"I Believe"is apopularsongwrittenbyErvin Drake,Irvin Abraham (as "Irvin Graham" ), Jack Mendelsohn (as "Jimmy Shirl" ) andAl Stillmanin 1953.[1]The most popular version was recorded by Italian-American singerFrankie Laine,and spent eighteen weeks at No. 1 on theUK Singles Chart.[2]
| "I Believe" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| Written | 1953 |
| Genre | Traditional pop |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
Background
edit"I Believe" was commissioned and introduced byJane Fromanonher television show,and became the first hit song ever introduced on television. Froman, troubled by the outbreak of theKorean Warin 1950, asked Drake, Graham, Shirl and Stillman to compose a song that would offer hope and faith to the populace.[3]Froman's commercial recording reached No. 11 in theBillboardchartsduring a 10-week stay.[4]"I Believe" has beenrecordedby many others, and has become both a popular and religious standard.
Frankie Laine recording
edit| "I Believe" | |
|---|---|
| SinglebyFrankie Laine withPaul Westonand his Orchestra | |
| B-side | "Your Cheatin' Heart" |
| Published | 6 February 1953 |
| Released | 30 January 1953 |
| Recorded | 8 January 1953 |
| Studio | Radio Recorders,Hollywood |
| Genre | Ballad,traditional pop |
| Length | 2:09 |
| Label | Columbia Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Ervin Drake,Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl andAl Stillman |
| Producer(s) | Mitch Miller |
Frankie Laine's original version was recorded forColumbia Recordson 8 January 1953 atRadio RecordersinHollywood.[5]It featuredPaul Westonand his Orchestra accompanying Laine.[6]
Laine's recording spent eighteen non-consecutive weeks at the top of theUK Singles Chart.[2]As of 2020[update],this record remains unbeaten.[7]"I Believe" was the best-selling single of 1953 in the UK, spending 36 weeks on the chart. It entered the listings on 3 April 1953, and first reached No. 1 in its fourth week on chart, spending nine weeks at the top. On 26 June, it was replaced at No. 1 for a week by "I'm Walking Behind You"byEddie FisherfeaturingSally Sweetland,but returned to the top spot on 3 July for another six weeks. On 14 August, it was again replaced at the top for a week, this time byMantovani's "Song From the Moulin Rouge".On 21 August," I Believe "returned to No. 1 for its final run at the top, for three weeks, bringing its total time at No. 1 to eighteen weeks.[8][9]Laine also had the most successful version in the US, where his recording reached No. 2, staying there for three weeks.[10]
Laine would later re-record the song for other labels on a number of occasions. The first of these was on December 18, 1964 in Hollywood, with orchestra arranged and conducted byRalph Carmichael.The recording was released on theCapitolalbumI Believethe following year.[11][12][13]A recording made by Laine on February 25, 1970 forAmos Recordsin Hollywood, with orchestra arranged byJimmie Haskell,was issued on the albumFrankie Laine's Greatest Hitsthat year.[11][13]In June 1977, withPete Moore's Orchestra and Ray Barr on piano, Laine recorded "I Believe" for a fourth label. This version was included on thePolydoralbum20 Memories in Gold,an album largely consisting of re-recordings of his earlier hits, which was released in September that year.[11][13]In May 1980, Laine recorded "I Believe" at a session of his hit re-recordings used byK-Tel.The recordings were backed by an orchestra conducted by Don Jackson with The Worlettes, and released on the 1982 albumThe Music Of Frankie Laine."I Believe" was also recorded as part of a different collection of Laine hit remakes in January 1982, again with the Don Jackson Orchestra. This album,The World Of Frankie Laine,was released byRoncothe same year. In all, Laine recorded "I Believe" for six different record companies over a period spanning from 1953 to 1982.[11][14]
Contemporary chart performance and recordings
editIn the US, only the versions by Froman and Laine charted, whilst only Laine's charted in the UK.[15]It was commonplace at the time for multiple artists to record versions of a new song, and others were released. In the UK, "I Believe" entered the sheet music sales chart on 11 April 1953, and reached No. 1 on 13 June, its tenth week on chart. It spent a week at the top, and returned on 24 October for another week, with a total of two weeks at No. 1 on the sheet music chart.[16]
The Frankie Laine version was the first to be issued in the UK, in February 1953. April saw recordings by Jane Froman,Ronnie RonaldeandDavid Whitfield.Subsequent releases were of versions byEve Boswell,Allan Jones,Victor Silvesterand his Ballroom Orchestra, andEthel Smith(organ). The song spent forty weeks on the sheet music sales chart, whilst Laine's recording was on the singles chart for 36 weeks.[16][9]
Other notable recordings
editThis sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(May 2019) |
- 1953:David Whitfieldrecorded the song in 1953,[17]and again in 1960, peaking at No.49 on theUK Singles Chart
- 1953:Perry Como—I Believe ~ Songs of All Faiths Sung by Perry Como[18][19]
