#90: Little Altar Boy by Vic Dana

City: Winnipeg, MB
Radio Station: CKRC
Peak Month: January 1962
Peak Position in Winnipeg ~ #17
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ #45
YouTube: “Little Altar Boy”
Lyrics: “Little Altar Boy”

Samuel Mendola was born in 1940 in Buffalo, New York. He told reporter J. T. Crawford “I was nine years old and had just started tap dancing,” he says. “My parents asked me if I wanted to take dancing lessons. I said I didn’t because I thought it was just for girls. I wound up taking some lessons and did some local shows. I went to the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour, which, in those days, was like American Idol. They had variety acts, and people wrote in from all over the country and picked the winners. And I won the Ted Mack Amateur Hour.” When he was eleven, Samuel Mendola was taken to see Sammy Davis Jr. perform in Buffalo.

Vic Dana recalls, “They knew I loved the way he danced. He was 27 at the time and was just making it. He didn’t even have top billing at the time. My mother talked to the master of ceremonies and told him a local boy in the crowd had just won the Ted Mack show. So he called me up and asked if I’d dance. I said no because I didn’t have my dancing shoes. My mother said, ‘Yes you do!’ and pulled them out of her purse. So I danced. Apparently Sammy was watching from the wings. When he came out, he asked me to dance with him. We did this little tap challenge. It went over so well, that he asked my parents if I could travel with him. That began a relationship with Sammy that I’ll remember forever.”

Soon after, eleven-year-old Samuel Mendola was touring with Sammy Davis Jr. from town to town. In each show he’d do a tap dance challenge on stage with Sammy Davis Jr. The Mendola family relocated to the suburb of Glendale in greater Los Angeles at Sammy Davis Jr’s encouragement. His dad started a new barber shop in the town. With his professional gigs, Samuel Mendola was billed as Vic Dana.

Dana knew Jan And Dean, members of The Lettermen and some of the members of the Beach Boys. This was all before they had any hit records. In 1959, Vic got a call from one of The Lettermen, letting him know that Gary Troxel had to leave The Fleetwoods to serve in the U.S. Navy. Troxel had been the lead voice for both “Mr. Blue” and “Come Softly To Me”. Vic Dana joined The Fleetwoods, doing live performances only into 1961. In March 1961, Dana’s “The Girl In My Dreams” made the Top 20 on WOLF-AM in Syracuse (NY). In June ’61, “Golden Boy” was a Top 30 hit for Vic Dana in Seattle.

In October 1961, 19-year-old Vic Dana’s “Little Altar Boy” began to chart. At first it broke out in San Bernardino (CA) on October 21, 1961. The following week, it got its Canadian debut on CKWX in Vancouver.

Howlett Smith wrote “Little Altar Boy”. Smith was born in 1933 in Phoenix (AZ). He learned to play the piano and organ, and in time became a composer. “Little Altar Boy” was the first hit record Howlett Smith composed. He also wrote songs recorded by Nancy Wilson, Don Ho, Blossom Dearie, and Kitty Lester. Howlett Smith died in 2019 at the age of 86.

The Christmas themed “Little Altar Boy” bore emotions of a young man coming to grips with who he is and his need for God’s forgiveness. Dana’s voice displayed pleading and vulnerability. In the song, he asks the Little Altar Boy to pray for him “for I have gone astray.” He asks the boy, “What must I do to be holy like you?” He persists, asking the altar boy to “ask our Lord to take my sins away.” He confides, “I know my life has been all wrong. Lift up your voice and help a sinner be strong.”

The song later appeared in the spring ’62 film Don’t Knock The Twist.

In the movie, Chubby Checker sang the theme song as well as “The Fly”, and a duet with Dee Dee Sharp “Slow Twistin'”. Dee Dee Sharp sang “Mashed Potato Time”. The Dovells sang “Do the Continental”, and Gene Chandler sang “Duke of Earl”.

An altar boy is an assistant to a priest during the the worship service and must be mature enough to carry out their duties without disrupting the sanctity of the altar.

Altar Boy in Holy Day Vestments (1965)

An altar boy may be assigned to duties that include a) hold liturgical books for the priest, b) carry a thurible (incense burner suspended by chains) at the entrance of the service, c) carry lighted candles at points during the service, d) ring bells before consecration of the elements at eucharist, e) carry a cross at the processional or recessional at the worship service.

