When You Walk in the Room

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"When You Walk in the Room"
Jackie DeShannon When You Walk in the Room.jpg
Single by Jackie DeShannon
A-side "Till You Say You'll Be Mine"
ReleasedNovember 23, 1963 (1963-11-23)
Recorded1963
Genre Pop
Length2:35
Label Liberty
Songwriter(s) Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s) Dick Glasser
Jackie DeShannon singles chronology
"Little Yellow Roses"
(1963)
"Till You Say You'll Be Mine" / "When You Walk in the Room"
(1963)
"Oh Boy"
(1964)

"When You Walk in the Room" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon. It was initially released as a single on November 23, 1963, [1] as the B-side to "Till You Say You'll Be Mine". It was re-released as an A-side in September 1964, and later included on the album Breakin' It Up on the Beatles Tour! . The single charted on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 99. [2]

Contents

The song has been covered by many other artists including The Searchers, whose version reached number 3 in the UK in 1964. Other versions, all of which made the British charts though less successfully, were recorded by Paul Carrack in 1987, Status Quo in 1995, and Agnetha Fältskog in 2004.

Content

The song's lyrics attempt to detail the singer's emotions when in the presence of the person he or she loves. There is also an expression of frustration by the singer that he or she cannot manage to tell that person of his or her love.

The song was produced using the "Wall of Sound" method of Phil Spector. [3]

The Searchers version

"When You Walk in the Room"
The Searchers When You Walk in the Room.jpg
Side A of the original UK single
Single by The Searchers
B-side "I'll Be Missing You"
ReleasedSeptember 11, 1964 (1964-09-11)
Genre Folk rock [4]
Length2:22
Label
Songwriter(s) Jackie DeShannon
The Searchers singles chronology
"Someday We're Gonna Love Again"
(1964)
"When You Walk in the Room"
(1964)
"What Have They Done to the Rain"
(1964)
Official audio
"When You Walk in the Room" (remastered) on YouTube

British rock band The Searchers had a hit song in early 1964 with "Needles and Pins," previously recorded by Jackie DeShannon, and they then recorded this, another song previously recorded by DeShannon. [5] Their version reached No. 35 in the US and No. 3 in the UK. The group also recorded a German version titled "Wenn ich dich seh". [6]

Charts

Chart (1964)Peak
position
Australia [7] 1
Canada (CHUM Hit Parade) [8] 21
Ireland (IRMA) [9] 4
UK Singles (OCC) [10] 3
US Billboard Hot 100 [11] 35

The Sports version

"When You Walk in the Room"
The Sports When You Walk in the Room.jpg
Single by The Sports
from the album Reckless
B-side "True Stories"/"Taxi Rank"
ReleasedJuly 18, 1978 (1978-07-18)
Recorded1978
Studio Armstrong Studios, Melbourne
Genre Pop rock
Length2:32
Label Mushroom
Songwriter(s) Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s) Joe Camilleri
The Sports singles chronology
"Boys! (What Did the Detective Say?)"
(1978)
"When You Walk in the Room"
(1978)
"Who Listens to the Radio"
(1978)

Australian rock band The Sports released a version of the song as the second single from their debut studio album, Reckless . It reached No. 42 on the Australian Kent Music Report chart. [12]

Track listing

Charts

Chart (1978)Position
Australian Kent Music Report 42

Stephanie Winslow version

"When You Walk in the Room"
Stephanie-winslow-when-you-walk-in-the-room-warner-bros-curb.jpg
Single by Stephanie Winslow
B-side "Somebody to Love"
ReleasedSeptember 1981 (1981-09)
Genre Country
Length2:27
Label Warner Bros./Curb
Songwriter(s) Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s) Ray Ruff
Stephanie Winslow singles chronology
"I've Been a Fool"
(1981)
"When You Walk in the Room"
(1981)
"Slippin' and Slidin'"
(1982)

The American country music artist Stephanie Winslow recorded a version of the song, reaching No. 29 on the US country singles chart.

Chart positions

Chart (1981)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot Country Songs 29

Paul Carrack version

"When You Walk in the Room"
Paul Carrack When You Walk in the Room.jpg
Single by Paul Carrack
from the album One Good Reason
B-side "Collrane"
ReleasedApril 27, 1987
Recorded1986
Genre Rock
Length3:25
Label Chrysalis
Songwriter(s) Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s) Christopher Neil
Paul Carrack singles chronology
"A Little Unkind"
(1983)
"When You Walk in the Room"
(1987)
"Don't Shed a Tear"
(1987)

British singer Paul Carrack's version, from his 1987 album One Good Reason, reached No. 90 in the US and No. 48 in the UK.

