| Silence Is Golden | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | The Four Seasons |
| Album: | Born to Wander |
| A-Side: | Rag Doll |
| Released: | 1964 |
| Genre: | Pop[1] |
| Label: | Philips |
| Producer: | Bob Crewe |
"Silence Is Golden" is a song initially recorded by the American rock band the Four Seasons. Written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio, Philips Records released it in 1964 as the B-side of the U.S. number 1 single "Rag Doll", which was also written by Crewe and Gaudio. The Tremeloes' 1967 cover version reached number 1 on the UK Singles Chart and number 11 on the US charts.[2]
| Silence Is Golden | |
| Cover: | SilenceIsGoldenTremeloes.jpeg |
| Caption: | UK picture sleeve |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | The Tremeloes |
| B-Side: | "Let Your Hair Hang Down" |
| Released: | 21 April 1967[3] |
| Recorded: | 1967 |
| Genre: | Pop[4] |
| Label: | |
| Producer: | Mike Smith |
| Prev Title: | Here Comes My Baby |
| Prev Year: | 1967 |
| Next Title: | Even the Bad Times Are Good |
| Next Year: | 1968 |
In 1967 British band The Tremeloes recorded their sound-alike version, using the same arrangement as the original. It reached the top position on the UK chart on 18 May 1967,[5] where it stayed for three weeks.[6] Band member Len "Chip" Hawkes remembered getting up in the middle of the night, going to London with the rest of the band, and walking down The Strand, on the night the song reached number one.[7] Guitarist Rick Westwood sang lead vocal on "Silence Is Golden". In the U.S., Epic Records released the single, which reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart[8] and was one of the top 100 songs of 1967. The record sold one million copies globally, earning gold disc status.[9]
The song was also covered in 1967 by The Plus Four, and by Swedish singer Jim Jidhed (in English) in 1989. The Tremeloes recorded an Italian version, "E in silenzio".
| Chart (1967) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Go-Set)[10] | 3 | |
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] | 5 | |
| Denmark (Danmarks Radio)[12] | 2 | |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[13] | 9 | |
| Malaysia (Radio Malaysia)[14] | 3 | |
| New Zealand (Listener)[15] | 1 | |
| Rhodesia (Lyons Maid)[16] | 1 | |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio)[17] | 1 | |
| Spain (Promusicae)[18] | 18 | |
| Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[19] | 4 | |
| Sweden (Tio i Topp)[20] | 2 | |
| UK Disc and Music Echo Top 30[21] | 1 | |
| UK Melody Maker Top 30[22] | 1 | |
| UK New Musical Express Top 30[23] | 1 | |
| UK Record Retailer Top 50[24] | 1 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[25] | 11 | |
| US Cash Box Top 100[26] | 9 |
| Chart (1967) | Rank |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 46 |
| Austria (O3 Austria)[27] | 16 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[28] | 35 |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio)[29] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[30] | 45 |
| US Cash Box [31] | 56 |