Who's Sorry Now? (song)
Who's Sorry Now? | |
---|---|
by Ted Snyder | |
Text | by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby |
Published | 1923 |
"Who's Sorry Now?" is a popular song with music written by Ted Snyder and lyrics by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby. It was published in 1923,[1] when Isham Jones took it to number three.[citation needed] Other popular versions in 1923 were by Marion Harris, Original Memphis Five, Lewis James, and Irving Kaufman.
![A Night in Casablanca cover (alternate).jpg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/55/A_Night_in_Casablanca_cover_%28alternate%29.jpg)
"Who's Sorry Now?" was also featured in the Marx Brothers film A Night in Casablanca (1946), directed by Archie Mayo and released by United Artists. It was also used in the 1950 film Three Little Words when it was sung by Gloria DeHaven.
Karen Elson with Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks recorded the song for an episode of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire.
The song gave American singer Connie Francis her major solo debut hit, which in March 1958 reached number 4 on Billboard's Hot 100. The single, which would become Francis's signature record, spent a total of 22 weeks on the Hot 100 – the longest of any of her hits — and was the first of her eight singles to be certified gold in America. In May and June 1958 the single spent six weeks at number one in on the UK singles chart.
Connie Francis version[]
"Who's Sorry Now?" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Single by Connie Francis | ||||
B-side | "You Were Only Foolin' (While I Was Fallin' in Love)" | |||
Released | November 1957 | |||
Recorded | October 2, 1957 | |||
Genre | Rock and roll | |||
Length | 2:16 | |||
Label | MGM K 12588 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Ted Snyder, Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby | |||
Producer(s) | Harry A. Myerson | |||
Connie Francis singles chronology | ||||
|
Background[]
"Who's Sorry Now?" was recorded in 1957 by Connie Francis, and since then the song has become closely identified with her due to the immense popularity of her version which was her breakout hit. Since 1955, Francis had recorded 20 sides for MGM Records and only one ("The Majesty of Love", a duet with country singer Marvin Rainwater that eventually became a million-selling record) charted at all. Due to her near-complete failure as a recording artist, MGM informed her that her contract would end after one more disc. With her music career on the line, Francis's father suggested she record "Who's Sorry Now". He was convinced that it would have crossover appeal with both older listeners and teenagers if the song were given a modernized sound. Francis strongly objected to the idea on the grounds that selling the youth audience on an almost 35-year-old song was "ridiculous", but she finally agreed to it as a favor to her father.[2]
Reception[]
Backed with "You Were Only Fooling (While I Was Falling In Love)", the single was recorded on October 2, 1957. Initial attention was modest and it looked to be as much of a nonfactor as Francis's previous records, but after Dick Clark's championing of it on American Bandstand in January 1958, the single rose to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 that spring, with eventual US sales totaling one million units. In the UK, it was number 1 for six weeks in May and June 1958.[3]
Chart performance[]
Weekly charts[]
|
Year-end charts[]
|
Other versions[]
The song has been recorded by a number of artists including:
- Pat Boone recorded a version in 1960
- Carmen y Laura's late 1940s recording was their first in the English language.[11]
- Bing Crosby recorded the song with Eddie Heywood on September 5, 1945.[12]
- Marion Harris
- Harry James recorded a version in 1945 (released in 1946) with Willie Smith on vocals on Columbia 36973.
- Isham Jones
- Irving Kaufman
- Jerry Lee Lewis recorded a version in 1977
- Red Nichols and His Five Pennies recorded an instrumental version in 1928
- Willie Nelson recorded a version in 1981
- Marie Osmond's third studio album, released in 1975, featured a remake of "Who's Sorry Now" as its title cut; this version reached number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 also ranking on Billboard's C&W chart and Easy Listening chart at respectively number 29 and 21.
- Lyn Paul had a 1974 single release of "Who's Sorry Now" which peaked at number 54 in the UK and at number 60 in Australia.[13]
- Sandy Posey
- Johnnie Ray recorded his version in 1956 for the Columbia Records label. It reached number 17 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1956.[14]
- Shooby Taylor
- Lisette Verea, in the Marx Brothers' movie A Night in Casablanca (1946)
- Spanky Wilson on her 1969 album Doin' It[15]
- Female Ensemble with Kate, Audrey and Michelle in the Bob Fosse movie All That Jazz (1979) [16]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Furia, Philip; Lasser, Michael (2006). America's Songs: The Stories Behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood, and Tin Pan Alley. CRC Press. p. 36. ISBN 0-415-97246-9.
On infrequent occasions Ruby also worked on lyrics. He and Kalmar wrote the words to a Tom Snyder tune they called "Who's Sorry Now?"
- ^ Ron Roberts: Connie Francis Discography 1955–1975
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 212. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2002
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 214.
- ^ "Top 100 1958-04-12". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
- ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1958". Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- ^ "Top 100 1958 - UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1958/Top 100 Songs of 1958". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
- ^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1958". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
- ^ Jasinski, Laurie E., ed. (2012). The Handbook of Texas Music (2 ed.). Denton, TX: Texas State Historical Association. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-87611-252-6.
- ^ "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 230. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 451. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ https://www.discogs.com/Spanky-Doin-It/release/1663688
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZunyfGTmQAc
External links[]
- Songs with music by Ted Snyder
- Songs with lyrics by Bert Kalmar
- 1923 songs
- Johnnie Ray songs
- Connie Francis songs
- Marie Osmond songs
- Songs with music by Harry Ruby
- Number-one singles in South Africa
- UK Singles Chart number-one singles
- MGM Records singles
- 1957 singles