Only You (And You Alone) (Song)
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| “Only You (And You Alone)” | |
|---|---|
| Mercury hit version | |
| Single by The Platters | |
| from the album The Platters (Original recording) & The Fabulous Platters (Re-recording) | |
| B-side | “Bark, Battle and Ball” |
| Released | June 1955 |
| Recorded | April 26, 1955 |
| Genre | Doo-wop |
| Length | 2:36 |
| Label | Mercury |
| 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 pop song composed by Buck Ram. It was originally recorded by The Platters with lead vocals by Tony Williams in 1955.
The Platters versions
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. Platters bass singer Herb Reed later 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.” 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.
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. 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 Platters, “Only You” was included on the flipside. In the 1956 film Rock Around the Clock, The Platters participated with both songs, “Only You” and “The Great Pretender”.
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 of “Only You (And You Alone)” by The Platters on Mercury Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Charts
| Chart (1955–1957) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 4 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) | 5 |
| US Best Sellers in Stores (Billboard) | 5 |
| US Rhythm & Blues Best Sellers in Stores (Billboard) | 1 |
| “Only You” | |
|---|---|
| Single by Franck Pourcel | |
| B-side | “Rainy Night in Paris” |
| Released | March 1959 |
| Genre | Easy listening |
| Length | 2:28 |
| Label | Capitol |
| Songwriter(s) | Buck Ram, Ande Rand |
| Franck Pourcel singles chronology | |
| “Only You“ (1959)”Tango Militaire” (1959) | |
Franck Pourcel version
An instrumental version by Franck Pourcel was a hit single in 1959, and sold more than 5 million copies. Pourcel’s version spent 16 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 9, while reaching number 3 on Canada’s CHUM Hit Parade, and number 18 on Billboard‘s Hot R&B Sides.
The Hilltoppers version
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.
Ringo Starr version
| “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) |
| Length | 3:16 |
| Label | Apple |
| 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, 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. It was released in the UK on 15 November. 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
- A version was recorded in 1956 by the Welsh singer Malcolm Vaughan.
- Travis Tritt released his version of the song as a single in January of 1996, where it peaked at #52 on the Hot Country Songs Chart and #28 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart. It was Tritts first single to miss the Top 40 on the Hot Country Songs Chart.
- Carl Perkins recorded the song in 1957, on his “Dance Album” record.
- 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.
- In 1963, Mr. Acker Bilk recorded the song as an instrumental number, which reached number 77 (U.S.).
- Little Richard recorded the song in 1964 for his album Little Richard Is Back (And There’s a Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On!).
- Roy Orbison recorded the song in 1969 for the 1970 album The Big O with “The Art Movement”
- Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers released a version in 1969, which reached number 95 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- 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.
- 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”. The lyrics were written by the record producer Arve Sigvaldsen.
- 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.
- Somewhere in 1973, John Lennon did a demo version for his partner and friend Ringo Starr to be recorded by him for his next solo album, the song can be heard on Lennon’s 1990 Wonsaponatime album.
- The pop band Child released the song as a single in 1979, reaching number 33 in the UK Charts.
- Reba McEntire had a #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 #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.
- Only You – Guitar instrumental by Dave Monk
- Only You – Guitar Instrumental by Eric
- Ray Conniff – Only You
- Mezzo – Only you
- Only You Instrumental
Influence and usage in popular culture
- Dallara, the first Italian shouter (in Italian: urlatore), and his music were influenced by the triplet pattern (in Italian: stile terzinato) that had been introduced in Italy by the Platters in “Only You”, and can be heard in their songs such as “Come prima”.
- In the video game Far Cry 5, the song features prominently as a cult brainwashing trigger.
- The song is parodied in the film A Chinese Odyssey (1995), sung by “Law Kar-ying” and its lyrics rewritten by “Jeffrey Lau”.
- In the video game Batman: Arkham City, a cover of the song by Mark Hamill as The Joker plays over the ending credits. At the beginning of the later game Batman: Arkham Knight, the song can be heard playing on a record player.
- In the Fallout TV show, the song plays in the episode, “The Radio (Fallout)”.
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