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Only You (And You Alone)

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"Only You (And You Alone)"
Mercury hit version
Single by the Platters
from the album The Platters
B-side"Bark, Battle and Ball"
ReleasedJune 1955
RecordedApril 26, 1955
GenreDoo-wop
Length2:36
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)Buck Ram
The Platters singles chronology
"Maggie Doesn't Work Here Anymore"
(1954) 		"Only You (And You Alone)"
(1955) 		"The Great Pretender"
(1955)

"Only You (And You Alone)" (often shortened to "Only You") is a doo wop song composed by Buck Ram, the manager of the Platters, the group that made the song famous in the US, the UK and Belgium. The Platters's lead vocals are by Tony Williams.[1]

Other well-known versions have been recorded by the Hilltoppers, Franck Pourcel and Ringo Starr. American country music versions were released by Travis Tritt, Reba McEntire, Bobby Hatfield and the Statler Brothers. In the UK, the most widely heard versions are the ones by the Platters, Ringo Starr, the band Child and the actor John Alford. In Norway, a version by Stein Ingebrigtsen charted in the Norwegian language. American singer Brenda Lee scored a hit in Belgium with her version.

The Platters versions

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The Platters first recorded the song for Federal Records on May 20, 1954, but the recording was not released. In 1955, after moving to Mercury Records, the band re-recorded the song (on April 26) and it scored a major hit when it was released in May. In November that year, Federal Records released the original recording as a single (B-side - "You Made Me Cry") which sold poorly.[2]

Platters bass singer Herb Reed recalled how the group hit upon its successful version: "We tried it so many times, and it was terrible. One time we were rehearsing in the car... and the car jerked. Tony went 'O-oHHHH-nly you.' We laughed at first, but when he sang that song—that was the sign we had hit on something."[3] According to Buck Ram, Tony Williams' voice "broke" in rehearsal, but they decided to keep this effect in the recording. This was the only Platters recording on which songwriter and manager Ram played the piano.[1]

The song held strong in the number 1 position on the U.S. R & B charts for seven weeks, and hit number five on the Billboard Top 100 chart.[4] It remained on the charts for 30 weeks, beating out a rival cover version by the Hilltoppers. When the Platters track, "The Great Pretender" (which eventually surpassed the success of "Only You"), was released in the UK as Europe's first introduction to the group, "Only You" was included on the B-side. In the 1956 film Rock Around the Clock, the Platters participated with both songs.

The Platters re-recorded a slightly longer version of the song for Musicor Records in 1966, which features on the album I Love You 1,000 Times (MM 2091).

In 1999, the 1955 recording on Mercury Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[5]

Charts

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Chart (1955–1957) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[7] 5
US Best Sellers in Stores (Billboard)[8] 5
US Rhythm & Blues Best Sellers in Stores (Billboard)[9] 1

The Hilltoppers version

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The Hilltoppers released their version of the song as a Dot Records single in 1955. It reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 in the UK.[10]

Franck Pourcel version

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An instrumental version by Franck Pourcel was a hit single in 1959, and sold more than 5 million copies.[11] Pourcel's version spent 16 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 9,[12] while reaching number 3 on Canada's CHUM Hit Parade,[13] and number 18 on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides.[14][15]

Ringo Starr version

[edit]
"Only You"
Standard picture sleeve
Single by Ringo Starr
from the album Goodnight Vienna
B-side"Call Me"
Released
  • 11 November 1974 (US)
  • 15 November 1974 (UK)
Length3:16
LabelApple
Songwriter(s)Buck Ram
Producer(s)Richard Perry
Ringo Starr singles chronology
"Oh My My"
(1974) 		"Only You"
(1974) 		"No No Song"
(1974)

In 1974, Ringo Starr covered this song for his album Goodnight Vienna at the suggestion of John Lennon. This version was released as a single (b/w "Call Me") on 11 November in the US,[16] and it became a number six hit on the US Billboard best seller chart and reached number one on the Easy Listening chart in early 1975.[17] It was released in the UK on 15 November.[18] Lennon plays acoustic guitar on the track, and recorded a guide vocal which was kept by producer Richard Perry. Harry Nilsson sings harmony vocals and appears with Starr in the amusing music video filmed on top of the Capitol Records Building in Los Angeles. Lennon's vocal version appears on his Anthology box set, in 1998.

