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Are You Lonesome Tonight?

October 17, 2023

For other uses, see Are You Lonesome Tonight? (disambiguation).

"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (sometimes stylized as Are You Lonesome To-night?) is a song written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman in 1926. It was recorded several times in 1927—first by Charles Hart, with successful versions by Vaughn De Leath, Henry Burr, and the duet of Jerry Macy and John Ryan. In 1950, the Blue Barron Orchestra version reached the top twenty on the Billboard's Pop Singles chart.

"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
Single by Charles Hart
B-side"Sweet Marie"
Released1927
RecordedMay 9, 1927
GenreTraditional pop
Length3:10
LabelHarmony Records
Songwriter(s)Lou Handman, Roy Turk

In April 1960, after Elvis Presley's two-year service in the United States Army, he recorded the song at the suggestion of manager Colonel Tom Parker; "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was Parker's wife, Marie Mott's, favorite song. Its release was delayed by RCA Victor executives, who thought the song did not fit Presley's new (and publicized) style. When "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was released in November 1960, it was an immediate success in the U.S., topping Billboard's Pop Singles chart and reaching number three on the R&B chart. A month after the song's release, it topped the UK Singles Chart. Presley's version was certified by the Recording Industry Association of America for a Gold Record Award for 1,000,000 copies sold in the United States in 1983. It was upgraded by the RIAA to a 2xPlatinum Record Award for 2,000,000 sales in 1992. "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was later recorded by several other artists, with versions by Donny Osmond and Merle Haggard becoming top-twenty hits on the pop and country charts respectively. Billboard ranked "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" number 81 on its "Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs" list in 2008.

Composition and early versions Edit

The song was written in 1926 by vaudevillians Lou Handman and Roy Turk with three verses, followed by a spoken bridge. They based the bridge on a line in Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci,[1] and "You know someone said that the world's a stage. And each must play a part" refers to "All the world's a stage" from William Shakespeare's As You Like It.[2] This recitation is printed on the inside back cover of the original 1927 sheet music, and is sung on Stanley Kirkby's recording in 1928, Al Jolson's recording in 1949[3] and Blue Barrron recording in 1950 (US top 20 hit). Billboard reported in 1960 its discovery that it was written by songwriter and vaudeville pianist Dave Dreyer.[4]

 
"Are You Lonesome Tonight" by Charles Hart
Several versions of the song were recorded in 1927, the first by Charles Hart.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Several versions of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" were recorded in 1927. The first, by Charles Hart, was recorded on May 9 and released on Harmony Records (431-H)[5] as the B-side of "Sweet Marie".[6] On June 13, Vaughn De Leath recorded the song as the B-side of "It's a Million to One You're in Love" for Edison Records (Ed-52044).[7] De Leath had the first hit version of the song, which peaked at number four in November.[6] On July 10, 1927, the Newport Society Orchestra recorded the song with Irving Kaufman the vocalist; it was released on Harmony Records (511-H) with "I'm Walkin' On Air".[8] A version by the duet of Jerry Macy and John Ryan was released on Okeh Records (Ok-40866) as the B-side of "Carolina Mine".[9] Henry Burr's version peaked at number ten,[10] and Little Jack Little had a hit with the song for Columbia Records.[11] Although Gene Austin included the song in his shows during the 1930's, he never recorded it.[1]

In March 1950, the Blue Barron Orchestra released "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" with "Penny Wise and Love Foolish" on the B-side, and it peaked at number nineteen on Billboard's Top Pop Singles chart. In April Don Cornell released a version without the narrative bridge as the B-side of his RCA Victor single, "Stay With the Happy People".[12] Billboard called it a: "dreamy waltz ... (that) gets effective treatment (on the recording)". Based on votes sent to Billboard, the song received 78 points from disc jockeys, 78 from record dealers, 79 from jukebox operators and 78 points overall; on the magazine's 100-point scale, it was rated "Good".[13] Al Jolson recorded a version with the spoken bridge on April 28, 1950, in Los Angeles; Gordon Jenkins conducted the orchestra.[14] With "No Sad Songs For Me" on the B-side, it was released by Decca Records in June. According to Billboard, although the version was "revived" by Jolson's "schmaltz style" his recitation of the bridge was "hamboned". Based on votes sent to the magazine, the song received 71 points from disc jockeys, 71 from record dealers and 71 from jukebox operators; with an overall score of 71, it was rated "Good".[15] In 1958 Jim Flaherty's Western Caravan recorded the song on the www.frankierecords.com/ label, with B-side My Foolish Heart sung by Maury Dubois. This version with vocals by Howie Stange gained quite a following in New England, mainly due to Jim Flaherty's tireless promoting. At the November 1959 DJ Convention held in Nashville, Jim Flaherty handed Chet Atkins a copy of song with the encouragement of getting "that kid down south (Elvis Presley) who is shaking things up" to record it.[16] In 1959, Jaye P. Morgan released the song on MGM Records, with "Miss You" on the B-side,[17] and her version peaked at number 65 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart.[18]

Elvis Presley's version Edit

"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
 
US single sleeve
Single by Elvis Presley
B-side"I Gotta Know"
ReleasedNovember 1, 1960
RecordedApril 4, 1960
StudioRCA Victor (Nashville)
Genre
Length3:07
LabelRCA Victor
Songwriter(s)Lou Handman, Roy Turk
Producer(s)Steve Sholes, Chet Atkins
Elvis Presley singles chronology
"It's Now or Never"
(1960) 		"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
(1960) 		"Surrender"
(1961)
Elvis Presley UK singles chronology
"It's Now or Never"
(1960) 		"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
(1960) 		"Wooden Heart"
(1961)
Music video
"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (audio) on YouTube
Audio sample

In the final months of his service in the United States Army, Elvis Presley began experimenting with new material in anticipation of his return to recording.[20] His first recording session was scheduled for March 20, 1960,[21] and RCA's Studio B had recently been equipped with a new three-track recorder.[22] To improve the recording of Presley's voice, engineer Bill Porter had Telefunken U-47 microphones installed.[23] A follow-up session was scheduled for April.[24]

During the selection of material for the sessions, Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, suggested "Are You Lonesome Tonight?". The favorite song of Parker's wife, Marie Mott (who knew the song from Gene Austin's act, since he was also managed at the time by her husband),[25] it was the only time he intervened in Presley's choice of repertoire. Presley returned to the studio with his band, consisting of Scotty Moore, drummer D. J. Fontana, pianist Floyd Cramer, guitarist Hank Garland, bassist Bob Moore, percussionist Buddy Harman, and backing vocalists the Jordanaires, on April 3.[26]

After the eight songs Parker needed for Elvis Is Back! were recorded, Presley moved on to his manager's request. At 4 am on April 4, the singer began recording "Are You Lonesome Tonight?", accompanied by acoustic guitar, drums, bass, and the backup group. He asked everyone else in the studio to leave the session, told Chet Atkins to turn the lights out, and performed the song with the spoken bridge. After the second take, Presley said to producer Steve Sholes, "Throw that tune out; I can't do it justice". Sholes told engineer Bill Porter to ignore Presley's order and asked the singer to do a new take, explaining that the Jordanaires had bumped into their microphone stand while recording in the dark. As a result, Presley performed the song once more, and that take became the master for the single.[27]

Release and reception Edit

"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was not released for several months while RCA executives decided if the ballad reflected Presley's new style, but they and Parker ultimately decided to release it. The song was released as a single on November 1, 1960, with "I Gotta Know" on the B-side, and pressing was assigned to plants in New Jersey, Indianapolis and Los Angeles. Copies (with a sleeve featuring a smiling Presley in a chartreuse shirt against a blue background) were sent to 5,000 disc jockeys. Orders for the single began at 900,000 copies the first week and climbed to 1,200,000 during the second.[28]

The song debuted on Billboard's Top 40 at number 35 on November 14, moved a week later to number two and topped the chart by November 28 (replacing Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs' "Stay"). Presley's 15th chart-topping single,[29] it held the top position until January 9, 1961.[30] "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" peaked at number three on the R&B chart, remaining on it for ten weeks.[31] The song topped the Cash Box singles chart[32] and reached number 45 on the Cash Box country singles chart.[33] A month after its UK release it topped the UK Singles Chart.[34] Three months after its release, the single had sales of two million copies worldwide; that year, the Recording Industry Association of America certified it gold.[28]

A November 7, 1960 Billboard review called Presley's rendition a "warm and touching performance".[35] In a later review, AllMusic praised Presley's vocal range, calling "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" a "tender ... sugary ballad ... full of soul and intense and intimate power" defining "one of Presley's darkest moments".[36]

Legacy Edit

The success of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" made the song one of Presley's live staples. He performed it live for the first time on March 25, 1961, at a Bloch Arena benefit in Honolulu for the USS Arizona Memorial, one of Presley's four live performances between his return from the Army and his shift in career focus to acting.[37]

Returning to music in 1968, Presley included the song on his playlist for the NBC special Elvis and performed it live the following year during his first Las Vegas engagement.[38] A version of the song, recorded on August 26, 1969, and documenting Presley altering the words of the narration ("Do you gaze at your bald head and wish you had hair") and laughing through the rest of the bridge, was released in 1980 as part of the Elvis Aron Presley box set.[39] In 1982 this "laughing version" was a radio hit in the United Kingdom and reached number 25 on the British Singles Chart.[34]

A very emotional version of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was performed and filmed in 1972 at Hampton Roads. This show was filmed for the documentary Elvis On Tour, however the song was not included in that film but released with other outtakes in 1992 on the home video release Elvis- The Lost Performances.

