Old Cape Cod
"Old Cape Cod" is a song written by Claire Rothrock, Milton Yakus and Allan Jeffrey that was published in 1957. The single, as recorded by Patti Page, became a gold record, having sold more than a million copies. Hailed by Cape Cod natives as the "unofficial Cape Cod Anthem, if ever there was one," the song has been credited with "putting the Cape on the map" and helping to establish Cape Cod as a major tourist destination. Background. The song extols the virtues of Cape Cod as a leisure destination with each verse ending with the line  You're sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod. The nucleus of the song was a poem written by Boston-area housewife Claire Rothrock, for whom Cape Cod was a favorite vacation spot. "Old Cape Cod" and its derivatives would be Rothrock's sole evident songwriting credit. She brought her poem to Ace Studios, a Boston recording studio owned by Milton Yakus, who adapted the poem into the song's lyrics. His associate Allan Jeffrey wrote the music and a demo recording was made at Ace. Patti Page version. Recording and impact. Patti Page had previously had a  hit with the Milton Yakus composition "Go on with the Wedding" in 1956. However, according to Page, Claire Rothrock brought "Old Cape Cod" directly to her, approaching Page at a Boston nightclub where the singer was performing. Page says of the song: "I just fell in love with it." She recorded "Old Cape Cod" during a day trip to New York City, enabling her return to Boston in time for that evening's nightclub performance. The song was intended to be the B-side of her next single, "Wondering". The "Wondering"/"Old Cape Cod" single was released by Mercury Records on  April 23, 1957 as catalog number 71101. Both tracks debuted on the "Billboard" magazine charts for the week ending June 3, and "Old Cape Cod" quickly became the dominant track, peaking at number three on "Billboard"'s Most Played by Jockeys chart, number eight on the Best Sellers In Stores chart and number seven on the Top 100 composite chart for 1957. "Old Cape Cod" spent 18 weeks on the Cash Box magazine Best Selling Singles list, peaking at number eight and holding there for three consecutive weeks. The song was a hit in Australia, peaking at number 14. Legacy . Page had never visited Cape Cod until after the song had been released and became a hit. She later recalled her first visit to the Cape, saying: Her last visit to Cape Cod was in February 2010, when she attended a ceremony held in her honor at the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce. Massachusetts state senator Robert O'Leary remarked: Symbolizing Page's "contributions in the promotion of Cape Cod through the years and with her music", the ceremony culminated with the O'Leary's dedication and the unveiling of a new street sign, as the road leading to the Chamber of  Commerce was renamed Patti Page Way. Following Page's death on January 1, 2013, the Chamber of Commerce credited the song's success with helping to establish Cape Cod as a major tourist destination: The song was referenced by Bruce Johnston in the lyrics of "Disney Girls", his nostalgic song about growing up in the 1950s: "Patti Page and summer days on old Cape Cod." Other artists who have recorded "Old Cape Cod" include: