Are You Lonesome Tonight?

Last updated

"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
Are You Lonesome Tonight - Charles Hart.jpg
Single by Charles Hart
B-side "Sweet Marie"
Released1927
RecordedMay 9, 1927
Genre Traditional pop
Length3:10
Label Harmony Records
Songwriter(s) Lou Handman, Roy Turk

"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (sometimes stylized as Are You Lonesome To-night?) is a song written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman in 1926. It was recorded several times in 1927, first by Charles Hart, but also with successful versions by Vaughn De Leath, Henry Burr, and the duet of Jerry Macy and John Ryan. In 1950, the Blue Barron Orchestra version reached the top twenty on Billboard 's Pop Singles chart.

Contents

In April 1960, after Elvis Presley's two-year service in the United States Army, he recorded the song at the suggestion of his manager Colonel Tom Parker; "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was Parker's wife, Marie Mott's, favorite song. Its release was delayed by RCA Victor executives, who thought the song did not fit Presley's new (and publicized) style. When "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was released in November 1960, it was an immediate success in the U.S., topping Billboard's Pop Singles chart and reaching number three on the R&B chart. A month after the song's release, it topped the UK Singles Chart. Presley's version was certified by the Recording Industry Association of America for a Gold Record Award for 1,000,000 copies sold in the United States in 1983. It was upgraded by the RIAA to a 2× Platinum Record Award for 2,000,000 sales in 1992. "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was later recorded by several other artists, with versions by Donny Osmond and Merle Haggard becoming top-twenty hits on the pop and country charts, respectively. Billboard ranked "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" number 81 on its "Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs" list in 2008.

Composition and early versions

The song was written in 1926 by vaudevillians Lou Handman and Roy Turk with three verses, followed by a spoken bridge. They based the bridge on a line in Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci , [1] and "You know someone said that the world's a stage. And each must play a part" refers to "All the world's a stage" from William Shakespeare's As You Like It . [2] This recitation is printed on the inside back cover of the original 1927 sheet music and is sung on Stanley Kirkby's recording in 1928, Al Jolson's recording in 1949 [3] and Blue Barron's recording in 1950 (US top 20 hit). Billboard reported in 1960 that it was written by songwriter and vaudeville pianist Dave Dreyer. [4]

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Are You Lonesome Tonight" by Charles Hart
Several versions of the song were recorded in 1927, the first by Charles Hart.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Several versions of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" were recorded in 1927. The first, by Charles Hart, was recorded on May 9 and released on Harmony Records (431-H) [5] as the B-side of "Sweet Marie." [6] On June 13, Vaughn De Leath recorded the song as the B-side of "It's a Million to One You're in Love" for Edison Records (Ed-52044). [7] De Leath had the first hit version of the song, which peaked at number four in November. [6] On July 10, 1927, the Newport Society Orchestra recorded the song with Irving Kaufman as the vocalist; it was released on Harmony Records (511-H) with "I'm Walkin' On Air." [8] A version by the duet of Jerry Macy and John Ryan was released on Okeh Records (Ok-40866) as the B-side of "Carolina Mine." [9] Henry Burr's version peaked at number ten, [10] and Little Jack Little had a hit with the song for Columbia Records. [11] Although Gene Austin included the song in his shows during the 1930s, he never recorded it. [1]

In March 1950, the Blue Barron Orchestra released "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" with "Penny Wise and Love Foolish" on the B-side, and it peaked at number nineteen on Billboard's Top Pop Singles chart. In April, Don Cornell released a version without the narrative bridge as the B-side of his RCA Victor single, "Stay With the Happy People." [12] Billboard called it a: "dreamy waltz ... (that) gets effective treatment (on the recording)." Based on votes sent to Billboard, the song received 78 points from disc jockeys, 78 from record dealers, 79 from jukebox operators, and 78 points overall; on the magazine's 100-point scale, it was rated "Good." [13] Al Jolson recorded a version with the spoken bridge on April 28, 1950, in Los Angeles; Gordon Jenkins conducted the orchestra. [14] With "No Sad Songs For Me" on the B-side, it was released by Decca Records in June. According to Billboard, although the version was "revived" by Jolson's "schmaltz style" his recitation of the bridge was "hamboned." Based on votes sent to the magazine, the song received 71 points from disc jockeys, 71 from record dealers, and 71 from jukebox operators; with an overall score of 71, it was rated "Good." [15] In 1958, Jim Flaherty's Western Caravan recorded the song on the Frankie Records label, with B-side "My Foolish Heart" sung by Maury Dubois. [16] This version, with vocals by Howie Stange, gained quite a following in New England, mainly due to Jim Flaherty's tireless promotion. At the November 1959 DJ Convention held in Nashville, Jim Flaherty handed Chet Atkins a copy of the song with the encouragement of getting "that kid down south (Elvis Presley) who is shaking things up" to record it. [17] In 1959, Jaye P. Morgan released the song on MGM Records, with "Miss You" on the B-side, [18] and her version peaked at number 65 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart. [19]