Other cover versions

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  • Travis Tritt released his version of the song as a single in January of 1996, where it peaked at number 52 on the Hot Country Songs Chart and number 28 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart. It was Tritts first single to miss the Top 40 on the Hot Country Songs Chart.
  • Brenda Lee covered the song on her 1962 album Sincerely, Brenda Lee. When released as a single in Belgium, Lee's version reached number 3 in Flanders and number 44 in Wallonia.[19][20]
  • In 1963, Mr. Acker Bilk recorded the song as an instrumental number, which reached number 77 (U.S.).[21]
  • Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers released a version in 1969, which reached number 95 on the Billboard Hot 100.[22]
  • English singer Jeff Collins from Enfield recorded the song in 1972. It was popular in Europe, and rose to number 40 in the UK charts, charting for eight weeks.[23]
  • In 1973, the singer Stein Ingebrigtsen had a number one hit on Norway's VG-lista with a Norwegian version of the song, entitled "Bare du".[24] The lyrics were written by the record producer Arve Sigvaldsen.[24] A Swedish version of the song, "Bara du", also recorded by Ingebrigtsen, became popular in that country. Ingebrigtsen also recorded a German version entitled "So wie du" with lyrics written by Ralph-Maria Siegel.
  • The pop band Child released the song as a single in 1979, reaching number 33 in the UK Charts.
  • Reba McEntire had a number 13 hit on the U.S. Country music charts with her cover on her 1981 album Heart to Heart.
  • The Statler Brothers covered the song on their 1986 album Four for the Show. Their version was released as a single and peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. A music video was made for the song and was shot at Opryland USA.
  • John Alford recorded the song as a double-A side with "Blue Moon" in 1996, which reached number 9 in the UK charts.
  • Mark Hamill recorded a cover of the song in-character as The Joker for the 2011 video game Batman: Arkham City. In the game Joker leaves multiple voicemails for Batman, with the song playing during the credits following Joker's death.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Buck Ram interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
  2. ^ Goldberg, Marv (2008). "The Platters". Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  3. ^ "Herb Reed (Obituary)". The Telegraph. June 6, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 463.
  5. ^ "GRAMMY Hall Of Fame | Hall of Fame Artists | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  6. ^ "The Platters – Only You (And You Alone)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  7. ^ "The Platters – Only You (And You Alone)" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  8. ^ "Best Sellers in Stores]". Billboard. November 5, 1955. p. 34.
  9. ^ "Best Sellers in Stores]". Billboard. November 12, 1955. p. 124.
  10. ^ "Hilltoppers". The Official Charts Company.
  11. ^ Strictly Instrumental", Billboard. July 8, 1972. p. F 4. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  12. ^ Hot 100 - Franck Pourcel's French Fiddles Only You Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  13. ^ "CHUM Hit Parade", CHUM. Week of May 25, 1959. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  14. ^ Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - Franck Pourcel's French Fiddles Only You Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  15. ^ "Hot R&B Sides", Billboard. June 15, 1959. p. 39. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  16. ^ Harry, Bill (2004). The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia. London: Virgin Books. p. 183. ISBN 9780753508435.
  17. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 230.
  18. ^ Harry, Bill (2004). The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia. London: Virgin Books. p. 182. ISBN 9780753508435.
  19. ^ Brenda Lee - Only You, Ultratop. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  20. ^ Brenda Lee - Only You, Ultratop. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  21. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  22. ^ Hot 100 - Bobby Hatfield Only You (and You Alone) Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  23. ^ Peat, Charlie (13 August 2014). "Former singer inspired to write more music after 40-year-old song proves a hit on YouTube". Hendon and Finchley Times. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  24. ^ a b Stein Ingebrigtsen - Bare du, norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
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