Vacation (Connie Francis song)

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"Vacation"
Connie Francis - Vacation.jpg
Single by Connie Francis
from the album
B-side
  • "The Biggest Sin of All" (US)
  • "It's Gonna Take Some Time" (UK)
  • "It Happened Last Night" (JP)
Released1962
RecordedJune 18, 1962
GenreRock and roll
Length2:26
LabelMGM Records
Songwriter(s)Connie Francis, Hank Hunter, Gary Weston
Producer(s)Danny Davis, Jim Vienneau
Connie Francis singles chronology
"Second Hand Love"
(1962) 		"Vacation"
(1962) 		"I Was Such a Fool (To Fall in Love with You)"
(1962)

"Vacation" is a 1962 single by Connie Francis which was her final Top Ten hit in both the US and the UK.

Connie Francis version[]

Background[]

"Vacation" was written by Francis, Gary Weston, and Hank Hunter. Hank Hunter had written the previous Connie Francis single "Second Hand Love" and Francis would subsequently chart with the Hunter compositions "I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter" (1962) and "Drownin' My Sorrows" (1963). "Vacation" became Francis' only hit on which she had writing credits. Francis has stated: "when ["Vacation"] was brought to me, they only had 'V-a-c-a-t-i-o-n in the summer sun.' That's all they wrote. I wrote the rest of the words and didn't even take credit for it." (In reality, Francis has always received songwriting credit on the track.)[1]

The song was originally intended as a B-side but proved more radio friendly than the intended hit, "The Biggest Sin of All."[1] Both sides of the single were recorded at Columbia Recording Studio in Nashville on June 18 1962, with Bill McElhiney of the Nashville Brass performing, arranging, and conducting duties.

Chart impact[]

"Vacation" entered the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1962 to peak at #9 the first week of September 1962: on the Top 100 Singles chart in Cashbox "Vacation" peaked at #10.[2][3] "Vacation" debuted in the Top 40 UK singles chart at #40 in the first week of August 1962 and peaked at #10 in the first week of that September.[4][5] The track became a hit in several territories in the autumn of 1962 reaching #3 in Australia, #2 in Hong Kong, and #5 in Israel. In Japan, where Francis' version was co-ranked with a cover by Michi Aoyama, "Vacation" reached #1 in December 1962.

Enough US radio stations played "The Biggest Sin of All," as well or instead of "Vacation," for "The Biggest Sin of All" to appear on the Cash Box top 100 for one week at #89. The track also appeared on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart in Billboard with a #16 peak.

Chart (1962) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[5] 10
US Billboard Hot 100[3] 9

Other versions[]

Alisa Mizuki version[]

"Vacation"
Alisa Mizuki - Vacation.jpg
Single by Izumi Asakura with Nurse no Oshigoto
from the album History: Alisa Mizuki Complete Single Collection
ReleasedApril 24, 2002
GenrePop
Length2:48
LabelAvex Tune
Songwriter(s)Kenji Sazanami, Francis, Hunter, Weston
Producer(s)Takao Konishi
Alisa Mizuki singles chronology
"Hitomi no Chikara"
(2002) 		"Vacation"
(2002) 		"Love Potion"
(2002)

"Vacation" was recorded by Alisa Mizuki for the Mizuki-led film Nurse no Oshigoto: The Movie and released as a single on April 24, 2002, under the name of the main character, Izumi Asakura with Nurse no Oshigoto. Mizuki's "Vacation" is a Japanese-language cover of the 1962 Connie Francis hit of the same name. The Japanese lyrics were written by Kenji Sazanami. The song is included on Mizuki's fourth compilation album History: Alisa Mizuki Complete Single Collection.

The single is Mizuki's first to be issued in CCCD format.

"Vacation" debuted on the Oricon Weekly Singles chart at number 72 with 2,790 copies sold in its first week.[6][7] The single charted for two weeks and has sold a total of 5,360 copies.[6][7]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArranger(s)Length
1."Vacation"Kenji Sazanami, Connie Francis, Hank Hunter, Gary WestonFrancis, Hunter, WestonTakao Konishi2:48
2."Vacation (Hyper Mix)"Sazanami, Francis, Hunter, WestonFrancis, Hunter, WestonKonishi2:59
3."Vacation (Punkish Mix)"Sazanami, Francis, Hunter, WestonFrancis, Hunter, WestonKeiji Matsui2:38
4."Vacation (Instrumental)" Francis, Hunter, WestonKonishi2:49
Total length:11:23
Chart (2002) Peak
position 		Sales
Oricon Weekly Singles[6] 72 5,360[7]

Also[]

"Vacation" was one of three Connie Francis hits remade by Maywood for their 1991 Walking Back to Happiness album, the others being "Stupid Cupid" and "Lipstick on Your Collar".

During their first major tour in 1982 The Go-Go's, at the time charting with their own hit entitled "Vacation," performed the Francis' "Vacation" as the opening number for their shows.


References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Discoveries interview with Connie Francis, part 7". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  2. ^ "Vacation (Stereo) - Connie Francis". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Week of September 08, 1962". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  4. ^ "4 August 1962". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "1st September 1962". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c ＶＡＣＡＴＩＯＮ/朝倉いずみ ｗｉｔｈ ナースのお仕事 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b c ヴィジョンファクトリー（旧ライジング）＠売上データ補完スレ (in Japanese). 2004-01-20. Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2011-08-08.

External links[]

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