Elvis Presley version

"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
Are You Lonesome Tonight%3F (Elvis Presley single - cover art).jpg
US single sleeve
Single by Elvis Presley
B-side "I Gotta Know"
ReleasedNovember 1, 1960
RecordedApril 4, 1960
Studio RCA Studio B, Nashville
Genre
Length3:07
Label RCA Victor
Songwriter(s) Lou Handman, Roy Turk
Producer(s) Steve Sholes, Chet Atkins
Elvis Presley singles chronology
"It's Now or Never"
(1960)		"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
(1960)		"Surrender"
(1961)
Elvis Presley UKsingles chronology
"It's Now or Never"
(1960)		"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
(1960)		"Wooden Heart"
(1961)

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Netherlands—45,000 [63]
United Kingdom (BPI) [64] Silver200,000‡
United States (RIAA) [65] 2× Platinum2,000,000^
Summaries
Worldwide—4,000,000 [66]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Later versions

Chart performance

YearArtistChartPeak position
1927 Vaughn De Leath Top selling records4
Henry Burr Top selling records10
1950 Blue Barron Orchestra Billboard Pop Singles 19
1959 Jaye P. Morgan Billboard Pop Singles65
1960 Elvis Presley Billboard Pop Singles1
Billboard R&B singles 3
Cash Box Singles 1
Cash Box Country Singles45
UK Singles Chart 1
1974 Donny Osmond Billboard Pop Singles14
1977 Merle Haggard Billboard Hot Country Singles 12
1982Elvis PresleyUK Singles Chart25
1983 John Schneider Billboard Hot Country Singles53
2005Elvis PresleyUK Singles Chart2

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elvis Presley</span> American singer and actor (1935–1977)

Elvis Aaron Presley, known mononymously as Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Known as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Presley's energized performances and interpretations of songs, and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, brought both great success and initial controversy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Shook Up</span> Song by Elvis Presley

"All Shook Up" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley, published by Elvis Presley Music, and composed by Otis Blackwell. The single topped the U.S. Billboard Top 100 on April 13, 1957, staying there for nine weeks. It also topped the Billboard R&B chart for four weeks, becoming Presley's second single to do so, and peaked at No. 1 on the country chart as well. It is certified 2× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

"Always on My Mind" is a ballad written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James, first recorded by Brenda Lee and first released by Gwen McCrae in March 1972. Lee's version was released three months later in June 1972. The song has been a crossover hit, charting in both the country and western and pop categories. Elvis Presley's recording was the first commercially successful version of the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Want You, I Need You, I Love You</span> 1956 single by Elvis Presley

"I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" is a song written by Maurice Mysels and Ira Kosloff. It is best known for being Elvis Presley's seventh single release on the RCA Victor label, produced by Steve Sholes. It was released in May 1956, becoming Presley's second number 1 single on the country music charts, and peaking at number 3 on the US Billboard Top 100 chart, an earlier version of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Before the establishment of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1958, there were a number of charts including Jukebox plays, Store charts, and Airplay charts; the song reached number 1 on the Billboard Top Sellers in Stores chart.

<i>Elvis</i> (1968 TV program) 1968 American television special

Singer Presents ... Elvis, commonly referred to as the '68 Comeback Special, is an Elvis Presley concert special that aired on NBC on December 3, 1968. It marked Presley's return to live performance after a seven-year period during which he focused on his film appearances.

<i>Elvis in Concert</i> (album) 1977 live album by Elvis Presley

Elvis in Concert is the live album released by RCA Records in October 1977 in conjunction with the television special of the same name which features some of the final performances of American singer and musician Elvis Presley. Videotaped and recorded in June 1977, both the special and album were broadcast and released on October 3, six weeks after Presley's death. The album peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard chart in late 1977. It was certified Gold and Platinum on October 14 and 3× Platinum on August 1, 2002, by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crying in the Chapel</span> 1953 single by Darrell Glenn

"Crying in the Chapel" is a song written by Artie Glenn and recorded by his son Darrell Glenn. The song was released in 1953 and reached number six on the Billboard chart.

<i>From Elvis in Memphis</i> 1969 studio album by Elvis Presley

From Elvis in Memphis is the ninth studio album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. It was released by RCA Records on June 2, 1969. It was recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis in January and February 1969 under the direction of producer Chips Moman and backed by its house band, informally known as the Memphis Boys. Following the success of Presley's TV special Elvis and its soundtrack, the album marked Presley's return to non-soundtrack albums after the completion of his film contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

<i>Elvis Christmas Album</i> 1957 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis' Christmas Album is the third studio album and first Christmas album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley on RCA Victor, LOC -1035, a deluxe limited edition, released October 15, 1957, and recorded at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. It has been reissued in numerous different formats since its first release. It spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, and was the first of two Christmas-themed albums Presley would record, the other being Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas, released in 1971. The publication Music Vendor listed Elvis' Christmas Album on their singles charts for two weeks in December 1957 – January 1958, with a peak position of No. 49.

