Somebody Else Is Taking My Place

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"Somebody Else Is Taking My Place"
Song
Written1937
Genre Traditional Pop
Lyricists Dick Howard, Bob Ellsworth, Russ Morgan
"Somebody Else Is Taking My Place"
Somebody Else Is Taking My Place Russ Morgan Single.png
A-side of the single
Single by Russ Morgan
B-side "'Neath A Tropical Moon"
ReleasedDecember 1941
RecordedOctober 1941
Studio In New York City
Genre
Length3:14
Label Decca
4098
Songwriters
Russ Morgan singles chronology
"Ev'ry Time"
(1941)		"Somebody Else Is Taking My Place"
(1941)		"Sweet Eloise"
(1942)
"Somebody Else Is Taking My Place"
Al Martino Somebody Else Is Taking My Place.png
A-side of the single
Single by Al Martino
from the album Somebody Else Is Taking My Place
B-side "With All My Heart"
ReleasedFebruary 1965
RecordedJanuary 1965
Genre
Length2:16
Label Capitol
5384
Songwriters
Producer Voyle Gilmore [2]
Al Martino singles chronology
"My Heart Would Know"
(1965)		"Somebody Else Is Taking My Place"
(1965)		"My Cherie"
(1965)
"Somebody Else Is Taking My Place"
Connie Francis Somebody Else Is Taking My Place.png
A-side of the single
Single by Connie Francis
from the album Connie & Clyde – Hit Songs of the 30s
B-side "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"
ReleasedJune 1968
RecordedMay 1968 [3]
Genre
Length2:31
Label MGM
K13948
Songwriters
Producer Don Costa [4]
Connie Francis singles chronology
"Why Say Goodbye"
(1968)		"Somebody Else Is Taking My Place"
(1968)		"I Don't Wanna Play House"
(1968)

"Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" is a song written by Dick Howard, Bob Ellsworth, and Russ Morgan, and recorded by numerous high-profile singers and band leaders. It was first published in 1937, but was copyrighted in 1942 and became popular from that point on. The song was first released as a single by Russ Morgan and his orchestra in late 1941.

Contents

Content

The song is a sentimental ballad, [5] talking about how the singing person's crying and is heartbroken knowing that their former partner has found someone else, [6] and they go around "with a smile on [their] face." [7]

Russ Morgan and the Morganaires version

Release and reception

One of the original writers of the song, Russ Morgan and his orchestra released the single in October 1941, with vocals by the Morganaires. [8] Billboard magazine would review the single and write that Morgan hasn't caused much excitement among piano fans." Continuing that "This song and its delivery should break the ice. It's a sentimental ballad, with the type of melody best suited waltzing and humming. Story is from the I Wonder What's Become of Sally school and harbors a real heart-throb. It’s sold like a million and will be effective for every type location." [5]

Chart performance

The single would provide Morgan his first 1940s hit; the song debuted on Billboard magazine's Music Popularity Chart in the issue dated March 27, 1942, peaking at No. 5 during an eleven-week run on the chart. [9]

Benny Goodman and Peggy Lee version

Release

Benny Goodman and his orchestra released the song as a single in December 1941, with vocals by Peggy Lee, [10] it was backed by a Higginbotham and Meadows written jazz song, "That Did It Marie" and released by Okeh Records. [11]

Chart performance

The single would provide Lee her first top 10 hit; the song debuted on Billboard magazine's Music Popularity Chart in the issue dated March 30, 1942, peaking at No. 5 during a nine-week run on the chart. [12] "Somebody Else Is Takin' My Place" was reissued as a single in April 1948. [13] The reissue charted again in 1948, reaching a different peak position (No. 30) than in its first release in 1941. [14]

Al Martino version

Release and reception

"Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" by Al Martino was released as a seven-inch single in February 1965 by Capitol Records. [15] It was backed by "With All My Heart" on the B-side, [1] a song that would chart alongside it. [16] The single was advertised as a "great standard" getting a "modern-big profit" treatment from Martino. [17]

"Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" was given a positive critical response following its release. Billboard magazine stated that "The ever-green gets a pop treatment that should spiral it to No. 1 like Dean's 'Everybody Loves Somebody'" and called it a "First-rate Martino vocal." [1] Cashbox magazine said that "One side, 'With All My Heart,' is a lyrical, full ork and chorus-backed shufflin’ pledge of romantic devotion sold feelingfully by the songster. The other lid, 'Somebody Else Is Taking My Place,' is an impressive heartfelt updating of the sentimental oldie delivered in a nostalgic heart-tugging style." [18] Record World stated that the "reliable crooner comes through again with a warm reading of the oldie." The magazine noted that the chorus added a glow and that the single would be a hit. [19]

Chart performance

In early 1965 during a six-week run the track peaked at No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100, [20] doing much better on the Billboard Easy Listening chart, where it peaked at No. 11. [21] On another American music magazine the single was ranked lower, breaking into, but stalling at number 64 on the Cashbox Top 100 Singles [22] "With All My Heart" charted alongside "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" due to airplay, making the single a double sided hit. It bubbled under the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 22. [16] But it broke into the Cashbox Top 100 Singles, reaching No. 99. [22]

Track listing

7" vinyl single [15] [18]

Connie Francis version

MGM advertisement for the single, the advert notes that the she sings the two oldie songs in a style that made her popular in the 1950s and 60s. Don Coasta and Connie Francis single promo.png
MGM advertisement for the single, the advert notes that the she sings the two oldie songs in a style that made her popular in the 1950s and 60s.