It was also a Top Ten hit in Australia, peaking at No. 7. [13]

Charts

Chart (1987–1988)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [14] 7
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [15] 39
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [16] 19
UK Singles (OCC) [17] 48
US Billboard Hot 100 [18] 90

Year-end charts

Chart (1987)Position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [19] 33

Pam Tillis version

"When You Walk in the Room"
Pam Tills - When You Walk In.png
Single by Pam Tillis
from the album Sweetheart's Dance
B-side "'Til All the Lonely's Gone"
ReleasedAugust 6, 1994 (1994-08-06)
Genre Country
Length2:43
Label Arista Nashville
Songwriter(s) Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s)
  • Pam Tillis
  • Steve Fishell
Pam Tillis singles chronology
"Spilled Perfume"
(1994)
"When You Walk in the Room"
(1994)
"Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life)"
(1994)

In 1994, American country music artist Pam Tillis recorded a version for her album Sweetheart's Dance . It was released as a single, peaking at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was accompanied by a music video (featuring Dick Clark) which depicted Tillis in a mid-1960s appearance on American Bandstand.

Charts

Chart (1994)Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) [20] 13
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [21] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (1994)Position
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [22] 51

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes. [23]

Status Quo version

"When You Walk in the Room"
Status Quo When You Walk in the Room.jpg
Single by Status Quo
from the album Don't Stop
B-side "Tilting at the Mill"
"When You Walk in the Room" (album version)
ReleasedOctober 23, 1995 (1995-10-23)
Recorded1995
Genre Rock
Length3:06
4:05 (album version)
Label Polydor
Songwriter(s) Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s) Pip Williams
Status Quo singles chronology
"Restless"
(1994)
"When You Walk in the Room"
(1995)
"Fun, Fun, Fun"
(1996)

The song was covered by the British rock band Status Quo for their 1996 studio album of cover versions and twenty-second studio album overall, Don't Stop , released as the album's lead single in October 1995. [24] The song was a minor hit, reaching Number 34 in their native UK the following month. [25] This version also appears on the band's 1997 two-disc greatest hits compilation album Whatever You Want – The Very Best of Status Quo . [26]

Charts

Chart (1995)Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC) [27] 34

Agnetha Fältskog version

"When You Walk in the Room"
Whenyouwalk.jpg
Single by Agnetha Fältskog
from the album My Colouring Book
ReleasedJune 14, 2004 (2004-06-14) [28] [29]
Genre Pop [30]
Length3:36
Label WEA
Songwriter(s) Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s)
  • Agnetha Fältskog
  • Anders Neglin
  • Dan Strömkvist
Agnetha Fältskog singles chronology
"If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind"
(2004)
"When You Walk in the Room"
(2004)
"Sometimes When I'm Dreaming"
(2004)

Swedish singer Agnetha Fältskog, formerly of ABBA, released her version of "When You Walk in the Room" as the second single from her 2004 album, My Colouring Book . The track peaked at number 11 in Sweden and number 34 in the UK, where it remained in the chart for only two weeks. It was remixed by Almighty and SoundFactory.

Charts

Chart (2004)Peak
position
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [29] 11
UK Singles (OCC) [31] 34

References

  1. RCS Chronological Index For November 1963 [ permanent dead link ]
  2. "Jackie DeShannon: Charted Singles". Allmusic . Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  3. Leggett, Steve. "Jackie DeShannon Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  4. Doggett, Peter (1 January 2015). "Freak Out People". Electric Shock: From the Gramophone to the iPhone - 125 Years of Pop Music. London: The Bodley Head. p. 364. ISBN   978-1-847-92218-2 . Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  5. Kutner, Jon; Leigh, Spencer (2010). 1,000 UK Number One Hits. Omnibus Press. ISBN   9780857123602.
  6. "The Searchers - Wenn ich dich seh - Deutsch - YouTube". YouTube .
  7. "Hits of the World: Australia". Billboard. 14 November 1964. p. 34.
  8. "CHUM Hit Parade, week of November 16, 1964".
  9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – When You Walk in the Room". Irish Singles Chart.
  10. "The Searchers: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  11. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 21 November 1964. p. 22.
  12. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 19701992 . St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 288. ISBN   0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian singles and albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
  13. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 56. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  14. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 56. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  15. "Paul Carrack – When You Walk in the Room" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  16. "Paul Carrack – When You Walk in the Room". Singles Top 100.
  17. "Paul Carrack: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  18. Paul Carrack version USA chart history, Billboard. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
  19. "Australian Music Report No 701 – 28 December 1987 > National Top 100 Singles for 1987". Australian Music Report . Retrieved 11 December 2019 via Imgur.
  20. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 2653." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. November 14, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  21. "Pam Tillis Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  22. "Best of 1994: Country Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media. 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  23. Sweetheart's Dance (CD booklet). Pam Tillis. Arista Records. 1994. 18758.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. Status Quo - When You Walk In The Room , retrieved 2025-09-04
  25. "WHEN YOU WALK IN THE ROOM". Official Charts. 1995-11-04. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  26. Status Quo - Whatever You Want - The Very Best Of , retrieved 2025-09-04
  27. "WHEN YOU WALK IN THE ROOM". Official Charts. 1995-11-04. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  28. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . June 12, 2004. p. 27.
  29. 1 2 "Agnetha Fältskog – When You Walk in the Room". Singles Top 100. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  30. My Colouring Book by Agnetha Fältskog on Apple Music, 2004-04-19, retrieved 2025-09-04
  31. "Agnetha Fältskog: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 23, 2020.