<i>Elvis Is Back!</i> 1960 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis Is Back! is the fourth studio album by American singer Elvis Presley, released on April 8, 1960 by RCA Victor. It was Presley's first album of new material since 1958's King Creole soundtrack, as well as his first to be recorded and released in stereophonic sound. The album marked Presley's return to music after his discharge from the U.S. Army.

<i>How Great Thou Art</i> (Elvis Presley album) 1967 studio album by Elvis Presley

How Great Thou Art is the eighth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in February 1967. How Great Thou Art is a gospel album with slow numbers on one side, and fast-paced numbers on the flipside. The album earned Presley a Grammy Award for Best Sacred Performance, while it became a Billboard top 20 pop hit and it appeared on the Top Country Albums chart on the top 10.

<i>Elvis Golden Records Volume 3</i> 1963 greatest hits album by Elvis Presley

Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 is a greatest hits album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor as LPM/LSP-2765 on August 12, 1963. The album was the third volume of an eventual five volume collection, and his eighteenth altogether. It is a compilation of hit singles released in 1960, 1961, and 1962.

<i>From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60s Masters</i> 1993 box set by Elvis Presley

From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters is a five-disc box set compilation of studio master recordings by American singer and musician Elvis Presley during the decade of the 1960s; it was released in 1993 on RCA Records, catalogue number 66160-2. In its initial long-box release, it included a set of collectable stamps duplicating the record jackets of every Presley LP on RCA Victor, and those of the singles pertinent to this box set. The set also includes a booklet with an extensive session list and discography, as well as a lengthy essay by Peter Guralnick. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on November 30, 1993, and Platinum on January 6, 2004. This set followed an exhaustive box set of Presley's 1950s output and was followed by a collection of his soundtrack work and a more selective box set of his work in the 1970s.

<i>Loving You</i> (soundtrack) 1957 soundtrack album by Elvis Presley

Loving You is the first soundtrack album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. It was released by RCA Victor in mono, LPM 1515, in June 1957 to accompany his film, Loving You (1957). Recording sessions took place on January 15, 16, 17, and 18, 1957, at the Paramount Pictures Scoring Stage, and on January 12, 13, 19, and February 23 and 24, 1957, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. These are the first sessions where Steve Sholes is officially listed as producer. It spent ten weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. It was certified Gold on April 9, 1968 by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Now or Never (song)</span> 1960 single by Elvis Presley

"It's Now or Never" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and released as a single in 1960. The song is Presley's biggest hit, with 20 million copies sold worldwide, it is one of the best-selling singles of all time. It was recorded by Bill Porter at RCA Studio B in Nashville. It is written in E major and has a tempo of 80 BPM.

"I Gotta Know" is a song recorded by Cliff Richard in September 1959 and Elvis Presley on 4 April 1960. The composer was Paul Evans; lyrics are by Matt Williams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elvis Presley singles discography</span>

The singles discography of Elvis Presley began in 1954 with the release of his first commercial single, "That's All Right". Following his regional success with Sun Records, Presley was signed to RCA Victor on November 20, 1955. Presley's first single with RCA, "Heartbreak Hotel", was a worldwide hit, reaching the No. 1 position in four countries and the top 10 in many other countries. Other hit singles from the 1950s include "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You", "Don't Be Cruel", "Hound Dog", "Love Me Tender", "Too Much", "All Shook Up", "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear", "Jailhouse Rock", "Don't", "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck", "Hard Headed Woman", "One Night", "(Now & Then There's) A Fool Such as I", and "A Big Hunk o' Love". On March 24, 1958, Presley entered the United States Army at Memphis, Tennessee, and was stationed in Germany. He left active duty on March 5, 1960.

"For Ol' Times Sake'" is a song by Tony Joe White, covered in 1973 by Elvis Presley.

<i>Elvis by Request: Flaming Star and 3 Other Great Songs</i> 1961 EP by Elvis Presley

Elvis by Request: Flaming Star and 3 Other Great Songs is an EP by American singer Elvis Presley, containing two songs from the motion picture Flaming Star and two of his earlier hits on the reverse side.

"Playing for Keeps" is a song originally recorded by Elvis Presley. Its first release on record was on January 4, 1957, on a single with "Too Much" on the other side. "Playing for Keeps" reached number 34 in the United States, while "Too Much" spent 3 weeks at number 1. In 1959, the song was included on Elvis's album For LP Fans Only.