Release and reception

Connie Francis' version of "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" was released as a seven-inch single in January 1968 by MGM Records. [11] It was backed by a well known Great Depression song composed by Jay Gorney and written by Yip Harburg, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" on the B-side. [11] She would later recall that the song was one of her favorite ones to perform live. [23] Both of the songs were produced, arranged, and conducted by American record producer Don Costa, [4] and would appear in her 1968 Connie & Clyde – Hit Songs of the 30s album.

"Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" quickly started to catch on with local operators in Chicago [24] and was also picked as one of the best jukebox bets for Peoria, Illinois and Toms River, New Jersey [25] but only with this minor locality, the single would be Francis' first 1960s US single to completely miss the charts, [26] even with the MGM Records singles sales spike that happened in the summer, with the Singles Sale Manager for the company even listing the single as one of the better selling ones. [27]

Track listing

7" vinyl single [11]

Other versions

Charts

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Billboard magazine, "Spolights, Singles Reviews, Pop". March 6, 1965, page 14. Retrieved January 2, 2026 via worldradiohistory.com
  2. ↑ Al Martino, "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" Single Release Retrieved December 31, 2025
  3. ↑ Ron Roberts: Connie Francis Discography 1955 – 1975
  4. 1 2 Connie Francis, "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" Single Release Retrieved December 31, 2025
  5. 1 2 Billboard magazine, "Record Buying Guide - Part Two. December 27, 1941, page 132. Retrieved January 1, 2026 via worldradiohistory.com
  6. ↑ The Tin Pan Alley Song Encyclopedia, page 331, "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place". Gale Research. 1984.
  7. ↑ “Somebody Else Is Taking My Place” lyrics, retrieved January 2, 2025
  8. ↑ "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place"/"'Neath A Tropical Moon" (78rpm vinyl single) (Media notes). Russ Morgan. Decca Records. December 1941. 4098.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (1973). Joel Whitburn's Top pop singles, 1940-1955. The Archive of Contemporary Music. Menomonee Falls, Wis. : Record Research. p. 38.
  10. ↑ "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place"/"That Did It Marie" (78rpm vinyl single) (Media notes). Benny Goodman, Peggy Lee. Okeh Records. December 1941. 6497.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place"/"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" (7" vinyl single) (Media notes). Connie Francis. MGM Records. January 1968. 13948.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (1973). Joel Whitburn's Top pop singles, 1940-1955. The Archive of Contemporary Music. Menomonee Falls, Wis. : Record Research. p. 24.
  13. ↑ Goodman, Benny; Lee, Peggy (April 1948). ""Somebody Else Is Takin' My Place"/"Why Don't You Do Right?" (78 RPM single)". Columbia Records . 38198.
  14. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories, 1890-1954 The History of American Popular Music : Compiled from America's Popular Music Charts 1890-1954. Record Research Inc. ISBN   978-0898200836.
  15. 1 2 "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place"/"With All My Heart" (7" vinyl single) (Media notes). Al Martino. Capitol Records. February 1965. 5384.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (1982). Joel Whitburn's Bubbling under the hot 100, 1959-1981. Menomonee Falls, Wis: Record Research. p. 108. ISBN   978-0-8982-0047-8.
  17. ↑ Capitol Records adverts in magazines, 1965
  18. 1 2 Cashbox magazine, February 27, 1965. Record Reviews, The Cashbox Pick of the Week
  19. ↑ "Record World Singles Reviews, "Four Stars"" (PDF). Record World . Vol. 19, no. 925. February 27, 1965. p. 12. Retrieved December 25, 2025– via worldradiohistory.com.
  20. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2002). Joel Whitburn's top pop singles 1955-2002. Menomonee Falls, Wisc.: Record Research. p. 446. ISBN   0898201551.
  21. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn presents Billboard top adult songs, 1961-2006. Menomonee Falls, Wis. : Record Research Inc. p. 176. ISBN   978-0-89820-169-7.
  22. 1 2 3 Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffman, Frank (1994). Cash Box Pop Singles Charts, 1950–1993. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. pp. 129–130. ISBN   1563083167.
  23. ↑ Connie Francis Book Signing & Interview | "Among My Souvenirs" (Live)
  24. ↑ Cashbox magazine, June 22, 1968. Chicago, page 59.
  25. ↑ Billboard magazine, Jukebox Record Report. September 28, 1968, page 41, 43
  26. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Top Pop Singles 1955-2012. Record Research. pp. 317–318. ISBN   978-0898202052.
  27. ↑ "Record World, "MGM singles biz up 500%"" (PDF). Record World . Vol. 22, no. 1099. June 29, 1968. p. 49. Retrieved December 25, 2025– via worldradiohistory.com.
  28. ↑ “Somebody Else Is Taking My Place” – Gene Autry official video clip, Gene Autry Entertainment official website. Retrieved January 2, 2026
  29. 1 2 Cashbox magazine, Looking Ahead page 19, retrieved January 2, 2026 via worldhistory.com
  30. ↑ Esther Phillips, "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" Single Release Retrieved December 31, 2025
  31. ↑ Billboard magazine, "Spotlights" - Predicted to reach the Hot 100. October 22, 1966 page 21, retrieved January 2, 2026 via worldradiohistory.com
  32. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Top Pop Singles 1955-2012. Record Research. ISBN   978-0898202052.
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