Hugo Peretti & Luigi Creatore

Being a long-time collector of 45s and having sifted through tens of thousands of singles, whenever I came across one of those RCA 45s with the little “Hugo & Luigi” logos on it, I always wondered just how that came to be – for a production team to have their very own logo, especially on a major record label like RCA!

The book “Record Makers and Breakers – Voices of the Independent Rock ‘n’ Roll Pioneers” includes a great chapter on the two Italian cousins. The logo is mentioned – once.

No explanation is given on the logo other than they duo had one. I surmise that RCA was so excited to have the production/arranging/composing team in their fold that a little logo was a no brainer.

Hugo Peretti was born on December 6th, 1916 in New York City. He was a trumpet player and worked his way through several orchestras.

Luigi Federico Creatore was also born in New York City on December 21st, 1921. He and his cousin to begin composing and producing for others.

The cousins got their start producing children’s records and composing jingles. While there they met Irving Green of Mercury Records. After Mercury A&R director Richard Hayman was let go by Mercury, Hugo and Luigi came on board. Nothing happened for about a year but then the two arrangers broke through big time with the Gaylords “The Little Shoemaker” and also Georgia Gibbs covering “Tweedle Dee”.

Gibbs balked at the song but Mercury forced her into the studio where she begrudgingly recorded the song quickly and stormed from the building. After the song reached the upper parts of the charts, Gibbs she more or less apologized and thanked the new Mercury team.

In 1957 Hugo and Luigi entered into partnership with Morris Levy and formed Roulette Records, so name because the endeavor was a bit of a gamble. They had good success, especially with the young folk singer, Jimmie Rodgers.

In 1959, Hugo and Luigi would say goodbye to Levy and Roulette, leaving on good terms and would join up with RCA Records who were looking to find a replacement for the young phenoms, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

Perhaps their biggest success at RCA was working with singer songwriter Sam Cooke who wanted to break away from Keene Records and did so in a big way! The first song the Tokens brought to Hugo and Luigi the song which would become “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” it was merely an acapella chant.

Hugo and Luigi told the Tokens that they weren’t about to spend time on a chant and so talked the group into letting them add some lyrics and work over the music. It paid off with the Tokens only number 1 song!

Then, in 1963, the pair, never ones to sit still, returned to Roulette Records and Morris Levy.

Their final shot in the music business came with their purchase of the Avco-Embassy label and rode the charts with the Stylistics and Van McCoy but then the industry experienced a severe downturn. Hugo and Luigi could read the writing on the wall that the days of the independents was rapidly coming to an end so they finally called it a career.

Luigi Creatore passed away on December 13th, 2015 in Boca Raton, Florida at the age of 93. Hugo Peretti died on May 1st, 1986 in Englewood, New Jersey at age 69.

Hugo and Luigi Selected Composing/Producing/Recording Discography

The Gaylords – “The Little Shoemaker” #2 Pop – July 1954

Georgia Gibbs – “Tweedle Dee” #2 Pop – January 1955

Hugo & Luigi – February 1955

Sarah Vaughan – “Experience Unnecessary” #14 Pop – July 1955

Hugo & Luigi withe their Family Singers – July 1955

Hugo and Luigi with their Family Singers – October 1955

Hugo & Luigi with their Family Singers – February 1956

Sarah Vaughan – “It Happened Again” #72 Pop – October 1956

Hugo & Luigi – June 1957

Jimmie Rodgers – “Oh-Oh, I’m Falling in Love Again” #7 Pop #19 R&B #5 Country – February 1958

Hugo & Luigi – February 1958

Jimmie Rodgers – “Secretly” #3 Pop #7 R&B – April 1958

Jimmie Rodgers – “Make Me a Miracle” #16 Pop – May 1958

Hugo & Luigi – May 1958

Jimmie Rodgers – “Are You Really Mine?” #10 Pop #13 Country – August 1958

Jimmie Rodgers – “The Wizard” #45 Pop – August 1958

Jimmie Rodgers – “Bimbombey” #11 Pop – November 1958

Jimmie Rodgers – “I’m Never Gonna Tell” #36 Pop – February 1959

Jimmie Rodgers – “Because You’re Young” #62 Pop – March 1959

Chico Holiday – H&L Producers – March 1959

The Tradewinds – H&L Producers – April 1959

Hugo & Luigi – April 1959

The Wagnon Sisters – H&L Producers – May 1959

Isley Brothers – H&L Producers – May 1959

Bill Courtney – H&L Producers – July 1959

Gale Gibson – H&L Producers – July 1959

Impacts – H&L Producers – August 1959

Isley Brothers – H&L Producers – “Shout Pt 1” #47 Pop -August 1959

“Shout” charted again in September of 1962 reaching number 94 Pop.

