Alvin & the Chipmunks - Alvin and his buddies were a group of singing chipmunks created by singer-songwriter Ross Bagdaserian (b.1920-d.1972) in the 1950s. The Chipmunks - Alvin, Theodore, and Simon - were featured in the 1958 novelty songs "Witch Doctor" and "Christmas, Don't Be Late" (a.k.a. "The Chipmunk Song")  - which sold several million copies and won two Grammy Awards - and in the 1959 sequel recording "Alvin's Harmonica." Their popularity earned them an animated cartoon THE ALVIN SHOW/CBS/1961-62 that spotlighted the misadventures of Alvin, the bratty one (with a cap and a large letter "A" on his shirt"); Theodore, the plump, giggling one; and Simon, the brainy bookworm with glasses as they lived in the home of their manager, David Seville (the pseudonym of Bagdasarian). In 1983 the Chipmunks returned to NBC in an updated Saturday morning cartoon produced by Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. entitled ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS. In 1988 the program was retitled THE CHIPMUNKS and introduced a group of female chipmunk singer called "The Chippettes" (Brittany, Eleanor, and Jeannette). In the fall of 1990 the show was retitled CHIPMUNKS GO TO THE MOVIES as Alvin and company parodied famous motion pictures. TRIVIA NOTE: The Chipmunk's unique sound was created by recording the voice of Bagdasarian at a slow speed and then playing it back twice as fast. Originally, Bagdasarian was going to use rabbits or butterflies as characters to match the high pitch electronic voices that he created until his children (Carol, Ross, & Adam) agreed that the speeded up voices sounded more like chipmunks. Alvin, who played a harmonica and wore a baseball hat was named after Al Bennett, Vice President of Liberty Records. Simon, who wore horn-rimmed glasses was named after Si Warnoker, a record company executive. And Theodore, who was more interested in eating than performing was named for Ted Keep, the engineer of the first chipmunk record.   

THEME SONG
(The Alvin Show)

This is the Alvin Show, the Alvin Show
You'll positively gonna love the Alvin Show
There's Dave Seville and what is more
Here's a boy who's known as Theodore

Now you see, on camera three
The brother known as Simon on the family tree
And here's the star of the show
Alvin! Alvin!

[Narrator:] I am Clyde Crashcup.

Ready here we go: Here's the Alvin Show.


THEME SONG
(Alvin & the Chipmunks)

Watch out cause here we come
It's been a while but we're back with style
So get set to have some fun
We'll bring you action and satisfaction

We're the chipmunks
C-H-I-P-M-U-N-K
We're the chipmunks
Guaranteed to brighten your day

When you feel like a laugh
Give us a call we'll give you a roll
And if you feel like a song
Tune in to us and sing right along

We're the chipmunks
Coming on stronger than ever before
We're the chipmunks
Alvin, Simon, Theodore
 

The Chipmunks Early Record/Album Covers

1958 Album London HA-U 2153  (Liberty 3073)	45 RPM 1960  (Liberty 55250)	45 RPM 1960  (Liberty 55250)