
Peak Position in Saskatoon ~ #10
Peak Position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ #51
YouTube: “Big Wide World”
Lyrics: “Big Wide World”

Teddy Randazzo was born in 1935 in Brooklyn (NY). He learned to play accordion, and around 1953 joined the Three Chuckles. The group was named after a candy bar. Randazzo became the lead singer and the group had a #20 hit with “Runaround” in 1954. The group had two more minor hits the following years. This brought Teddy Randazzo to the attention of rock ‘n roll DJ Alan Freed. He was cast in the teen flick Rock! Rock! Rock! in 1956. Other recording artists in the movie were Connie Francis, Chuck Berry, The Moonglows, The Flamingos, The Johnny Burnette Trio, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, and LaVern Baker. Later that year he appeared in The Girl Can’t Help It, starring Jayne Mansfield. The movie featured songs performed by Ray Anthony, Julie London, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Eddie Cochran, The Platters, Gene Vincent, the Treniers, and Nino Tempo.

In 1957, Teddy Randazzo was in his third movie in less than a year. This time he was on the marquee with DJ Alan Freed, professional boxer Rocky Graziano, and R&B icon Lionel Hampton and His Band.

Other performers in the movie included Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers, Chuck Berry, LaVern Baker, Clyde McPhatter, Brook Benton, Little Richard, Ferlin Husky, and The Moonglows. The movie opens in New York City’s Paramount Theatre where DJ Alan Freed hosts a summer roll and roll stage show. After being harassed backstage by struggling songwriters Al Fisher and Lou Marks, teenage heartthrob Teddy Randazzo is asked by Freed to give an interview to novice reporter Carole Hendricks. The two go to a nearby diner, and Teddy tells Carole how he was born in New York but moved to Cleveland, where he was discovered by Freed while working as a hotel bellhop. Meanwhile, Freed does his radio show on WINS 101, playing rock and roll music by such notables as Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Clyde McPhatter, The Moonglows and Chuck Berry. Later, at World magazine, Carole is told by her editor, Joe Prentiss, that he sees rock and roll music as an attack on American moral values and expects her to report as such in her article. When she refuses, Prentiss writes a blistering diatribe on the musical genre, calling it music by and for juvenile delinquent. The movie made an appeal to the audience to view rock ‘n roll as simply teenagers expressing themselves.

In 1957, Teddy Randazzo had his first solo release “Next Stop Paradise”. It made the Top Ten in Buffalo, and Akron (OH). After four single releases with Vik Records, he switched to ABC/Paramount. In 1959, “Lies” was a Top Five hit in Boston, and in Okinawa, Japan.

In 1959, Randazzo wrote “Pretty Blue Eyes” which was a #9 hit in America for Steve Lawrence. It was successfully covered by Craig Douglas in England where the single peaked at #4. In 1961, he wrote

He had three singles crack the Billboard Hot 100. “Little Serenade” reached #66 in 1958. His final release with Vic Records, it was a Top Ten hit in Chicago and Honolulu. His sixth ABC/Paramount single release, “The Way of a Clown”, was his strongest chart run peaking at  #44 in 1960. It climbed to #11 in Toronto on CHUM, and was a Top Five hit in Albany (NY), Baltimore, Buffalo, Cleveland, Potsdam (NY), Rockville (MD) and Wheaton (MD).

In 1961, Randazzo appeared in the rock ‘n roll flick Hey, Let’s Twist!

He appeared alongside recording artists Joey Dee and the Starliters and JoAnn Campbell.

Randazzo waited until 1963 to make his final appearance on the Billboard Hot 100. After a dozen single releases with ABC/Paramount, Teddy Randazzo switched labels and signed with Colpix Records. His first Colpix release was “Big Wide World”.