Altar boys carrying torches with candles

Altar boys carrying thuribles

In “Little Altar Boy” the singer refers to themselves as a “sinner.” In a religious context, sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, shameful, harmful, or alienating might be termed “sinful”. A sinner is really anyone (all of us) who have fallen short of the perfection of the deity (the Creator, the Divine, the Word made flesh in the life of Jesus). In the Christian tradition, someone may be referred to as a sinner as someone especially prone to actions that miss the mark. The singer in this song wants the altar boy to “help a sinner be strong.” It’s due to weakness, lack of faith, to going “astray,” that has led the singer to seek the altar boys’ assistance.

In “Little Altar Boy” the singer wants the altar boy “to ask our Lord to take my sins away.” “The Lord” refers to God, the creator, the divine, the maker of all things. It is God who the singer wants to wash him clean. But he wants the altar boy to intercede for him, like a priest might do for a disciple of Christ in a confessional. In this way, the song “Little Altar Boy” offers listeners an image of an altar boy as one of holiness, purity and innocence. “What must I do to be holy like you?” asks the singer. In the pre-Vatican II world in which Vic Dana is singing, altar boys were esteemed for their virtue as they assisted a priest. Parents could be proud of their son’s involvement in this capacity in their local parish, just as they might also be proud of their son who was in a boys choir, or a girl or boy in a children’s choir.

“Little Altar Boy” peaked at #2 in Akron (OH), #5 in Boston, #7 in Washington DC, #8 in Cleveland and Kenosha (WI), #10 in Seattle, #12 in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Davenport (IA), #13 in Syracuse (NY), #17 in Winnipeg #19 in Chicago and Phoenix, #20 in Wichita Falls (TX), #23 in Tulsa (OK), #25 in Grand Rapids (MI), and #27 in Toronto and Denver.

For listeners new to the song in 2024, there may be some mixed emotions. Not about Vic Dana, or the song’s high view of altar boys, but what emerged four decades later in the Roman Catholic church. In 2002, there was a scandal that erupted in the Archdiocese of Boston due to complaints of Roman Catholic priests sexually abusing boys in their own parishes. The Boston Globe published results of an investigation that led to the criminal prosecutions of five Roman Catholic priests and thrust the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy into the national spotlight. Another accused priest who was involved in the Spotlight scandal also pleaded guilty. The Globe‘s coverage encouraged other victims to come forward with allegations of abuse, resulting in numerous lawsuits and 249 criminal cases.

While most of the cases concerned sexual abuse by priests going back to the 70s, 80s and 90s, one of the most prominent was that of Rev. John Birmingham. The first complaints against Reverend Joseph Birmingham were recorded in 1964, four years after his ordination as a priest. Among the boys sexually abused by Fr. Birmingham was 15-year-old Paul Cultrera, who was later featured in the 2006 PBS special “Hand of God”. Birmingham was assigned as an associate priest at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Two families complained to the archdiocese that Birmingham was abusing their boys. After Birmingham underwent a psychiatric evaluation, the archdiocese transferred him to St. James Parish in Salem, Massachusetts, where he was placed in charge of the altar boys. The pattern of sexual abuse continued, and within years of Fr. Birmingham taking a new parish at St. Ann’s in Gloucester (MA) in 1985, he was accused by a boy who worked in the rectory of sexual abuse. All the while bishops and cardinals in charge of supervising priests and moving them to new parishes covered up this and other cases of sexual abuse by priests.

For any parents hearing “Little Altar Boy” at some of these parishes in Massachusetts – who had a son who was an altar boy whose priest they had lodged an official complaint of abuse – the song could have reminded them of the disconnect between the portrayal of an innocent altar boy as intermediary for a sinner, and the betrayal they felt toward the church for harboring abusive priests.

“Little Altar Boy” was a modest regional hit, and climbed to #45 on the Billboard Hot 100. Vic Dana was taken to the Brill Building in New York City. He recalls, “Everybody would go to the publishing houses and hear people like Gerry Goffin and Carole King. They’d sit there and play songs for you and sing them. Artists would record the hits. Now it’s a whole different process. Most artists today write their own stuff.” To this day Vic Dana rates “Little Altar Boy” his favorite of all the songs he’s recorded. The song was later covered by Andy Williams (1965), Glen Campbell (1968), a gospel-infused version by Jack Jones, (1969), a posthumous release by The Carpenters (1984), and André Gagnon (1992).

