"Near You" is a popular song written and originally recorded by Francis Craig and His Orchestra at Castle Studio in 1947,[3] with lyrics by Kermit Goell, which has become a pop standard.
| "Near You" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Francis Craig and His Orchestra | |
| A-side | "Red Rose"[1] |
| Published | July 25, 1947 by Supreme Music Corp., New York[2] |
| Released | March 1947 |
| Recorded | February 15, 1947 |
| Studio | Castle Recording Studio, Nashville |
| Genre | Traditional pop, popular music |
| Length | 2:29 |
| Label | Bullet 1001 |
| Composer(s) | Francis Craig[2] |
| Lyricist(s) | Kermit Goell[2] |
Background
The recording by Francis Craig (the song's composer) with orchestra member Bob Lamm on vocals was released by Bullet Records as catalog number 1001. It first reached the Billboard Best Sellers chart on August 30, 1947 and lasted 21 weeks on the chart, peaking at number one. On the "Most Played By Jockeys" chart, the song spent 17 consecutive weeks at number one, setting a record for both the song and the artist with most consecutive weeks in the number-one position on a US pop music chart.[4] Billboard ranked it as the No. 1 song overall for 1947.[5]
In 2009, hip-hop group The Black Eyed Peas surpassed Craig's record for artist with most consecutive weeks in the number-one position with the songs "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling". However, their record was accomplished with combined weeks of two number 1 songs - one succeeding the other in the top position.[citation needed]
In 2019, "Old Town Road", by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, surpassed "Near You" for song with most consecutive weeks in the number-one position with 19 weeks.
George Jones and Tammy Wynette
In 1977, "Near You" became a number-one country hit as a duet for the duo of George Jones and Tammy Wynette,[6] one of the more unlikely compositions the two country legends sang together. Recorded in the winter of 1974, its atypical arrangement showed that country fans still had an appetite for any music performed by the estranged couple, who had been country music's "First Couple" in the early 1970s. In fact, it was their second consecutive number 1 single since their divorce in 1975; they had only managed to top the charts once during their six-year marriage with "We're Gonna Hold On" in 1973.
| "Near You" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by George Jones and Tammy Wynette | ||||
| from the album Golden Ring | ||||
| B-side | "Tattletale Eyes" | |||
| Released | November 1976 (US) | |||
| Recorded | December 12, 1974 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:21 | |||
| Label | Epic 50314 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Francis Craig, Kermit Goell | |||
| Producer(s) | Billy Sherrill | |||
| George Jones and Tammy Wynette singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Other versions
Other recordings of the song that charted on the Billboard best seller in 1947 include:[4]
- The Andrews Sisters (Decca Records catalog number 24171) entered the chart on October 3 and peaked at number four.
- Elliot Lawrence (Columbia Records catalog number 37838) entered the chart on October 3 and peaked at number nine. This was Lawrence's only charting hit.
- Larry Green (RCA Victor Records catalog number 20-2421) entered the chart on October 10 and peaked at number three.
- Two Ton Baker (Mercury Records catalog number 5066) entered the chart at the same time as Green, and peaked at number twelve, staying for five weeks.[7]
- Alvino Rey (Capitol Records catalog number 452) entered the chart on October 17 and peaked at number nine in its only week on the chart. This was Rey's last charting hit.
- Roger Williams recorded the song in 1958, and it charted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, peaking at number 10.
- Jerry Lee Lewis recorded an instrumental version of the song in 1959. It has been recorded by Marlene Dietrich (1958), Nat King Cole (1962), Pat Boone (1965), Grady Martin[8] and Andy Williams (1959).
Popular culture
- "Near You" was used by Milton Berle as the closing song on his Texaco Star Theater, and it became his theme song for many years thereafter.[9]
References
- ^ "archive.ph". archive.ph. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
- ^ a b c Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1947). Catalog of Copyright Entries 1947 Published Music Jan-Dec 3D Ser Vol 1 Pt 5A. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off.
- ^ Gilliland, John (1994). Pop Chronicles the 40s: The Lively Story of Pop Music in the 40s (audiobook). ISBN 978-1-55935-147-8. OCLC 31611854. Tape 4, side A.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top Pop Records 1940-1955. Record Research.
- ^ "Number One Song of the Year: 1946-2015". Bobborst.com. Archived from the original on 2018-04-20. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 182.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890–1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research, Inc. p. 44. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- ^ "Instrumentally Yours - Grady Martin | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
- ^ "Texaco Star Theater / The Milton Berle Show". Classicthemes.com. 1981-07-10. Retrieved 2016-05-13.