Poetry in Motion (song)

"Poetry in Motion"
Single by Johnny Tillotson
from the album Johnny Tillotson's Best
B-side	"Princess Princess"
Released	1960
Genre	Rock and roll
Length	2:14
Label	Cadence (US) London (UK) [1]
Songwriter(s)	Mike Anthony and Paul Kaufman [1]
Producer(s)	Archie Bleyer [1]
Johnny Tillotson singles chronology
"Earth Angel" (1960) "Poetry in Motion" (1960) "Jimmy's Girl" (1961)

"Poetry in Motion" is a UK No. 1 hit single in 1961, recorded amongst others by Johnny Tillotson. ^[1] Tillotson's version was the most successful.

Background

The song was written by Paul Kaufman (1930–1999) and Mike Anthony (born 1930), ^[1] who said that the inspiration for it came from looking up from their work and seeing a procession of young ladies from a nearby school pass by on the sidewalk outside each afternoon. ^[2] Bill Porter supervised the recording session in Nashville, Tennessee, which featured saxophonist Boots Randolph, pianist Floyd Cramer and bassist Floyd "Lightning" Chance. An alternative version, with King Curtis on saxophone, was recorded some weeks earlier and published by Bear Family Records in 2011.

In the US Billboard Hot 100, "Poetry in Motion" peaked at No. 2 in November 1960, kept out of the No. 1 spot by "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles. ^[3] In the UK Singles Chart it hit No. 1 in January 1961, ^[1] and also made the charts on reissue in 1979. ^[4]

Chart positions

Chart (1960-1963)	Peak position
Argentina [5] b/w "Cutie Pie"	1
Australia (Kent Music Report) [6]	5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [7]	9
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [8]	46
Canada (CHUM Chart) [9]	6
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [10]	14
New Zealand [11]	1
Norway (VG-lista) [12]	4
US Billboard Hot 100	2
US Billboard R&B Singles	27
U.K. Singles Charts	1
West Germany (GfK) [13]	38

Cover versions

• The song was covered by Swedish pop group Ola & the Janglers in 1966 and went to No. 1 in the Swedish voted chart " Tio i Topp " but only reached No. 7 in the sales chart "Kvällstoppen".^{[ citation needed ]}

See also

• List of number-one singles from the 1960s (UK)

References

1. Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 55. ISBN   0-85112-250-7.
2. "Cadence Records Story". Bsnpubs.com. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
3. "The Hot 100 Chart". Billboard .
4. Artist Biography by William Ruhlmann. "Johnny Tillotson | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
5. "Cash Box - International Best Sellers" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. Cash Box. 18 May 1963. p. 48.
6. Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book (1940–1969). Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-44439-5.
7. "Johnny Tillotson – Poetry In Motion" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
8. "Johnny Tillotson – Poetry In Motion" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
9. "CHUM Hit Parade - November 14, 1960".
10. "Johnny Tillotson – Poetry In Motion" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
11. "flavour of new zealand - Lever hit parades". Archived from the original on 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
12. "Johnny Tillotson – Poetry In Motion". VG-lista. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
13. "Offiziellecharts.de – Johnny Tillotson – Poetry In Motion" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 18 March 2024. To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON Johnny Tillotson"