Crystal Chandelier Explained

Crystal Chandelier
Type:single
Artist:Carl Belew
Album:Twelve Shades of Belew
B-Side:Lonely Hearts Do Foolish Things
Released:1965
Genre:Country
Length:2:50
Label:RCA Victor
Producer:Chet Atkins
Prev Title:In the Middle of a Memory
Prev Year:1964
Next Title:Boston Jail
Next Year:1966
Crystal Chandelier
Type:single
Artist:Vic Dana
Album:Crystal Chandelier
B-Side:What Now My Love
Released:December 1965
Genre:Adult Contemporary
Label:Dolton
Prev Title:Moonlight and Roses (Bring Mem'ries of You)
Prev Year:1965
Next Title:I Love You Drops
Next Year:1966
Crystal Chandeliers
Cover:Crystal_Chandelier_-_Charley_Pride.jpg
Artist:Charley Pride
Album:The Country Way
Released:December 1967[1]
Recorded:1967
Genre:Country
Length:2:47
Label:RCA
Producer:Chet Atkins, Jack Clement, Felton Jarvis

"Crystal Chandelier" (more commonly known as Crystal Chandeliers) is a 1965 Country song written by Ted Harris and popularized by Charley Pride. The original rendition was sung by Carl Belew. His version reached number 12 on the U.S. Billboard Country chart.[2] It was the first of three charting singles from Belew's eighth studio album, Twelve Shades of Belew.[3]

Vic Dana cover

Vic Dana covered the song in 1965. His version reached number 51 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, number 19 on the Canadian pop singles chart[4] and number 14 on both the U.S. and Canadian Adult Contemporary charts in early 1966.[5] He also reached number 34 in Australia.

Both Carl Belew and Vic Dana recorded the song under the title "Crystal Chandelier," however, all further covers used the title: Crystal Chandeliers in the plural, reflecting what is said in the lyrics.

Chart history

Chart (1965)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)34
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[6] 14
Canada RPM Top Singles[7] 19
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[8] 51
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening14
U.S. Cash Box Top 10053

Charley Pride cover

Charley Pride covered "Crystal Chandeliers" in 1967. The song was included on his number-one selling album, The Country Way. It was produced by Chet Atkins, who had also produced Belew's original rendition.

Pride's version became an instant hit, and received heavy airplay by Country radio stations.[9] Although it was never a hit on the American singles charts, it remains one of the most recognizable and enduring versions of the song.[9]

Other versions

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Charley Pride - The Country Way (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 2017-04-07 . 2017-06-17.
  2. Book: Whitburn, Joel . The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 42.
  3. Web site: Carl Belew Discography at Discogs . Discogs.com . 2017-06-17.
  4. http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=9642& R.P.M. Play Sheet, January 10, 1966
  5. Web site: Item: 9642 - Library and Archives Canada . Bac-lac.gc.ca . 17 July 2013. 2017-06-17.
  6. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 1966-01-03 . 2022-02-12.
  7. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 1966-01-10 . 2022-02-12.
  8. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 -
  9. Web site: Who Hit With 'Crystal Chandeliers'? Not Charley Pride . Kxrb.com . 2014-08-29 . 2017-06-17.
  10. Web site: The Irish Charts - All there is to know.
  11. Web site: The Irish Charts - All there is to know.