{{Short description|American radio and TV musical quiz series (1948–1951)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox television | image = | country = United States | language = English | network = CBS | first_aired = {{Start date|1948|05|29}} | last_aired = {{End date|1951|06|23}} }} '''''Sing It Again''''' is an American radio musical quiz program that was broadcast on CBS from May 29, 1948, through June 23, 1951.<ref name="dunningota">{{Cite book |last=Dunning |first=John |title=On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio |date=1998 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-507678-3 |edition=Revised |location=New York, NY |pages=616–617}}</ref> A television simulcast began on October 7, 1950.
==Overview== ''Sing It Again'' offered people listening at home opportunities to win prizes by identifying a person, place, or thing from clues contained in original lyrics written for a popular song. The show's title came from its format, which had singers and an orchestra perform a song once using the original lyrics and then do the song again with lyrics that contained clues to the correct answer.<ref name="nyt" /> Initially a correct answer gained $100 for the listener<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=June 12, 1948 |title=Giveaway Craze Continues; MBS Show Offers 19G Wkly. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=evUDAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PA5 |magazine=Billboard |page=5 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref> and an opportunity to identify a "phantom voice" for a prize that began at $1,000 and grew until the correct identification was made.<ref name="nyt">{{Cite news |date=May 25, 1948 |title=The News of Radio: CBS to Inaugurate 'Sing It Again' Saturday, Featuring Dan Seymour and Cash Prizes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1948/05/25/archives/the-news-of-radio-cbs-to-inaugurate-sing-it-again-saturday.html?searchResultPosition=1 |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 22, 2024 |work=The New York Times |page=54}}</ref>
During the show's first year on the air, it awarded more than $200,000 in prizes, with 10 "phantom voices" being named correctly. Alf Landon's identification brought $30,000 of that amount, while identification of Sergeant Alvin York accounted for $29,000 in prizes.<ref name="rt" /> One jackpot valued at $20,000 included an air conditioner, an automobile, a bedroom suite, chinaware, two diamond rings, a complete electrical kitchen, a freezer, a living room suite, a full silver service, and a television.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 1949 |title=Sing It Again's $20,000 Question |url=https://archive.org/details/r00mac/page/n53/mode/1up?view=theater |access-date=April 26, 2024 |magazine=Radio and Television Mirror |pages=44–45}}</ref> In the show's second year, the merchandise minimum was changed to $25,000, and an added feature enabled a listener to win $25,000 in cash if he or she could correctly answer a question about the "phantom".<ref name="rt">{{Cite news |date=May 22, 1949 |title=Sing It Again Has Milestone |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-roanoke-times-sing-it-again/146107455/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426183339/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-roanoke-times-sing-it-again/146107455/ |archive-date=April 26, 2024 |access-date=April 26, 2024 |work=The Roanoke Times |page=20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> On June 25, 1949, a contestant won $27,000 in merchandise by identifying Gertrude Ederle and $25,000 in cash by coming within 30 minutes of telling how long it took her to swim across the English Channel.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=June 29, 1949 |title=(untitled brief) |url=https://archive.org/details/heinlnewsservice1949hein/page/16/mode/1up?view=theater |access-date=April 26, 2024 |magazine=Heinl Radio-Television News Service |page=16}}</ref> By July 1950 the prize structure had been changed again, eliminating the cumulative jackpot and establishing flat amounts of $5,000 in cash and $10,000 in merchandise.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 3, 1950 |title=Telephone Shows |url=https://archive.org/details/sponsor50sponno2/page/n51/mode/1up?view=theater |access-date=April 26, 2024 |magazine=Sponsor |page=42}}</ref>
Dan Seymour was master of ceremonies for ''Sing It Again'' until February 1951, when Jan Murray replaced him.<ref name="tt" /> Soloists included Judy Lynn,<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 27, 1950 |title=Judy Garland Set In 'Alice Adams' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/deseret-news/146109392/ |access-date=April 26, 2024 |work=Deseret News |page=34 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Eugenie Baird,<ref name="rt" /> Patti Clayton, Alan Dale, and Bob Howard, with additional singing by the Riddlers quintet. Ray Bloch led the orchestra.<ref name="nyt" /> Don Baker was the announcer.<ref name="bbrev" /> Guest performers included Rosemary Clooney.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Crossland |first1=Ken |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u3YUPNzAMX4C&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PA253 |title=Late Life Jazz: The Life and Career of Rosemary Clooney |last2=Macfarlane |first2=Malcolm |date=August 29, 2013 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-979857-5 |page=253 |language=en |access-date=April 24, 2024}}</ref>
===Simulcast on television=== Beginning on October 7, 1950, ''Sing It Again'' was simulcast on CBS television. It continued to be on both media through the program's end on June 23, 1951.<ref name="tt">{{Cite book |last=McNeil |first=Alex |title=Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present |date=1996 |publisher=Penguin Books USA, Inc. |isbn=0-14-02-4916-8 |edition=4th |location=New York, New York |page=757}}</ref> It originated from WCBS-TV, with Bruno Zirato Jr. as director.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=October 1, 1950 |title=Debuts, Highlights, Changes (Continued) |url=https://archive.org/details/rossreportstele11ross/page/n2/mode/1up?view=theater |access-date=April 26, 2024 |magazine=Ross Reports |page=2}}</ref>