- 1953:Mahalia Jackson— a single release,[20]later on the albumThe World's Greatest Gospel Singer(1956)[21]
- 1957:Elvis Presley— on his EPPeace in the Valley(Later on the albumElvis' Christmas Album[1957])[22]
- 1958:Jimmie Rodgers— on the albumThe Number One Ballads[23]
- 1960:Andy Williams— on his albumThe Village of St. Bernadette[24]
- 1960:Brook Benton&Dinah Washington— on their albumTwo of Us[25]
- 1961:Johnnie Ray&Timi Yuro— a single release[26]
- 1964:Pat Boone—The Lord's Prayer (And Other Great Hymns)[27]
- 1964:The Bachelorstook the song to the No. 2 spot in the UK;[28]also peaked at No. 33 on the U.S.Hot 100[29]
- 1965:The Earls— on the albumRemember Me[30]
- 1967:Reparata and the Delrons— 45 RPM single Mala 573[31]
- 1967:Tom Jones—Tom Jones Live! At the Talk of the Town[32]
- 1968:Louis Armstrong— on his albumI Will Wait for You[33]
- 1970:Cissy Houston— on her albumPresenting Cissy Houston
- 1970:Glen Campbell— for his albumOh Happy Day[34]
- 1981:B. J. Thomas— on his albumAmazing Grace
- 1982:Gladys Knight & the Pips— on their albumThat Special Time of Year
- 1995:Robson & Jerome's version reached number one in the UK[35]
- 1997:Barbra Streisand— in a medley with "You’ll Never Walk Alone" on her albumHigher Ground
- 1997:Daniel O'Donnell—I Believe[36]
- 2000:Gary Valencianoon his albumRevive
- 2007:Rhydian Robertson his albumRhydian
Quodlibet with Ave Maria
editIn 1972, Shawnee Music published a new arrangement of "I Believe" that includes aquodlibetwithBach/Gounod,"Ave Maria". This version is frequently performed by choirs atChristmas time.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.1953.
- ^abMyers, Justin (23 March 2018)."The songs that spent the longest at Number 1".Official Charts Company.Retrieved4 September2018.
- ^Stone, Ilene (2003).Jane Froman: Missouri's First Lady of Song.Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press. p. 82.ISBN0826214584.
- ^Whitburn, Joel (1986).Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954.Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p.166.ISBN0-89820-083-0.
- ^"Frankie Laine, part 1".Praguefrank's Country Discography 2.Retrieved14 July2021.
- ^Kutner, Jon (2010).1,000 UK Number One Hits.Spencer Leigh. London: Music Sales.ISBN978-0-85712-360-2.OCLC978493833.
- ^White, Jack (10 April 2020)."The songs that have had three or more stints at UK Number 1".Official Charts.Retrieved2021-08-12.
- ^"Biggest Songs of Every Year".Official Charts.Retrieved2021-07-14.
- ^abBritish hit singles: Guinness world records(16th ed.). London: Gullane. 2003.ISBN0-85112-190-X.OCLC51779766.
- ^Whitburn, Joel (1986).Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954.Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p.265.ISBN0-89820-083-0.
- ^abcdPraguefrank (2016-12-18)."Praguefrank's Country Discography 2: Frankie Laine, part 1".Praguefrank's Country Discography 2.Retrieved2021-07-17.
- ^Popoff, Martin (2009-09-08).Goldmine Record Album Price Guide.Penguin.ISBN978-1-4402-2916-9.
- ^abc"Frankie Laine".www.rocky-52.net.Retrieved2021-07-17.
- ^"Frankie Laine, part 2".Praguefrank's Country Music Discographies.
- ^"I Believe (song by Frankie Laine) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts".MusicVF.com.Retrieved2021-07-14.
- ^abHenson, Brian; Morgan, Colin (1989).First hits, 1946-1959.London: Boxtree.ISBN1-85283-268-1.OCLC19389211.
- ^"45worlds.com".45worlds.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"allmusic.com".allmusic.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"Perry Como Discography".kokomo.ca.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"45worlds.com".45worlds.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"Discogs.com".Discogs.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"allmusic.com".allmusic.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"Discogs.com".Discogs.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"allmusic.com".allmusic.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"allmusic.com".allmusic.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"45cat.com".45cat.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"allmusic.com".allmusic.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^Roberts, David (2005).British Hit Singles & Albums(18th ed.). London: Guinness World Records. p. 42.ISBN1-904994-00-8.
- ^Whitburn, Joel(2013).Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012.Record Research. p. 52.
- ^Rosalsky, Mitch (2000).Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues and Doo Wop Vocal Groups.Scarecrow Press.ISBN0-8108-3663-7.
- ^Clemente, John (2013).Girl Groups -- Fabulous Females Who Rocked The World.Authorhouse.ISBN978-1-4772-7633-4.
- ^"allmusic.com".allmusic.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"allmusic.com".allmusic.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^"allmusic.com".allmusic.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
- ^Roberts, David (2005).British Hit Singles & Albums(18th ed.). London: Guinness World Records. p. 427.ISBN1-904994-00-8.
- ^"allmusic.com".allmusic.com.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.