A version filmed at Elvis' last tour was included in the 1977 CBS special Elvis in Concert, broadcast after Elvis' death.

On March 27, 1992, the RIAA certified "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" double platinum.[40] In 2008 (the 50th anniversary of Billboard's Hot 100), the song was number 81 on the magazine's "Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs" list.[41]

Charts Edit

Certifications Edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Netherlands — 45,000[61]
United Kingdom (BPI)[62] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[63] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^
Summaries
Worldwide — 4,000,000[64]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Later versions Edit

In popular culture Edit

  • In the Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker comedy film Top Secret!, musician Nick Rivers (Val Kilmer) performs a version of the song with a guitar. Though it begins with a conventional sound, it quickly turns into a parody that acts as an advertising jingle for the retailer chain Macy's ("...is your heart filled with pain / will you come back again / shop at Macy's and love me tonight.").
  • Comedian Sam Kinison performed the song several times in various talk show appearances, including a memorable 1989 performance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.[72] Kinison begins by singing a straight, serious cover of the song before descending into angry ranting during the spoken bridge, punctuated by his trademark scream, before suddenly returning to a serious cover again at the song's conclusion.
  • The Presley version was used in the classic film A Brighter Summer Day by Edward Yang, which was rated the twelfth-best Chinese-language film of all time by the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2005.[73][74] The title of the film comes from a (misheard) lyric in the Presley recording.[75]

Chart performance Edit

Year Artist Chart Peak position
1927 Vaughn De Leath Top selling records 4
Henry Burr Top selling records 10
1950 Blue Barron Orchestra Billboard Pop Singles 19
1959 Jaye P. Morgan Billboard Pop Singles 65
1960 Elvis Presley Billboard Pop Singles 1
Billboard R&B singles 3
Cash Box Singles 1
Cash Box Country Singles 45
UK Singles Chart 1
1974 Donny Osmond Billboard Pop Singles 14
1977 Merle Haggard Billboard Hot Country Singles 12
1982 Elvis Presley UK Singles Chart 25
1983 John Schneider Billboard Hot Country Singles 53
2005 Elvis Presley UK Singles Chart 2

