| "The Weekend" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Jack Jones | ||||
| from the album For the "In" Crowd | ||||
| B-side | "Wildflower" | |||
| Released | January 1966 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 2:05 | |||
| Label | Kapp K-736 [1] | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producer | Michael Kapp | |||
| Jack Jones singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"The Weekend" is a song written by Teddy Randazzo, Lou Stallman, and Bob Weinstein. It was most notably performed by Jack Jones, whose version was released as a single in early 1966 by Kapp Records.
"The Weekend" was released as a seven-inch single in January 1966 by Kapp Records in the United States and other territories. [2] In Australia the catalogue number was K-4073. [3] It was backed by another pop-romancer, [4] "Wildflower" on the B-side. [2] Both tracks were lifted from his For the "In" Crowd album and were arranged and conducted by Don Costa. [2] The single was produced by Michael Kapp himself, and also didn't receive a picture sleeve. [2]
The single received a positive critical reception upon its release. Record World gave the single four stars and in its short review of it stated that "Jazzy waltz -foxtrot song gets an extremely pleasant rendition from the Jones boy." [5] Cashbox reviewed the single in late January and said that Jones "should have no difiiculty in repeating his recent 'Love Bug' triumph with either side of this ultra-commercial Kapp release." Continuing, "One side, 'The Weekend,' a cover of the previously released Steve Lawrence Columbia outing, is a rhythmic, chorus-backed handclapper. ...The other side, 'Wildflower,' is a pretty, hauntingly melodic bittersweet romancer." [4]
"The Weekend" debuted at No. 23 on February 5, 1966, on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100, dropping out after a two-week run on the chart. [6] The single reached No. 100 on the Cashbox Top 100 Singles, [7] and peaked at No. 9 on the Record World Looking Ahead singles chart, during its six-week run on the chart. [8] The single also peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. [9] Outside of America "The Weekend" didn't sell well, unlike "Love Bug" the single didn't chart in Canada. [10]
The competing version of "The Weekend", titled "The Week-End" by Steve Lawrence was released as a seven-inch single on January 3, 1966, by Columbia Records in the United States and other territories. [11] It was also arranged by Don Costa, but was produced by Mike Berniker. [11] It was backed by "Only the Young" on the B-side. [12] Unlike Jones' version, Lawrence's version wasn't included in any of his albums.
Record World called it a "Syncopated tune that changes pace nicely and provides Steve with one of his best outings." [13]
| Chart (1966) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 [6] | 123 |
| US Cashbox Top 100 Singles [7] | 100 |
| US Record World Up-Coming Singles [8] | 109 |
| US Billboard Easy Listening [9] | 20 |
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