I Go Ape

"I Go Ape"
Single by Neil Sedaka
from the album Rock with Sedaka
B-side	"Moon of Gold"
Released	February 1959
Recorded	January 15, 1959[1]
Studio	RCA Victor Studio A, New York City[2]
Genre	Rock and roll, novelty song
Length	2:22
Label	RCA Victor
Songwriter(s)	Neil Sedaka Howard Greenfield
Producer(s)	Al Nevins[2]
Neil Sedaka singles chronology
"The Diary" (1958) "I Go Ape" (1959) "Crying My Heart Out for You" (1959)

"I Go Ape" is a song written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, and recorded by Sedaka as a follow–up single to his first hit song "The Diary". It was released in February 1959, and also appears on Sedaka's 1959 debut solo album Rock with Sedaka. The rock and roll novelty song, which name-checks various primates, was performed in the boogie-woogie style of Jerry Lee Lewis.^[3]

"I Go Ape" was a relatively minor success in the United States, peaking at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[4] but was a much bigger success in the United Kingdom, where it reached #9 in the UK Singles Chart.^[5]

Although Sedaka has insisted he played piano on the session, the session logbooks document Ernie Hayes as the keyboard player.^[6] Other musicians included Everett Barksdale and Kenny Burrell on guitar, Lloyd Trotman on bass, Sticks Evans on drums, and King Curtis on tenor sax. The arrangement was by Chuck Sagle.^[7]

References

1. (2001) The Very Best of Neil Sedaka by Neil Sedaka [CD booklet]. New York: BMG Entertainment 07863 69393–2.
2. (1959) Rock with Sedaka by Neil Sedaka [record jacket]. New York: RCA Victor LSP–2035.
3. "Today's Mini-Concert - 8/21/2020". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
4. "Neil Sedaka". History-of-rock.com. 1939-03-13. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 487. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
6. "NEIL SEDAKA". rockabilly.nl. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
7. "Neil Sedaka – Lloyd Trotman". lloydtrotman.com. Retrieved 17 April 2017.