346:“It took nine perfect tapes, or tracks, and three days’ work in the recording studio, to transfer this work from the composer’s head to acetate. First, having set down a melody, he recorded it a simplified orchestra—two saxophones, four rhythm instruments—at normal speed. Then on a second tape he recorded two pianos playing at half speed. Played back at normal speed, the pianos had a tinkly, mandolinlike sound. Bagdasarian made a third tape of his own normal voice at normal speed, shouting ‘Alvin!’, ‘Stop that!’ and the like. The fourth tape was Simon, the lowest voiced of the three chipmunks in the song. His lines were recorded in a normal voice at half speed, then played back at normal speed to produce a squeaky tone. By this time the control booth of the recording studio was filling up with tape like a cauldron of spaghetti, so the first four tapes were combined on a fifth. The sixth tape was a variation for Theodore, the laughing chipmunk: ‘Ha…Ha…Ha’ spoken carefully at half speed in a tone pitched slightly higher than Simon’s. The seventh was Alvin’s, also at half speed and pitched highest of all. An eighth track was added for the harmonica, normal speed. Finally one master tape combined all the others in one glorious tonal conglomeration.”
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who plays David
Seville in the song. The song was released as the second single from the group's debut album,
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Alexander, Shana. “’Alvin!’: Composer’s yells at son inspire another chipmunk hit.” LIFE, 23 March 1959, 44.
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A contemporary writeup describes
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46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
823:Greatest Hits: Still Squeaky After All These Years
465:. Cincinnati, OH: Billboard Books. p. 563.
307:" is a song from the fictional musical group,
118:1959 single by David Seville and The Chipmunks
760:The Chipmunks and The Chipettes: Born to Rock
513:
8:
883:We're the Chipmunks (Music from the TV Show)
584:The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)
462:Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits - 7th Edition
311:, which also features additional vocals by
271:The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)
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1070:Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein
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106:Learn how and when to remove this message
1078:Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman
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1208:Songs about fictional male characters
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354:After the group's previous single, "
44:adding citations to reliable sources
665:The Chipmunks Sing the Beatles Hits
637:Around the World with The Chipmunks
14:
1228:Songs written by Ross Bagdasarian
686:The Chipmunks See Doctor Dolittle
623:Let's All Sing with The Chipmunks
318:Let's All Sing with the Chipmunks
156:Let's All Sing with The Chipmunks
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672:The Chipmunks Sing with Children
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1218:Songs about musical instruments
1085:Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks
972:Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue
876:Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks
412:David Seville and The Chipmunks
31:needs additional citations for
809:Club Chipmunk: The Dance Mixes
700:The Very Best of The Chipmunks
693:The Chipmunks Go to the Movies
489:"Alvin's Harmonica"/"Mediocre"
390:
1:
1223:Alvin and the Chipmunks songs
802:When You Wish Upon a Chipmunk
630:Sing Again with The Chipmunks
928:Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks
767:The Chipmunks Rock the House
658:Christmas with The Chipmunks
980:Rockin' Through the Decades
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735:The Chipmunks Go Hollywood
426:The Music of David Seville
381:All tracks are written by
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975:(1990; guest appearance)
816:The A-Files: Alien Songs
1164:Bagdasarian Productions
1114:Nickelodeon Super Brawl
1107:Alvin and the Chipmunks
1027:Alvin and the Chipmunks
913:Alvin and the Chipmunks
848:Alvin and the Chipmunks
774:Chipmunks in Low Places
741:Songs from Our TV Shows
543:Alvin and the Chipmunks
529:Alvin and the Chipmunks
459:Whitburn, Joel (2000).
309:Alvin and the Chipmunks
260: singles chronology
1008:The Chipmunk Adventure
855:The Chipmunk Adventure
795:A Very Merry Chipmunk
788:Here's Looking at Me!
651:The Chipmunk Songbook
339:The Recording Process
313:Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.
252:Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.
239:Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.
1136:Ross Bagdasarian Jr.
956:A Chipmunk Christmas
753:Solid Gold Chipmunks
721:A Chipmunk Christmas
383:Ross Bagdasarian Sr.
40:improve this article
1213:Songs about mammals
605:Alvin for President
409:"Alvin's Harmonica"
124:"Alvin's Harmonica"
55:"Alvin's Harmonica"
964:A Chipmunk Reunion
289:Ragtime Cowboy Joe
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598:Alvin's Orchestra
591:Alvin's Harmonica
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356:The Chipmunk Song
350:Chart performance
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781:Greatest Hits
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728:Chipmunk Rock
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553:The Chipettes
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491:, Discogs.com
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472:0-8230-7690-3
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376:Track listing
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57: –
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51:Find sources:
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29:This article
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1233:1959 singles
1158:Witch Doctor
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946:Specials and
931:(2015–2023)
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916:(1983–1990)
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878:(soundtrack)
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323:Witch Doctor
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38:Please help
33:verification
30:
1099:Video games
1043:Chipwrecked
1019:Live-action
908:(1961–1962)
870:Chipwrecked
840:Soundtracks
247:Producer(s)
1203:1959 songs
1197:Categories
948:home video
830:Undeniable
536:Characters
437:References
423:"Mediocre"
170:"Mediocre"
96:April 2021
66:newspapers
747:Munk Rock
364:Billboard
1182:Category
1000:Animated
935:episodes
920:episodes
183:Recorded
175:Released
1150:Related
576:Singles
325:" and "
293:(1959)
284:(1959)
275:(1958)
225:Liberty
80:scholar
1124:People
1087:(2003)
1081:(2000)
1073:(1999)
1054:(2015)
1046:(2011)
1038:(2009)
1030:(2007)
1011:(1987)
983:(1991)
967:(1985)
959:(1981)
615:Albums
469:
401:Length
203:Length
165:B-side
139:Single
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568:Music
395:Title
220:Label
192:Genre
87:JSTOR
73:books
467:ISBN
429:1:50
415:2:39
145:and
59:news
391:No.
197:Pop
141:by
42:by
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