“Little Altar Boy” was one of the dozen tracks from Vic Dana’s debut album, This is Vic Dana. The album included a cover of the Gershwin pop standard, “Someone To Watch Over Me”; The 1948 number-one hit for Nat “King” Cole: “Nature Boy”; The Rodgers and Hart 30s tune “Glad To Be Unhappy”; The torch song “Cry Me A River”; The pop standard “A Cottage For Sale”; and “Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The Vic Dana showcased on the album was a traditional pop singer, not another teen idol fashioned in the Jimmy Clanton-Brian Hyland mold.

Liner notes from This is Vic Dana, by Vic Dana’s vocal coach Nick Castle (also a vocal coach for Frankie Avalon, Paul Anka and Fabian, and dance choreographer for Andy Williams, Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly and others), asserted “In an age when there are apparently more singers than songs, and less music than musicians, it is a rewarding experience to discover a new singer with boundless talent. And since talent, like water, always seeks its own level, you may be sure Vic Dana is on his way up. …he performs with the assurance of a seasoned showman. With remarkable ease, he sings with a fine sense of rhythm, projecting a vocal personality of directness and sincerity which never loses awareness of the melody…. Listen to the sensitive interpretation of Little Altar Boy (his recent hit) and Moon River… and you will agree, this is a captivating voice you will long remember.”

In 1962 Vic Dana has a Top 50 hit in the USA titled “I Will”. It peaked at #18 on CHUM in Toronto. The song was successfully covered by UK singer, Billy Fury, who had a Top Ten hit with the tune in the UK and in Vancouver in 1964. Dana cracked the CFUN Top 40 chart in Vancouver (BC) the summer of 1962 with “(A Girl Needs) To Love And Be Loved”.

While he was recording teen idol pop for AM radio, Vic Dana was releasing more albums for a more adult audience. His debut album in 1962, Warm and Wild, featured “Lollipops And Roses”, “Get Me To The Church On Time”, the 1933 hit for Ruth Etting called “Close Your Eyes”, the 1935 Rodgers and Hart tune “My Romance”, and the 1960 Broadway tune “Hey, Look Me Over”.

Vic Dana joined Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars. He also was a guest star on The Red Skelton Show, The Dean Martin Show, Shindig!, and The Tonight Show.

In addition, Vic Dana was cast in roles in the 1962 World War II TV show Combat! and the 1963 premiering detective show Burke’s Law.

In the spring of 1963, Vic Dana released “Danger” and also appeared to sing the song on The Ray Anthony Show on June 15, 1963. While “Danger” was still on Vancouver’s C-FUNTASTIC FIFTY, his version of “More,” together with Kai Winding’s version began its climb to #19 in July of ’63. It was also a Top 20 hit in Toronto.

Vic Dana also recorded an Italian version of “Danger” with its Italian equivalent, “Pericolo.” The song was one of the tracks from Vic Dana’s album Canta In Italiano. One of the session musicians Vic Dana used as often as he could was Glen Campbell. Dana was also a close friend of Bobby Darin.

On October 19, 1963, Vic Dana appeared at the Hollywood Bowl along with the Beach Boys, The Routers, Paul Petersen, Soupy Sales, The Mixtures, Keith Colley, Eddie & The Showmen, Dodie Stevens, The Fleetwoods, Duane Eddy, Jan & Dean, The Rivingtons, The Surfaris, Bobby Rydell and other local acts. In early 1964 a comedy film starring Bob Hope was released titled A Global Affair. 

In the film Vic Dana sang “So Wide The World”.

Vic Dana also appeared on The New Steve Allen Show on January 16, 1964.

In 1964, in the midst of Beatlemania, Vic Dana struggled to stay on the charts. He climbed to #4 in Windsor (ON) with “Shangri-La”, which made it to #18 in Australia, and #27 on the Billboard Hot 100. After “Danger” and “Shangri-La”, Vic Dana had his biggest hit with “Red Roses For A Blue Lady”. It peaked at #8 in Australia and #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s best chart run in Canada was in Winnipeg where it climbed to #5. Vic Dana’s followup, “Bring A Little Sunshine To My Heart” peaked at #4 in Hamilton (ON), but stalled at #66 on the Hot 100.

Dana appeared on Shindig! on December 30, 1964, and again on February 17, 1965. He also appeared on That Regis Philbin Show on October 29, 1964, and again on February 2, 1965. He was on The Les Crane Show on January 28 and again on February 3rd ’65. Among the TV shows where he appeared on multiple occasions was Hollywood-A-Go-Go: February 13, September 4 and December 4, 1965. As well, Vic Dana appeared on three occasions on the local Los Angeles variety program The Lloyd Thaxton Show on February 17, 1965, November 23, 1965, and May 16, 1966.