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  7. ^ Laird, Ross 1996, p. 134.
  8. ^ The Discographer staff 1971, p. 22.
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  27. ^ Guralnick 1998, p. 65-66.
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  40. ^ RIAA 2014.
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  42. ^ "Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome To-night?" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
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  64. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 145. ISBN 0668064595. The global sale was four million
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  70. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel 2002, p. 140.
  71. ^ Billboard staff 1992, p. 72.
  72. ^ "Sam Kinison Sings "Are You Lonesome Tonight" and Sits Down with Johnny | Carson Tonight Show". YouTube. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  73. ^ . Archived from the original on October 22, 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
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  75. ^ Ratliff, Ben (2020-04-10). "From Elvis in Taipei". Retrieved January 18, 2022.
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October 17, 2023
lonesome, tonight, other, uses, disambiguation, sometimes, stylized, lonesome, night, song, written, turk, handman, 1926, recorded, several, times, 1927, first, charles, hart, with, successful, versions, vaughn, leath, henry, burr, duet, jerry, macy, john, rya. For other uses see Are You Lonesome Tonight disambiguation Are You Lonesome Tonight sometimes stylized as Are You Lonesome To night is a song written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman in 1926 It was recorded several times in 1927 first by Charles Hart with successful versions by Vaughn De Leath Henry Burr and the duet of Jerry Macy and John Ryan In 1950 the Blue Barron Orchestra version reached the top twenty on the Billboard s Pop Singles chart Are You Lonesome Tonight Single by Charles HartB side Sweet Marie Released1927RecordedMay 9 1927GenreTraditional popLength3 10LabelHarmony RecordsSongwriter s Lou Handman Roy TurkIn April 1960 after Elvis Presley s two year service in the United States Army he recorded the song at the suggestion of manager Colonel Tom Parker Are You Lonesome Tonight was Parker s wife Marie Mott s favorite song Its release was delayed by RCA Victor executives who thought the song did not fit Presley s new and publicized style When Are You Lonesome Tonight was released in November 1960 it was an immediate success in the U S topping Billboard s Pop Singles chart and reaching number three on the R amp B chart A month after the song s release it topped the UK Singles Chart Presley s version was certified by the Recording Industry Association of America for a Gold Record Award for 1 000 000 copies sold in the United States in 1983 It was upgraded by the RIAA to a 2xPlatinum Record Award for 2 000 000 sales in 1992 Are You Lonesome Tonight was later recorded by several other artists with versions by Donny Osmond and Merle Haggard becoming top twenty hits on the pop and country charts respectively Billboard ranked Are You Lonesome Tonight number 81 on its Hot 100 All Time Top Songs list in 2008 Contents 1 Composition and early versions 2 Elvis Presley s version 2 1 Release and reception 2 2 Legacy 2 3 Charts 2 3 1 Weekly charts 2 3 2 Year end charts 2 3 3 All time charts 2 4 Certifications 3 Later versions 4 In popular culture 5 Chart performance 6 ReferencesComposition and early versions EditThe song was written in 1926 by vaudevillians Lou Handman and Roy Turk with three verses followed by a spoken bridge They based the bridge on a line in Ruggero Leoncavallo s Pagliacci 1 and You know someone said that the world s a stage And each must play a part refers to All the world s a stage from William Shakespeare s As You Like It 2 This recitation is printed on the inside back cover of the original 1927 sheet music and is sung on Stanley Kirkby s recording in 1928 Al Jolson s recording in 1949 3 and Blue Barrron recording in 1950 US top 20 hit Billboard reported in 1960 its discovery that it was written by songwriter and vaudeville pianist Dave Dreyer 4 nbsp Are You Lonesome Tonight by Charles Hart source source Several versions of the song were recorded in 1927 the first by Charles Hart Problems playing this file See media help Several versions of Are You Lonesome Tonight were recorded in 1927 The first by Charles Hart was recorded on May 9 and released on Harmony Records 431 H 5 as the B side of Sweet Marie 6 On June 13 Vaughn De Leath recorded the song as the B side of It s a Million to One You re in Love for Edison Records Ed 52044 7 De Leath had the first hit version of the song which peaked at number four in November 6 On July 10 1927 the Newport Society Orchestra recorded the song with Irving Kaufman the vocalist