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Andy Kim had hits such as "Baby I Love You" and "Rock Me Gently". Source: https://cecescott.com/ (May be subject to copyright) |
Then he told Alan Thicke he had this agent who thought it would be beneficial to his career to change his name to Baron Longfellow. After all that same agent had convinced another client to change his name to Englebert Humperdink.
My first thought was, “You changed your name to Englebert Humperdink?”
That didn’t seem like a career boost.
In any event, through that whole interview, I don’t recall hearing what Baron Longfellow had changed his name to.
Only later did I discover his real name is Andy Kim, and in fact I did know more of his songs than I thought.
All of this came back the other day when it was announced Andy Kim would be invested in the Order of Canada.
Special offer
Not too much after that, I was watching TV and saw a commercial for one of those K-tel type compilation albums they often advertised on TV. It included a song by Neil Diamond called “Longfellow Serenade”, which was one of the snippets played on the commercial. The album cover was purple and silver and I ended up buying the record for my Mom for Christmas one year.
Not too much after that, I was watching TV and saw a commercial for one of those K-tel type compilation albums they often advertised on TV. It included a song by Neil Diamond called “Longfellow Serenade”, which was one of the snippets played on the commercial. The album cover was purple and silver and I ended up buying the record for my Mom for Christmas one year.
When they listed the artists with songs on the record, I noticed “Baron Longfellow” for the first time.
Heart of Gold
Back in the mid 1980s, CBC aired this documentary on Saturday nights on the history of Canadian pop music, called “Heart of Gold”. It was narrated by Donald Sutherland, and went into great detail.
Back in the mid 1980s, CBC aired this documentary on Saturday nights on the history of Canadian pop music, called “Heart of Gold”. It was narrated by Donald Sutherland, and went into great detail.
At one point I heard this great song “Sugar, Sugar”, but it was sung by this group called The Archies. Then there was some footage of one of the Archies and it was Baron Longfellow, but it said his name was Andy Kim.
I soon discovered Andy Kim was Baron Longfellow’s actual name. He had talked about the Archies on Alan Thicke but I never made the connection, because I had never seen him before.
Pop sensation
Later on, I also discovered Andy Kim had quite a prolific career in the late 1960s and 1970s, with songs I knew fairly well. He even had two top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Baby I love You” reaching number nine in 1969, and “Rock Me Gently” reaching number one in 1974. Both songs hit number one in Canada.
Later on, I also discovered Andy Kim had quite a prolific career in the late 1960s and 1970s, with songs I knew fairly well. He even had two top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Baby I love You” reaching number nine in 1969, and “Rock Me Gently” reaching number one in 1974. Both songs hit number one in Canada.
Parting thoughts
It is amazing how music can just permeate everything. If you listen to enough of it, even as background noise, songs will sink in.
It is amazing how music can just permeate everything. If you listen to enough of it, even as background noise, songs will sink in.
That was the case with Andy Kim. I had no idea he was involved in “Sugar, Sugar” or sang “Baby I Love You” and “Rock Me Gently”, yet I know those songs well.
What makes it even funnier is that often, when I want to tell my spouse how much I care about her, I will sing, “Baby I love you…”
So I have Andy Kim to thank for that.
Being such a part of the fabric of Canadian culture also shows why he so rightfully deserves to be invested into the Order of Canada.
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