O C Smith was an American singer. His recording of “Little Green Apples” went to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968 and sold over one million records.

While in the Air Force, O C Smith began entering talent contests and after his discharge in July 1955 he went into jazz music. He gained his first break as a singer with Sy Oliver and made an appearance on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts. His success on that show led to a 1955 recording contract with Cadence Records.

His most famous track “Little Green Apples” went to number 2 on the Hot 100 on 26 October 1968 and won Russell the 1969 Grammy Award for Song of the Year. It received a gold record from the R.I.A.A. for sales of one million records.

O C Smith was posthumously elected to the Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame in November 2002. His book, Little Green Apples: God Really Did Make Them, that he co-wrote with James Shaw, was published posthumously in 2003.

Backing Tracks

Little Green Apples

Lyrics

Whoa, I wake up in the mornings
With my hair down in my eyes and she says, “Hi”
And I stumble to the breakfast table
While the kids are goin’ off to school, goodbye
And she reaches out and takes my hand
And squeezes it and says, “How you feelin’, hon’?”
And I look across at smilin’ lips
That warm my heart and I see my morning sun
And if that’s not lovin’ me (lovin’ me)
Then all I’ve gotta say (gotta say)
Is God didn’t make little green apples
And it don’t rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
There’s no such thing as Dr. Seuss
No Disneyland, Mother Goose, there’s no nursery rhyme
No God didn’t make little green apples
And it don’t rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
And when my self is feelin’ low
I think about her face aglow and ease my mind

 

ListenSong TitleArtistGenreBVPriceBuy