it was released on Harmony Records 511 H with I m Walkin On Air 8 A version by the duet of Jerry Macy and John Ryan was released on Okeh Records Ok 40866 as the B side of Carolina Mine 9 Henry Burr s version peaked at number ten 10 and Little Jack Little had a hit with the song for Columbia Records 11 Although Gene Austin included the song in his shows during the 1930 s he never recorded it 1 In March 1950 the Blue Barron Orchestra released Are You Lonesome Tonight with Penny Wise and Love Foolish on the B side and it peaked at number nineteen on Billboard s Top Pop Singles chart In April Don Cornell released a version without the narrative bridge as the B side of his RCA Victor single Stay With the Happy People 12 Billboard called it a dreamy waltz that gets effective treatment on the recording Based on votes sent to Billboard the song received 78 points from disc jockeys 78 from record dealers 79 from jukebox operators and 78 points overall on the magazine s 100 point scale it was rated Good 13 Al Jolson recorded a version with the spoken bridge on April 28 1950 in Los Angeles Gordon Jenkins conducted the orchestra 14 With No Sad Songs For Me on the B side it was released by Decca Records in June According to Billboard although the version was revived by Jolson s schmaltz style his recitation of the bridge was hamboned Based on votes sent to the magazine the song received 71 points from disc jockeys 71 from record dealers and 71 from jukebox operators with an overall score of 71 it was rated Good 15 In 1958 Jim Flaherty s Western Caravan recorded the song on the www frankierecords com label with B side My Foolish Heart sung by Maury Dubois This version with vocals by Howie Stange gained quite a following in New England mainly due to Jim Flaherty s tireless promoting At the November 1959 DJ Convention held in Nashville Jim Flaherty handed Chet Atkins a copy of song with the encouragement of getting that kid down south Elvis Presley who is shaking things up to record it 16 In 1959 Jaye P Morgan released the song on MGM Records with Miss You on the B side 17 and her version peaked at number 65 on Billboard s Pop Singles chart 18 Elvis Presley s version Edit Are You Lonesome Tonight nbsp US single sleeveSingle by Elvis PresleyB side I Gotta Know ReleasedNovember 1 1960RecordedApril 4 1960StudioRCA Victor Nashville GenrePop country 19 Length3 07LabelRCA VictorSongwriter s Lou Handman Roy TurkProducer s Steve Sholes Chet AtkinsElvis Presley singles chronology It s Now or Never 1960 Are You Lonesome Tonight 1960 Surrender 1961 Elvis Presley UK singles chronology It s Now or Never 1960 Are You Lonesome Tonight 1960 Wooden Heart 1961 Music video Are You Lonesome Tonight audio on YouTubeAudio sample source source track filehelpIn the final months of his service in the United States Army Elvis Presley began experimenting with new material in anticipation of his return to recording 20 His first recording session was scheduled for March 20 1960 21 and RCA s Studio B had recently been equipped with a new three track recorder 22 To improve the recording of Presley s voice engineer Bill Porter had Telefunken U 47 microphones installed 23 A follow up session was scheduled for April 24 During the selection of material for the sessions Presley s manager Colonel Tom Parker suggested Are You Lonesome Tonight The favorite song of Parker s wife Marie Mott who knew the song from Gene Austin s act since he was also managed at the time by her husband 25 it was the only time he intervened in Presley s choice of repertoire Presley returned to the studio with his band consisting of Scotty Moore drummer D J Fontana pianist Floyd Cramer guitarist Hank Garland bassist Bob Moore percussionist Buddy Harman and backing vocalists the Jordanaires on April 3 26 After the eight songs Parker needed for Elvis Is Back were recorded Presley moved on to his manager s request At 4 am on April 4 the singer began recording Are You Lonesome Tonight accompanied by acoustic guitar drums bass and the backup group He asked everyone else in the studio to leave the session told Chet Atkins to turn the lights out and performed the song with the spoken bridge After the second take Presley said to producer Steve Sholes Throw that tune out I can t do it justice Sholes told engineer Bill Porter to ignore Presley s order and asked the singer to do a new take explaining that the Jordanaires had bumped into their microphone stand while recording in the dark As a result Presley performed the song once more and that take became the master for the single 27 Release and reception Edit Are You Lonesome Tonight was not released for several months while RCA executives decided if the ballad reflected Presley s new style but they and Parker ultimately decided to release it The song was released as a single on November 1 1960 with I Gotta Know on the B side and pressing was assigned to plants in New Jersey Indianapolis and Los