Happy Days and Lonely Nights explained
| Happy Days and Lonely Nights |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Connie Francis |
| A-Side: | "Fallin" |
| Released: | 1958 |
| Recorded: | 1958 |
| Genre: | Rock and roll |
| Length: | 2:11 |
| Label: | MGM Records K 12713 |
| Producer: | Morty Kraft |
| Chronology: | Connie Francis US |
| Prev Title: | Stupid Cupid |
| Prev Title2: | Carolina Moon |
| Prev Year: | 1958 |
| Fallin |
| Title2: | Happy Days and Lonely Nights |
| Next Title: | My Happiness |
| Next Title2: | Never Before |
| Next Year: | 1958 |
"Happy Days and Lonely Nights" is a torch song written by Billy Rose and Fred Fisher, first recorded by The Harmony Brothers on May 18, 1928.[1] The song was successfully revived in the 1950s in the US by the Fontane Sisters and in the UK most successfully by Ruby Murray.
Recordings
- Ruth Etting made her recording of the song in New York City on 24 May 1928 for release on Columbia Records. This version was ranked as high as #9 on the charts of the day. [2]
- 1928 also saw a version of "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" credited to the Knickerbockers actually by Columbia a&r director Ben Selvin.
- In 1929 recordings of "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" were made by Vaughn De Leath and Eva Taylor.[3] [4]
- The song was revived in 1954 by the Fontane Sisters whose version - made with the Billy Vaughn Orchestra - reached #18 on the US charts.[5] Although the UK release of the Fontane Sisters' version was overlooked.
- Three British-based acts covering "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" for the UK market: both Suzi Miller & the Johnston Brothers and Frankie Vaughan took "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" into the UK Top 20 with respective peaks of #14 and #11 in January 1955.
- A version by Ruby Murray - produced by Norrie Paramor - which debuted that 5 February which became the major hit reaching #6 on the chart dated that 26 February.[6] [7] Ruby Murray set a UK chart record the week of 26 March 1955 when she had five releases in that week's Top 20 including "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" then at #16. Her precedent releases "Heartbeat" and "Softly, Softly" were respectively at #15 and #2 while the first follow-up to "Happy Days and Lonely Nights": "Let Me Go Lover" was at #5. That week Murray's single "If Anyone Finds, This I Love You" (with Ann Warren) debuted at #17. Murray's feat has yet to be beaten but was equaled the first week of July 2009 by Michael Jackson.
- Connie Francis recorded "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" at Metropolitan Studios (NYC) on 2 September 1958 in a session conducted by its producer Morton "Morty" Kraft. Although relegated to the B-side of the upbeat "Fallin", "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" received enough attention to appear on the Cash Box Best Selling Singles chart at #88.[8]
Other cover versions
[3] [9]
Notes and References
- Web site: Song: Happy Days and Lonely Nights written by Fred Fisher, Billy Rose | SecondHandSongs. SecondHandSongs .
- Book: Whitburn . Joel . Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 . 1986 . Record Research Inc. . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin . 0-89820-083-0 . 506.
- Web site: HAPPY DAYS AND LONELY NIGHTS - Lyrics - International Lyrics Playground . Lyricsplayground.com . 2007-10-10 . 2016-08-22.
- Web site: Artists - Ruth Etting . . 2016-08-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090909004602/http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/artists/C4038 . 2009-09-09 . dead .
- Book: Whitburn . Joel . Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 . 1986 . Record Research Inc. . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin . 0-89820-083-0 . 162.
- Web site: Classic UK 45s . 45-rpm.org.uk . 2015-01-25 . 2016-08-22.
- Web site: The Official Charts Company - Search for: happy days and lonely nights . Archive.is . 2012-07-29 . 2016-08-22 .
- Web site: Praguefrank's Country Music Discographies: Connie Francis - part I . Countrydiscography.blogspot.com . 2009-05-13 . 2016-08-22.
- Web site: Popmusicinfo . Popmusicinfo.com . 2016-08-22.