That spring Vic Dana was touring in the USA with Gene Pitney, Gary Lewis & The Playboys Brian Hyland, the Reflections, the Crystals and Dobie Gray. On August 23, 1965, Dana was a guest on ABC’s Nightlife. And on September 24, 1965, Vic Dana was a featured guest on NBC’s What’s This Song hosted by Wink Martindale. Later on November 9, 1965, Dana was a guest vocalist on The Red Skelton Hour. 

On January 13, 1966, Vic Dana was a guest on the Dean Martin Show, and on February 12th on an episode of the ABC-TV variety show Thank Your Lucky Stars. Then on March 10th, he was back on national TV along with Dr. Benjamin Spock on The Merv Griffin Show, and on March 19th on The Clay Cole Show. On May 28, 1966, Vic Dana appeared on the Cleveland pop music variety show Upbeat with the Miracles, the Ronettes and Grand Funk. He also appeared on Swingin’ Country in July ’66. Between September 1965 and July 1966, Vic Dana was a guest on six occasions on the variety show hosted by Dick Clark Where The Action Is. Clark also had Vic Dana twice on American Bandstand. In the spring of ’66, Vic Dana had a #4 hit in Hamilton (ON) with “I Love You Drops”, which stalled at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1967 Vic Dana appeared on the CBC variety pop music TV show Let’s Go. The week of October 16-20, Vic Dana appeared on five daytime episodes of The Hollywood Squares. He also was featured numbers of times on The Mike Douglas Show, and on one occasion on The Joey Bishop Show. 

Between 1961 and 1976, Vic Dana released 34 singles. In 1970, “If I Never Knew Your Name” peaked at #3 in St. Thomas (ON), #8 in Hamilton (ON). His last single on the Billboard Hot 100 was a cover of Neil Diamond’s “Red, Red Wine” in 1970. His final single release was in 1976.

Vic Dana recalls, “At one time, I had the biggest fan club in the Netherlands. I don’t know why! To this day, I get letters.”

In 1989 he got a gig singing at a supper club in Paducah, Kentucky, called Stacey’s on which lasted for almost a year. He liked the town so much that he decided to move from Los Angeles where he’d followed his career. With his family, Vic Dana took up residence in Paducah. He also got work at Larry Stoveland’s Ford dealership, which lasted for over ten years Then he got a position by the end of 1999 at Mike Smith Toyota. Having one marriage dissolve because of his extensive touring, when he was married again with a new baby boy, Vic Dana decided to put his family first.

Some years ago, a friend gave Vic Dana a copy of an interview with Michael Buble. Dana says of the article, “It was the best musical compliment I’ve received. Michael talked about how his grandfather brought a Vic Dana album home, and he said that he used to sing along with it. That was part of the start for him. That’s the greatest compliment I’ve been paid.”

According to Imdb.com, Vic Dana retired from the music industry in 2010, and enjoys life out of the spotlight in Kentucky. However, a 2017 article in the Paducah Sun reported that at 76, Vic Dana was still working as a car salesman. In August 2021, his wife of 21 years, died at the age of 52. Vic Dana is 82 as this song review is published.

December 25, 2024
Ray McGinnis

References:
“Introduction to Vic Dana,” Mental Itch.com.
J. T. Crawford, “From The Billboard Charts To The Banks Of The Ohio,” Paducah Life, November/December 2016.
Steve Wilson, “Dana’s Glad he Picked Paducah,” Paducah Sun, August 13, 2017.
Don’t Knock The Twist, Columbia Pictures, 1962.
“Vic Dana Topped Them All,” Geezer Music Club, October 26, 2009.
“Vic Dana,” Imdb.com.
“Vic Dana Chart History,” Billboard.
“Howlett Smith,” Discogs.com.
“Kelly Dana,” tributearchive.com, August 19, 2021.
Charles Whitbeck, “‘Old Man’ Nick Castle Creates Dance Routines For Non Dancers,” Sacramento Bee, May 23, 1965.
André Gagnon, “Little Altar Boy“, Noël, 1992.
The Carpenters, “Little Altar Boy“, Christmas Collection, 1984.
“Hand of God: A Cultrera family history and a chronology of the Boston abuse scandal,” PBS, January 16, 2007.

CKRC 630-AM Top 25 Winnipeg (MB) | December 30, 1961*
“Little Altar Boy” climbing the CKRC chart at #22 this week (up from #28)
and peaking at #17 the first week of January 1962,
during a ten week chart run in Winnipeg: the “Gateway to the West.”