Angeles Copies with a sleeve featuring a smiling Presley in a chartreuse shirt against a blue background were sent to 5 000 disc jockeys Orders for the single began at 900 000 copies the first week and climbed to 1 200 000 during the second 28 The song debuted on Billboard s Top 40 at number 35 on November 14 moved a week later to number two and topped the chart by November 28 replacing Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs Stay Presley s 15th chart topping single 29 it held the top position until January 9 1961 30 Are You Lonesome Tonight peaked at number three on the R amp B chart remaining on it for ten weeks 31 The song topped the Cash Box singles chart 32 and reached number 45 on the Cash Box country singles chart 33 A month after its UK release it topped the UK Singles Chart 34 Three months after its release the single had sales of two million copies worldwide that year the Recording Industry Association of America certified it gold 28 A November 7 1960 Billboard review called Presley s rendition a warm and touching performance 35 In a later review AllMusic praised Presley s vocal range calling Are You Lonesome Tonight a tender sugary ballad full of soul and intense and intimate power defining one of Presley s darkest moments 36 Legacy Edit The success of Are You Lonesome Tonight made the song one of Presley s live staples He performed it live for the first time on March 25 1961 at a Bloch Arena benefit in Honolulu for the USS Arizona Memorial one of Presley s four live performances between his return from the Army and his shift in career focus to acting 37 Returning to music in 1968 Presley included the song on his playlist for the NBC special Elvis and performed it live the following year during his first Las Vegas engagement 38 A version of the song recorded on August 26 1969 and documenting Presley altering the words of the narration Do you gaze at your bald head and wish you had hair and laughing through the rest of the bridge was released in 1980 as part of the Elvis Aron Presley box set 39 In 1982 this laughing version was a radio hit in the United Kingdom and reached number 25 on the British Singles Chart 34 A very emotional version of Are You Lonesome Tonight was performed and filmed in 1972 at Hampton Roads This show was filmed for the documentary Elvis On Tour however the song was not included in that film but released with other outtakes in 1992 on the home video release Elvis The Lost Performances A version filmed at Elvis last tour was included in the 1977 CBS special Elvis in Concert broadcast after Elvis death On March 27 1992 the RIAA certified Are You Lonesome Tonight double platinum 40 In 2008 the 50th anniversary of Billboard s Hot 100 the song was number 81 on the magazine s Hot 100 All Time Top Songs list 41 Charts Edit Weekly charts Edit Chart 1960 61 PeakpositionAustralia 1Belgium Ultratop 50 Flanders 42 1Belgium Ultratop 50 Wallonia 43 3Canada CHUM Hit Parade 1Netherlands Single Top 100 44 5Norway VG lista 45 3New Zealand Lever Hit Parade 46 3South Africa 1Spain 1Sweden Sverigetopplistan 47 3UK Singles OCC 48 1US Billboard Hot 100 49 1US Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Billboard 50 3US Hot Country Songs Billboard 51 22US Cash Box Top 100 52 1West Germany Official German Charts 53 4Laughing versionChart 1981 82 PeakpositionBelgium Ultratop 50 Flanders 54 20Ireland IRMA 55 16Netherlands Single Top 100 56 14UK Singles OCC 57 25 Year end charts Edit Chart 1961 RankUS Billboard Hot 100 58 96US Cash Box 59 6All time charts Edit Chart 1958 2018 PositionUS Billboard Hot 100 60 101 Certifications Edit Region Certification Certified units salesNetherlands 45 000 61 United Kingdom BPI 62 Silver 200 000 United States RIAA 63 2 Platinum 2 000 000 SummariesWorldwide 4 000 000 64 Shipments figures based on certification alone Sales streaming figures based on certification alone Later versions EditFrank Sinatra recorded Are You Lonesome Tonight without the spoken bridge for his 1962 album All Alone 65 The Lettermen included the song on their 1964 album She Cried 66 Pat Boone recorded a version also without the spoken bridge in 1966 for his album Memories 67 Doris Day recorded the song on June 6 1967 for The Love Album 68 Donny Osmond s 1973 version is a B side to his recording of fellow pop standard When I Fall in Love 69 Merle Haggard s cover on his 1977 album My Farewell to Elvis peaked at number 12 on Billboard s Top Country Singles 70 John Schneider released a version in 1983 which peaked at number 53 on the Country Singles chart 70 Bryan Ferry s version of Are You Lonesome Tonight was part of the soundtrack for 1992 s Honeymoon in Vegas 71 In popular culture EditIn the Zucker Abrahams and Zucker comedy film Top Secret musician Nick Rivers Val Kilmer performs a version of the song with a guitar Though it begins with a conventional sound it quickly turns into a parody that acts as an advertising jingle for the