Hugo & Luigi – November 1959

Monty Babson – H&L Producers – January 1960

Sam Cooke – “Teenage Sonata” #22 R&B – #50 Pop – February 1960

Carol Hughes – H&L Producers – April 1960

The Trends – H&L Producers – May 1960

The Crew Cuts – H&L Producers – May 1960

Ray Peterson – “Tell Laura I Love Her” #7 Pop – May 1960

Johnny Restivo – H&L Produced – June 1960

The Ames Brothers – H&L Producers – July 1960

Sam Cooke – “Chain Gang” #2 Pop – #2 R&B – August 1960

Marilyn Michaels – H&L Producers – August 1960

Della Reese – “And Now”#69 Pop – September 1960

Jeff Barry – H&L Producers – October 1960

Joan Proctor – H&L Producers – October 1960

Hugo & Luigi – October 1960

Perry Como – “Make Someone Happy” #80 Pop – October 1960

Sam Cooke – “Sad Mood” #23 R&B – #29 Pop – November 1960

Sam Fletcher – H&L Producers – November 1960

Miranda Martino – H&L Producers – December 1960

Hugo & Luige Chorus – 1960

Hugo & Luigi and the Children’s Chorus – 1960

Sam Cooke – “That’s It – I Quit – I’m Movin’ On” #25 Pop – #23 R&B – February 1961

Hugo & Luigi – March 1961

Mickey & Sylvia – H&L Producers – April 1961

Sam Cooke – “Cupid” #20 R&B – #17 Pop – May 1961

Mary Petti – H&L Producers – May 1961

Elvis Presley – “Wild in the Country” #26 Pop – June 1961

David Dante – H&L Producers – June 1961

Juliana – H&L Producers – June 1961

Della Reese – “A Far, Far Better Thing” #115 Bubbling Under – August 1961

The Blue Chips – H&L Producers – August 1961

Hugo & Luigi – October 1961

Perry Como – “You’re Following Me” #92 Pop – October 1961

The Tokens – “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” #1 Pop – #7 R&B – #11 UK – November 1961

Elvis Presley – “Can’t Help Falling in Love” #2 Pop – #1 Adult – #1 UK – December 1961

Sam Cooke – “Twistin’ the Night Away” #1 Pop – #9 R&B – January 1962

The Tokens – “B’wa Nina” #55 Pop – February 1962

Perry Como – “Caterina” #23 Pop – March 1962

The Corsairs – “I’ll Take You Home” #68 Pop – #26 R&B – April 1962

Sam Cooke – “Bring it Home to Me” #2 R&B – #14 Pop – May 1962

Sam Cooke – “Having a Party” #4 R&B – #17 Pop – May 1962

The Lafayettes – H&L Producers – May 1962

The Tokens – “La Bomba” #85 Pop – June 1962

June 1962 – H&L Producers – June 1962

Thunder Lee – H&L Producers – August 1962

Sam Cooke – “Somebody Have Mercy on Me” #3 R&B – #70 Pop – September 1962

Sam Cooke – “Nothing Can Change this Love” #2 R&B – #12 Pop – September 1962

Lena Horne – H&L Producers – October 1962

Kitty Kallen – H&L Producers – “My Coloring Book” #18 Pop – November 1962

Tommy Leonette – H&L Producers – November 1962

Joey Powers – H&L Producers – December 1962

Sam Cooke – “Send Me Some Lovin'” #2 R&B – #13 Pop – December 1962

Little Peggy March – “I Will Follow Him” #1 Pop – H&L Producers – January 1963

The Grandisons – H&L Producers – March 1963

Sam Cooke – “Another Saturday Night” #1 R&B – #10 Pop – April 1963

Johnny Nash – “Helpless” – May 1963

Perry Como – “(I Love You) Don’t You Forget It” #39 Pop – May 1963

Little Peggy March – “I Wish I Were a Princess” #32 Pop – June 1963

Paul Anka – “Hello Jim” #97 Pop – June 1963

Tommy Boyce – H&L Producer – July 1963

The Tokens – “Hear the Bells” #94 Pop – July 1963

Sam Cooke – “Frankie & Johnnie” #4 R&B – #14 Pop – July 1963

The Essex – “A Walkin’ Miracle” #12 Pop – #11 R&B – August 1963

Little Peggy March – “Hello Heartache, Goodbye Love” #26 Pop – #29 UK – September 1963

Melodye Condos – H&L Producers – September 1963

Janice Harper – H&L Producers – September 1963

Sam Cooke – “Little Red Rooster” #2 R&B – #11 Pop – October 1963

Little Peggy March – “The Impossible Happened” #57 Pop – November 1963

Marty Gold & His Orchestra – H&L Producers – November 1963

Kate Smith – H&L Producers – December 1963

Sam Cooke – “Good News” #1 R&B – #11 Pop – January 1964

Little Peggy March – “(I’m Watching) Every Little Move You Make” #84 Pop – January 1964

Miriam Makeba – H&L Producers – March 1964

Ketty Lester – H&L Producers – March 1964

Neil Sedaka – H&L Producers – March 1964

The Lollipops – H&L Producers – March 1964

Sam Cooke – “Good Times” #1 R&B – #11 Pop – May 1964

This would be Hugo and Luigi’s final production for Sam Cooke.