References

  1. 1 2 Schultz, William Todd 2005, p. 146.
  2. ↑ Galey, Allan 2014, p. 53.
  3. ↑ "YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  4. ↑ Billboard staff 2 1960, p. 4.
  5. ↑ Gregory, Charles 2003, p. 930.
  6. 1 2 Leszczak, Bob 2014, p. 11.
  7. ↑ Laird, Ross 1996, p. 134.
  8. ↑ The Discographer staff 1971, p. 22.
  9. ↑ Laird, Ross & Rust, Brian 2004, p. 404.
  10. ↑ Sullivan, Steve 2013, p. 625.
  11. ↑ Malone, Bill & McCulloh, Judith 1975, p. 104.
  12. ↑ Collins, Ace 2005, p. 165.
  13. ↑ Billboard staff 1950, p. 35.
  14. ↑ Fisher, James 1994, p. 148.
  15. ↑ Billboard staff 2 1950, p. 86.
  16. ↑ "Welcome to the Home of Frankie Records! | Doo Wop and Rockabilly music from the 1950's" . Retrieved 2025-01-17.
  17. ↑ Interview with Gus French, April 28, 2014
  18. ↑ Popoff, Martin 2010, p. 829.
  19. ↑ Billboard staff 1959, p. 39.
  20. ↑ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 92. ISBN   978-0-571-28198-5.
  21. ↑ Guralnick 1998, p. 44-45.
  22. ↑ Guralnick 1998, p. 59.
  23. ↑ Colman, Stuart 2011, p. 8.
  24. ↑ Colman, Stuart 2011, p. 4.
  25. ↑ Guralnick 1998, p. 61.
  26. ↑ Creswell, Toby 2007, p. 31.
  27. ↑ Guralnick 1998, p. 64.
  28. ↑ Guralnick 1998, p. 65-66.
  29. 1 2 Murray, Don 1961, p. 66.
  30. ↑ Colman, Stuart 2011, p. 10.
  31. ↑ Collins, Ace 2005, p. 166.
  32. ↑ Collins, Ace 2005, p. 167.
  33. ↑ Hoffman, Frank 1983, p. 834.
  34. ↑ Albert, George 1984, p. 280.
  35. 1 2 Humphries, Patrick 2003, p. 87.
  36. ↑ Billboard staff 1960, p. 45.
  37. ↑ Janovitz, Bill 2013.
  38. ↑ Schultz, William Todd 2005, p. 147.
  39. ↑ Schultz, William Todd 2005, p. 148.
  40. ↑ Schultz, William Todd 2005, p. 149.
  41. ↑ RIAA 2014.
  42. ↑ Billboard staff 2008.
  43. ↑ https://wildfiremusic.net/2024/09/14/herb-alpert-covers-simple-and-striking-favorite-are-you-lonesome-tonight/
  44. ↑ "Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome To-night?" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  45. ↑ "Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome To-night?" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  46. ↑ "Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome To-night?" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  47. ↑ "Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome To-night?". VG-lista.
  48. ↑ "Flavour of New Zealand, 27 October 1960". Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  49. ↑ "Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome To-night?". Singles Top 100.
  50. ↑ "Elvis Presley: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  51. ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  52. ↑ "Elvis Presley Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  53. ↑ "Elvis Presley Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  54. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 31, 1960". Archived from the original on August 27, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  55. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome To-night?" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  56. ↑ "Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Laughing version)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  57. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Are You Lonesome Tonight". Irish Singles Chart.
  58. ↑ "Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Laughing version)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  59. ↑ "Elvis Presley: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  60. ↑ Musicoutfitters.com
  61. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 31, 1960". Archived from the original on August 27, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  62. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  63. ↑ Wapperom, Hemmy J.S. (June 26, 1961). "Connie Froboes Set For Festival". Billboard . p. 41. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved June 25, 2023– via Google Books.
  64. ↑ "British single certifications – Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome Tonight". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  65. ↑ "American single certifications – Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome Tonight". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  66. ↑ Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 145. ISBN   0668064595. The global sale was four million
  67. ↑ Friedwald, Will 1995, p. 343.
  68. ↑ Whitburn, Joel 1996, p. 446.
  69. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas, Bogdanov, Vladimir & Woodstra Chris 2003, p. 863.
  70. ↑ Santopietro, Tom 2008, p. 359.
  71. ↑ Grein, Paul 1981, p. 6.
  72. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel 2002, p. 140.
  73. ↑ Billboard staff 1992, p. 72.
  74. ↑ "Sam Kinison Sings "Are You Lonesome Tonight" and Sits Down with Johnny | Carson Tonight Show". YouTube . 8 November 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  75. ↑ "[最佳華語片一百部] The Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures". Archived from the original on October 22, 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  76. ↑ "The Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures". 13 March 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  77. ↑ Ratliff, Ben (2020-04-10). "From Elvis in Taipei" . Retrieved January 18, 2022.
Sources
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.