== Production == Lester Gottlieb was the producer until February 1951, when Herb Moss replaced him.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=February 24, 1951 |title=Moss Succeeds as 'Sing It' Producer |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2R4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PA7 |magazine=Billboard |page=7 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref> Rocco Tito was the director. Bernie Hanighen, Bill Stein, Albert Stillman, Hy Zaret,<ref name="nyt" /> and Elsie Simmons wrote original lyrics for the songs.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=February 25, 1950 |title=Words and Music |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-PUDAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PT13 |magazine=Billboard |page=14 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref>
The program was sustaining<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=April 9, 1949 |title=Chesterfield May Ink 'Sing It Again' |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lEUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PA8 |magazine=Billboard |page=8 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref> until Carter Products began advertising its Arrid deodorant in one quarter-hour segment on September 11, 1949.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 30, 1949 |title=CBS Sells First 'Sing It' Slice |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jw4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PT4 |magazine=Billboard |page=5 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref> The trade publication ''Billboard'' report in September 1949 that CBS "has sunk a satchelful of loot into the giveaway".<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |date=September 3, 1949 |title=Who'll Angel The Giveaways From Now On? |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VkUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PT4 |magazine=Billboard |page=5 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref> The show later picked up more sponsors, including Sterling Drug<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 28, 1951 |title=Sterling Buys Hunk of 'Songs' |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fh8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PA8 |magazine=Billboard |page=4 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref> and Luden's.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=October 8, 1949 |title=Ludens Buys Last Portion of 'Sing It' |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MA4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PT4 |magazine=Billboard |page=5 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref> ''Sing It Again'' initially was on Saturdays from 8 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time, replacing ''Suspense''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=May 29, 1948 |title=CBS To Unveil Two New P'kgs. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lkUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PA17 |magazine=Billboard |page=17 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref> It was replaced by ''Songs for Sale''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=June 16, 1951 |title='Songs' Simulcast Replaces 'Sing It' June 30 on CBS |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ah8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PA35 |magazine=Billboard |page=35 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref>
== Giveaway-related concerns == The code of standards of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), which was adopted not long before this program debuted, included a provision that encouraged avoiding programs that sought to gain listeners more by hopes of material gain than by entertainment value. CBS addressed that topic with an announcement that said, in part, "while ''Sing It Again'' will feature generous cash prizes for members of the audience, primary emphasis will be on musical entertainment and on providing a chuckle through the amusing riddle lyrics."<ref name="nyt" /> A Federal Communications Commission ban on giveaway programs caused additional problems for network executives.<ref name=":0" />
NAB's code also changed the guidelines for programs that gave away merchandise. It said that all time spent listing products (other than those of the sponsor) used as prizes had to be counted as commercial time. ''Billboard'' reported that ''Sing It Again'' and ''Big Money Game'' (another giveaway show), "are using cash giveaways because of the advent of the code."<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=June 19, 1948 |title=NAB Ruling Offers Prize Plugs' Poser |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dfUDAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PA5 |magazine=Billboard |page=5 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref>
==Critical response== A review of the May 29, 1948, episode in ''Billboard'' complimented the program's "slick professional production" and described the performers' talents as "some good and some adequate".<ref name="bbrev">{{Cite magazine |date=June 19, 1948 |title=Sing It Again |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dfUDAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sing+It+Again%22+CBS&pg=PA10 |magazine=Billboard |page=10 |accessdate=April 24, 2024}}</ref> It summarized the show as "no better and no worse than many other giveaway programs in which the radio industry today is so regrettably indulging itself".<ref name="bbrev" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
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Category:1948 radio programme debuts Category:1951 radio programme endings Category:1950 American television series debuts Category:1951 American television series endings Category:1940s American radio programs Category:1950s American radio programs Category:1940s American game shows Category:1950s American game shows Category:1950s American music television series Category:American music radio programs Category:American radio game shows Category:CBS game shows Category:Musical television series