Sam Cooke – “Tennessee Waltz” #6 R&B – #35 Pop – May 1964

The Daisies – H&L Producers – September 1964

Anita Humes – H&L Producers – September 1964

Au Go-Go Singers – H&L Producers – October 1964

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – H&L Producers – October 1964

Jackie Crane & Roy – H&L Producers – October 1964

Shawn Elliott – H&L Producers – November 1964

Nydia Caro – H&L Producers – November 1964

Big Dee Erwin – H&L Producers – February 1965

The Caper Brothers – H&L Producers – February 1965

The Tiffany Singers – H&L Producers – March 1965

Chance Eden – H&L Producers – March 1965

Jimmie Jones – H&L Producers – April 1965

Lorie Burton – H&L Producers – April 1965

Rudy Valentyne – H&L Producers – May 1965

The Boyd Sisters – H&L Producers – June 1965

Dave “Baby” Cortez – H&L Producers – June 1965

Tony Sales & the Tigers – H&L Producers – July 1965

Shawn Elliott – “The Girl in Bell Bottom Trousers” – October 1965

The Hullaballoos – “My Heart Keeps Telling Me” – 1965

Gulliver & the Travelers – H&L Producers – December 1965

John Gary – H&L Producers – 1965

Shirley Bassey – “Don’t Take the Lovers from the World” – May 1966

Steve Lawrence – “Good Times” – May 1966

Lloyd Price – H&L Producers – July 1966

The Lettermen – “Secretly” #64 Pop – #8 Adult – September 1966

Tom Jones – “What a Party” #120 Bubbling Under – September 1966

The Aches and Pains – H&L Producers – November 1966

Yesterday’s Children – H&L Producers – December 1966

Flip Cartridge – “Pretty Balloons” – February 1967

The Partnership – H&L Producers – May 1967

The Royal Guardsmen – “Snoopy’s Christmas” #1 Holiday – October 1967

Vic Damone – “Why Can’t I Walk Away” #21 Adult – September 1968

Hugo & Luigi Chorus & Orchestra – September 1968

Al Martino – “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” #54 Pop – #5 Adult – February 1970

Hugo & Luigi Orchestra & Chorus – November 1970

Robert John – “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” #3 Pop – #6 Adult – April 1972

The Hugo & Luigi Music Machine – “Theme from the Ruling Class” b/w “My Jack” – 1972

Hugo & Luigi Music Machine – 1973

The Soft Tones – “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” #56 R&B – July 1973

The Soft Tones – “The First Day” #69 R&B – December 1973

The Hugo & Luigi Music Machine – “Smile, Smile, Smile” b/w “A Little Bit of Fiddle” – 1973

The Stylistics – “Hey Girl, Come & Get It” #4 Dance – 1974

Kate Smith – “Smile, Smile, Smile” #42 Adult – May 1974

Van McCoy – “Love is the Answer” #22 Adult – #77 R&B – June 1974

The Stylistics – “Let’s Put It All Together” #18 Pop – #8 R&B – #26 Adult – #9 UK – July 1974

The Stylistics – “Heavy Fallin’ Out” #41 Pop – #4 R&B – October 1974

The Stylistics – “Star on a TV Show” #47 Pop – #13 R&B – #27 Adult – #12 UK – January 1975

The Stylistics – “Thank You Baby” #70 Pop – #7 R&B – April 1975

The Stylistics – “Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)” – #51 Pop – #13 Dance – #18 R&B – #34 Adult – #1 UK – July 1975

The Stylistics – “Funky Weekend” #76 Pop – #23 R&B – November 1975

The Stylistics – “You Are Beautiful” #79 Pop – #26 Adult – #17 R&B – February 1976

The Stylistics – “Because I Love You” #43 R&B – September 1976

The Stylistics – “I’m Coming Home” #90 R&B – July 1977

The Hugo & Luigi Music Machine – “Love Theme from the Godfather” b/w “The Disco Kiss” – December 1977

Jimmie Rodgers – “Secretly” #46 Adult – #65 Country – September 1978

‘Engelbert Humperdinck – “Can’t Help Falling in Love” #44 Adult – May 1979

“Jimmy Castor – “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” #93 R&B – May 1980

Slim Whitman – “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” #54 Country – August 1981

Tight Fit – “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” #1 UK – January 1982

Corey Hart – “Can’t Help Falling in Love” #24 Pop – #24 Adult – December 1986

UB40 – “(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love with You” #1 Pop – #11 Adult – #11 Alternative – #1 UK – May 1993

The Tokens – “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” #51 – August 1994

The Shareefa – “Need a Boss” #62 Pop – #10 R&B – July 2006

Shareefa – “Cry No More” #43 R&B – December 2006

Christina Grimmie – “Can’t Help Falling in Love” #74 Pop – June 2014

Haley Reinhart – “Can’t Help Falling in Love” #17 Adult – January 2016