Jan & Kjeld

In 1959 the Danish teenagers known publicly as ‘The Kids From Copenhagen’ secured their lone major success upon signing with Germany’s Ariola label. Charles Niessen had written the principal theme for the soundtrack of his film Kein Mann Zum Hieraten; after the track performed solidly as a single across central Europe, the duo recut it as ‘Banjo Boy’ with English lyrics supplied by New Yorker Buddy Kaye. By 1962 the release had purportedly moved a million copies, yet it peaked no higher than number 36 in the UK and number 58 in the US.