Cara Mia

Last updated
"Cara Mia"
Cara Mia - Jay and the Americans.jpg
Single by Jay and the Americans
from the album Blockbusters
B-side "When It's All Over"
ReleasedMay 1965
Recorded1965
Genre Rock
Length2:35
Label United Artists
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Artie Ripp
Jay and the Americans singles chronology
"Think of the Good Times"
(1965)
"Cara Mia"
(1965)
"Some Enchanted Evening"
(1965)

"Cara Mia" is a popular song published in 1954 that became a UK number 1, [1] and US number 10 hit and Gold record for English singer David Whitfield in 1954, and a number 4 hit for the American rock group Jay and the Americans in 1965. The title means "my beloved" in Italian.

Contents

Background

The English singer David Whitfield first recorded the song with the Mantovani Orchestra in 1954. It made the charts in the United States, and in the UK was the first record to spend ten consecutive weeks at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart. [2] Whitfield's version was one of the biggest selling British records in the pre-rock days. [2] It sold more than three and a half million copies worldwide and was a Top 10 hit in America. [2]

Writers

Authorship of the song was credited to Tulio Trapani (the pen name of the song's co-writer and arranger Mantovani) and Lee Lange (Bunny Lewis, Whitfield's producer). [2]

Jay and the Americans cover

Jay and the Americans recorded "Cara Mia" on their 1965 LP Blockbusters. [3] It became an international Top 5 hit, reaching number 1 in Canada. [4] Their version was re-released in 1980, and went into the charts in the Netherlands.

Chart history

Other notable remakes

References

  1. "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 1954-06-24. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 14. ISBN   0-85112-250-7.
  3. "Jay And The Americans - Cara, Mia". 45cat.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1965-07-12. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  5. "flavour of new zealand - search lever". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved Aug 9, 2025.
  6. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  7. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, July 24, 1965". Archived from the original on November 26, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  8. "Top 100 Hits of 1965/Top 100 Songs of 1965". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
  9. "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1965". Tropicalglen.com. Retrieved Aug 9, 2025.
  10. "José Carreras – Amigos Para Siempre/Friends For Life - Romantic Songs Of The World (1992, DCC)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  11. "Richard Clayderman - Love Songs Of The World". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  12. "78 Record: Helen Forrest - Cara Mia (1954)". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  13. "Gordon MacRae - Cara Mia". 45cat.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  14. "The Johnny Mann Singers – Flowing Voices Of The Johnny Mann Singers (1966, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  15. "Josef Locke With Philip Green And His Orchestra – Cara Mia / When It's Moonlight In Mayo (1954, Shellac)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  16. "Jaime Morey – Una Marioneta / No Te Vayas / Cara Mia / Sabia (1965, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  17. "Frank Patterson – The Golden Voice Of Frank Patterson (1987, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  18. "Gene Pitney - Golden Greats". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  19. "Jack Pleis And His Orchestra And Chorus – Lonesome Polecat / Cara Mia (1954, Shellac)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  20. "The Raes – Cara Mia (1978, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  21. "Various - The Wrestling Album". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  22. "Slim Whitman – Cara Mia (1976, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  23. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1976-05-22. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
  24. "Gene Ammons – Count Your Blessings / Cara Mia (1955, Shellac)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.