retailer chain Macy s is your heart filled with pain will you come back again shop at Macy s and love me tonight Comedian Sam Kinison performed the song several times in various talk show appearances including a memorable 1989 performance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson 72 Kinison begins by singing a straight serious cover of the song before descending into angry ranting during the spoken bridge punctuated by his trademark scream before suddenly returning to a serious cover again at the song s conclusion The Presley version was used in the classic film A Brighter Summer Day by Edward Yang which was rated the twelfth best Chinese language film of all time by the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2005 73 74 The title of the film comes from a misheard lyric in the Presley recording 75 Chart performance EditYear Artist Chart Peak position1927 Vaughn De Leath Top selling records 4Henry Burr Top selling records 101950 Blue Barron Orchestra Billboard Pop Singles 191959 Jaye P Morgan Billboard Pop Singles 651960 Elvis Presley Billboard Pop Singles 1Billboard R amp B singles 3Cash Box Singles 1Cash Box Country Singles 45UK Singles Chart 11974 Donny Osmond Billboard Pop Singles 141977 Merle Haggard Billboard Hot Country Singles 121982 Elvis Presley UK Singles Chart 251983 John Schneider Billboard Hot Country Singles 532005 Elvis Presley UK Singles Chart 2References Edit a b Schultz William Todd 2005 p 146 Galey Allan 2014 p 53 YouTube YouTube Archived from the original on 2016 03 10 Retrieved 2016 08 29 Billboard staff 2 1960 p 4 Gregory Charles 2003 p 930 a b Leszczak Bob 2014 p 11 Laird Ross 1996 p 134 The Discographer staff 1971 p 22 Laird Ross amp Rust Brian 2004 p 404 Sullivan Steve 2013 p 625 Malone Bill amp McCulloh Judith 1975 p 104 Collins Ace 2005 p 165 Billboard staff 1950 p 35 Fisher James 1994 p 148 Billboard staff 2 1950 p 86 Interview with Gus French April 28 2014 Popoff Martin 2010 p 829 Billboard staff 1959 p 39 Stanley Bob 13 September 2013 Yeah Yeah Yeah The Story of Modern Pop Faber amp Faber p 92 ISBN 978 0 571 28198 5 Guralnick 1998 p 44 45 Guralnick 1998 p 59 Colman Stuart 2011 p 8 Colman Stuart 2011 p 4 Guralnick 1998 p 61 Creswell Toby 2007 p 31 Guralnick 1998 p 64 Guralnick 1998 p 65 66 a b Murray Don 1961 p 66 Colman Stuart 2011 p 10 Collins Ace 2005 p 166 Collins Ace 2005 p 167 Hoffman Frank 1983 p 834 Albert George 1984 p 280 a b Humphries Patrick 2003 p 87 Billboard staff 1960 p 45 Janovitz Bill 2013 Schultz William Todd 2005 p 147 Schultz William Todd 2005 p 148 Schultz William Todd 2005 p 149 RIAA 2014 Billboard staff 2008 Elvis Presley Are You Lonesome To night in Dutch Ultratop 50 Elvis Presley Are You Lonesome To night in French Ultratop 50 Elvis Presley Are You Lonesome To night in Dutch Single Top 100 Elvis Presley Are You Lonesome To night VG lista Flavour of New Zealand 27 October 1960 Archived from the original on 11 January 2022 Retrieved 25 March 2020 Elvis Presley Are You Lonesome To night Singles Top 100 Elvis Presley Artist Chart History Official Charts Company Joel Whitburn s Top Pop Singles 1955 1990 ISBN 0 89820 089 X Elvis Presley Chart History Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Billboard Elvis Presley Chart History Hot Country Songs Billboard Cash Box Top 100 Singles December 31 1960 Offiziellecharts de Elvis Presley Are You Lonesome To night in German GfK Entertainment charts Elvis Presley Are You Lonesome Tonight Laughing version in Dutch Ultratop 50 The Irish Charts Search Results Are You Lonesome Tonight Irish Singles Chart Elvis Presley Are You Lonesome Tonight Laughing version in Dutch Single Top 100 Elvis Presley Artist Chart History Official Charts Company Musicoutfitters com Cash Box Top 100 Singles December 31 1960 Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart Billboard Retrieved 10 December 2018 Wapperom Hemmy J S June 26 1961 Connie Froboes Set For Festival Billboard p 41 ISSN 0006 2510 Retrieved June 25 2023 via Google Books British single certifications Elvis Presley Are You Lonesome Tonight British Phonographic Industry Retrieved January 6 2023 American single certifications Elvis Presley Are You Lonesome Tonight Recording Industry Association of America Retrieved January 6 2023 Murrells Joseph 1985 Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s an illustrated directory Arco Pub p 145 ISBN 0668064595 The global sale was four million Friedwald Will 1995 p 343 Whitburn Joel 1996 p 446 Erlewine Stephen Thomas Bogdanov Vladimir amp Woodstra Chris 2003 p 863 Santopietro Tom 2008 p 359 Grein Paul 1981 p 6 a b Whitburn Joel 2002 p 140 Billboard staff 1992 p 72 Sam Kinison Sings Are You Lonesome Tonight and Sits Down with Johnny Carson Tonight Show YouTube Retrieved April 4 2022 最佳華語片一百部 The Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures Archived from the original on October 22 2019 Retrieved June 12 2019 The Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures 13 March 2013 Retrieved January 18 2022 Ratliff Ben 2020 04 10 From Elvis in Taipei Retrieved January 18 2022 SourcesAlbert George 1984 The Cash Box Country Singles Charts 1958 1982 Scarecrow Press ISBN 978 0 8108 1685 5 Billboard staff 1950 Record Reviews Billboard Vol 62 no 22 Nielsen Business Media Inc ISSN 0006 2510 Retrieved February 27 2015 Billboard staff 2 1950 Record Reviews Billboard Vol 62 no 17 Nielsen Business Media Inc ISSN 0006 2510 Retrieved March 4 2015 Billboard staff 1959 The Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Vol 71 no 9 Nielsen Business Media Inc ISSN 0006 2510 Retrieved March 4 2015 Billboard staff 1960 Reviews of This Week s Singles Billboard Vol 72 no 45 Nielsen Business Media Inc ISSN 0006 2510 Retrieved March 2 2015 Billboard staff 2 1960 D Dreyer did Lonesome bit Billboard Vol 72 no 50 Nielsen Business Media Inc Retrieved April 6 2018 Billboard staff 1992 There s Sizzle In Summer Soundtracks Billboard Vol 104 no 28 Nielsen Business Media Inc ISSN 0006 2510 Retrieved March 4 2015 Billboard staff 2008 The Billboard Hot 100 All Time Top Songs 90 81 Billboard Nielsen Business Media Inc Archived from the original on October 16 2008 Retrieved March 2 2015 Collins Ace 2005 Untold Gold Chicago Review Press ISBN 978 1 56976 507 4 Colman Stuart 2011 Elvis is Back Legacy Edition booklet Elvis Presley Legacy Recordings RCA Legacy 8869 785300 2 Creswell Toby 2007 1001 Songs Hardi Grant publishing ISBN 978 1 74273 148 3 Erlewine Stephen Thomas Bogdanov Vladimir Woodstra Chris 2003 All Music Guide to Country The Definitive Guide to Country Music Backbeat Books ISBN 978 0 87930 760 8 Fisher James 1994 Al Jolson A Bio bibliography Greenwood Press ISBN 978 0 313 28620 9 Friedwald Will 1995 Sinatra the Song is You A Singer s Art Da Capo Press ISBN 978 0 7867 5159 4 Galey Allan 2014 The Shakespearen Archive Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 1 107 04064 9 Gregory Charles 2003 Edison Diamond Disc Record Labels amp Discography 1924 1927 Vol 3 Charles Gregory ISBN 978 0 9745432 0 8 Grein Paul August 22 1981 Chartbeat John s Got Elvis Covered Nicks Zooms Into Top 10 Billboard Nielsen Business Media Inc p 6 Retrieved March 3 2015 Guralnick Peter 1994 Last Train to Memphis The Rise of Elvis Presley Little Brown ISBN 0 316 33225 9 Guralnick Peter 1998 Careless Love The Unmaking of Elvis Presley Little Brown and Company ISBN 978 0 316 33222 4 Hoffman Frank 1983 The Cash Box Singles Charts 1950 1981 Scarecrow Press ISBN 978 0 8108 1595 7 Humphries Patrick 2003 Elvis The 1 Hits The Secret History of the Classics Andrews McMeel Publishing ISBN 978 0 7407 3803 6 Janovitz Bill 2013 Are You Lonesome Tonight Allmusic Rovi Corporation Retrieved March 2 2015 Jasen David 2013 A Century of American Popular Music Routledge ISBN 978 1 135 35271 4 Jeansonne Glen Luhrssen David Sokolovic Dan 2011 Elvis Presley Reluctant Rebel His Life and Our Times ABC CLIO ISBN 978 0 313 35904 0 Laird Ross 1996 Moanin Low A Discography of Female Popular Vocal Recordings 1920 1933 Greenwood Publishing Group ISBN 978 0 313 29241 5 Laird Ross Rust Brian 2004 Discography of OKeh Records 1918 1934 Greenwood Publishing Group ISBN 978 0 313 31142 0 Leszczak Bob 2014 Who Did It First Great Pop Cover Songs and Their Original Artists Rowman amp Littlefield ISBN 978 1 4422 3068 2 Malone Bill McCulloh Judith 1975 Stars of Country Music Uncle Dave Macon to Johnny Rodriguez University of Illinois Press ISBN 978 0 252 00527 5 Murray Don 1961 One Million Times 98 Cents PDF HiFi Stereo Review Ziff Davis Publishing Company 7 4 Archived from the original PDF on 2015 03 02 Retrieved 2015 03 03 Popoff Martin 2010 Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records 1948 1991 Krause Publications ISBN 978 1 4402 1621 3 RIAA 2014 RIAA Searchable database Recording Industry Association of America Enter search for Are You Lonesome Tonight or Elvis Presley Santopietro Tom 2008 Considering Doris Day Macmillan ISBN 978 1 4299 3751 1 Schultz William Todd 2005 Handbook of Psychobiography Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 803760 6 Sullivan Steve 2013 Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings Vol 2 Scarecrow Press ISBN 978 0 8108 8296 6 Slaughter Todd 2004 The Elvis Archives Omnibus Press ISBN 1 84449 380 6 The Discographer staff 1971 Harmony Velvetone Diva Catalogue The Discographer A Quarterly Journal for the Discographer and Collector of Americana musicana 2 3 Whitburn Joel 1996 Joel Whitburn s top pop albums 1955 1996 Record Research Inc ISBN 0 89820 117 9 Whitburn Joel 2002 Top Country Singles 1944 to 2001 Chart Data Compiled from Billboard s Country Singles Charts 1944 2001 Record Research Inc ISBN 978 0 89820 151 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Are You Lonesome Tonight 3F amp oldid 1174239839, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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