“Big Wide World” was co-written by Teddy Randazzo, Billy Barberis and Robert Weinstein. Billy Barberis co-wrote several songs recorded by Teddy Randazzo. One of these, “I’m Lost Without Your Love”, was a #16 hit for Billy Fury in the UK in 1965. He also cowrote the Jerry Vale Easy Listening chart topper in 1965, “Have You Looked Into Your Heart”. He also collaborated on singles for Frankie Avalon and the Duprees. Robert “Bobby” Weinstein was born in Brooklyn (NY) in 1939. He co-wrote the three hits Little Anthony and the Imperials had in 1964 with Teddy Randazzo (see below). He co-wrote most of the notable hits Teddy Randazzo became known for as a songwriter. The exception being “Sweet Cream Ladies” by the Box Tops, a Top 30 hit in the winter of 1968-69. Weinstein later became an executive with the performing rights organization Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI). He also served for 24 years on the board of the National Academy of Popular Music (NAPM), responsible for the Songwriters Hall of Fame, becoming its president between 1993 and 1999. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame, with Randazzo, in 2007. Bobby Weinstein died in 2022 at the age of 83.

“Big Wide World” is a song about a guy who is hung up on someone he fell in love with, even though they went their separate ways. In the final verse, the guy meets with his ex-girlfriend in “our old rendezvous.” It seems it’s by chance, as he says “it’s funny we should meet (here).” He still declares, “I searched the world to find, there’s no one like you.” We learn since they went their separate ways, he’s “travelled everywhere… had a love or two. But every love affair reminds me of you.” No wonder the new relationships don’t last when he can’t focus on his present date, and is consumed by memories of a past love.

“Big Wide World” reached #1 in Honolulu, Warner Robins (GA), #2 in Jackson (MI), and Columbus (OH), #3 in Baltimore, and Muskogee (OK), #5 in Fresno (CA), #6 in Dallas, #8 in San Antonio (TX), and Phoenix, and #10 in Saskatoon (SK) and Cleveland, and #12 in Montreal. It peaked at #51 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A followup cover of “Dear Heart” was a flop, and he left Colpix Records and got a contract in 1964 with the DCP label, MGM and finally Buddha in 1968. However, his talents met more success with songwriting.

In 1964, Teddy Randazzo wrote a number-one Easy Listening hit for Jerry Vale titled “Have You Looked Into Your Heart”. That year he also wrote three Top Ten R&B hits for Little Anthony and the Imperials: “I’m on the Outside (Looking In)”, “Goin’ Out of My Head” and “Hurt So Bad”. The second tune was a #6 pop hit in the USA, while “Hurt So Bad” reached #10 on the Hot 100. “Hurt So Bad” was a Top Ten for the Lettermen in 1968 and for Linda Ronstadt in 1980. In 1967, The Lettermen recorded a medley with “Goin’ Out Of My Head” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” which peaked at #7. While Jerry Vale had a #5 hit on the Easy Listening chart with “In the Back of My Heart”. In 1968, Frank Sinatra recorded “Rain In My Heart” which climbed to #3 on the Easy Listening chart. In the UK, Cupid’s Inspiration had a #4 hit with Teddy Randazzo’s “Yesterday Has Gone”.

In 1977, the Manhattans had a #6 hit on the R&B chart with “It Feels So Good to be Loved So Bad”. As well, “It’s Gonna Take A Miracle” for the Royalettes in 1965, was a Top Ten hit in 1982 for Deniece Williams.

Teddy Randazzo died in 2003 at the age of 68. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.

May 15, 2026
Ray McGinnis

References:
“Teddy Randazzo: Obituary,” San Diego-Union, December 10, 2003.
The Three Chuckles, “Runaround“, Boulevard Records, 1954.
Teddy Randazzo, “Little Serenade“, Vik Records, 1958.
Little Anthony and The Imperials, “Going Out Of My Head“, 1964.
Frank Sinatra, “Rain In My Heart“, Reprise Records, 1968.
Manhattans, “It Feels So Good to be Loved So Bad“, 1977.
Linda Ronstadt, “Hurt So Bad“, 1980.
Deniece Williams, “It’s Gonna Take A Miracle“, Columbia Records, 1982.
“BMI Remembers Renowned Songwriter and Former BMI Executive Bobby Weinstein,” March 18, 2022.

Fabulous Fifty CKOM 1250-AM Saskatoon (SK) | March 16, 1963