This article is about the song by Bobby Russell. For the album by Sonny Stitt, see Little Green Apples (album).
"Little Green Apples" is a song written by Bobby Russell that became a hit for three different artists, with their three separate releases, in 1968. Originally written for and released by American recording artist Roger Miller, "Little Green Apples" was also released as a single by American recording artists Patti Page and O. C. Smith that same year. Smith's version became a #2 hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles charts, while Miller's version became a Top 40 hit on the Hot 100 as well as the UK Singles Chart (and a #6 hit on the Billboard Country chart). Page's version became her last Hot 100 entry. The song earned Russell a Grammy Award for Song of the Year and for Best Country Song. In 2013, "Little Green Apples" was covered by English recording artist Robbie Williams featuring American recording artist Kelly Clarkson, which became a top 40 hit in Mexico.
According to Buzz Cason, who partnered Bobby Russell in the Nashville-based Rising Sons music publishing firm, Russell wrote both the songs "Honey" (a #1 hit for Bobby Goldsboro in 1968) and "Little Green Apples" as "an experiment in composing", anticipating a potential market for true-to-life story songs...with more 'meat' in the lyrics [than was] standard" for current hits.[2] Russell wrote "Little Green Apples" for Roger Miller to record and Miller made the first recording of the song on January 24, 1968, in a session produced by Jerry Kennedy at Columbia Recording Studio Nashville.[3] Released as the lead single from the album A Tender Look at Love, "Little Green Apples" afforded Miller his final Top Ten C&W hit at #6 and also his final Top 40 crossover reaching #39 on the Hot 100 in Billboard. In the UK, Miller's "Little Green Apples" reached #19 in the spring of 1968 – when it also reached #46 in Australia – and in the spring of 1969 the track returned to the UK chart reaching #39.[4]
Patti Page recorded "Little Green Apples" for her C&W-oriented album Gentle on My Mind whose title cut shared the Easy Listening Top Ten with Roger Miller's "Little Green Apples". Page's version of the latter was released as a single in June 1968, reaching #12 Easy Listening and affording Page the final Hot 100 appearance of her career at #96.
O. C. Smith had recorded "Little Green Apples" at Columbia Studios LA for Hickory Holler Revisited, the parent album of his Top 40 hit "Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp". The track "Main Street Mission" was originally issued as the follow-up single, but as Buzz Cason recalls "a disc jockey in Detroit played the album cut [by O. C. Smith] of 'Little Green Apples' one morning". That single spin triggered "such a reaction and rash of phone requests [as to] prompt [the deejay] to call Steve Popovich, head of promotion for Columbia in New York [City]",[5] and "Little Green Apples" replaced "Main Street Mission" as Smith's then current single. Smith's version was a #2 hit on the Hot 100, behind "Hey Jude" by the Beatles,[6] and likewise peaked at #2 on the R&B chart in Billboard and was certified Gold for domestic sales of one million units.[7] The song won its composer Bobby Russell the 1969 Grammy Award for Song of the Year and the Grammy Award for Best Country Song.[8]
Monica Zetterlund in 1969 as Gröna små äpplen, with Swedish lyrics written by ABBA's manager Stig Anderson. Both the performance and the lyrics won Swedish Grammy awards.
^. countrydiscography.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on 31 October 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
^"Chart appearances for the song "Little Green Apples"". the database of popular music. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
^Living the Rock 'N' Roll Dream : The Adventures of Buzz Cason; Hal Leonard Corp Milwaukee WI (2004) ISBN0-634-06672-2; p.192
^"The Hot 100: the week of October 26, 1968". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
^Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 248. ISBN0-214-20512-6.
^"O. C. Smith, 65, Singer-Minister Who Had a Grammy Award Hit". The New York Times. November 27, 2001. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
^. Archived from the original on 2010-11-25. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
^Graff, Gary (September 12, 2013). "Lily Allen duets with Robbie Williams on his new album 'Swings Both Ways'". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
January 01, 1970
little, green, apples, this, article, about, song, bobby, russell, album, sonny, stitt, album, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenge. This article is about the song by Bobby Russell For the album by Sonny Stitt see Little Green Apples album This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Little Green Apples news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Little Green Apples is a song written by Bobby Russell that became a hit for three different artists with their three separate releases in 1968 Originally written for and released by American recording artist Roger Miller Little Green Apples was also released as a single by American recording artists Patti Page and O C Smith that same year Smith s version became a 2 hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Rhythm amp Blues Singles charts while Miller s version became a Top 40 hit on the Hot 100 as well as the UK Singles Chart and a 6 hit on the Billboard Country chart Page s version became her last Hot 100 entry The song earned Russell a Grammy Award for Song of the Year and for Best Country Song In 2013 Little Green Apples was covered by English recording artist Robbie Williams featuring American recording artist Kelly Clarkson which became a top 40 hit in Mexico Little Green Apples Single by Roger Millerfrom the album A Tender Look at LoveB side Our Little Love ReleasedFebruary 1968Recorded1967GenreCountryLength2 36LabelSmashSongwriter s Bobby RussellProducer s Jerry KennedyRoger Miller singles chronology Old Toy Trains 1967 Little Green Apples 1968 Tolivar 1968 Little Green Apples Single by O C Smithfrom the album Hickory Holler RevisitedB side Long Black Limousine non UK Gas Food Lodging UK ReleasedSeptember 1968 1968 09 Recorded1968 at Columbia Recording Studios HollywoodGenreR amp B soulLength3 58LabelColumbiaSongwriter s Bobby RussellProducer s Jerry Fuller 1 O C Smith singles chronology Main Street Mission 1968 Little Green Apples 1968 Isn t It Lonely Together 1968 Contents 1 Overview 2 Chart positions 2 1 Weekly charts 2 2 Year end charts 3 Other notable versions 4 ReferencesOverview editAccording to Buzz Cason who partnered Bobby Russell in the Nashville based Rising Sons music publishing firm Russell wrote both the songs Honey a 1 hit for Bobby Goldsboro in 1968 and Little Green Apples as an experiment in composing anticipating a potential market for true to life story songs with more meat in the lyrics than was standard for current hits 2 Russell wrote Little Green Apples for Roger Miller to record and Miller made the first recording of the song on January 24 1968 in a session produced by Jerry Kennedy at Columbia Recording Studio Nashville 3 Released as the lead single from the album A Tender Look at Love Little Green Apples afforded Miller his final Top Ten C amp W hit at 6 and also his final Top 40 crossover reaching 39 on the Hot 100 in Billboard In the UK Miller s Little Green Apples reached 19 in the spring of 1968 when it also reached 46 in Australia and in the spring of 1969 the track returned to the UK chart reaching 39 4 Patti Page recorded Little Green Apples for her C amp W oriented album Gentle on My Mind whose title cut shared the Easy Listening Top Ten with Roger Miller s Little Green Apples Page s version of the latter was released as a single in June 1968 reaching 12 Easy Listening and affording Page the final Hot 100 appearance of her career at 96 O C Smith had recorded Little Green Apples at Columbia Studios LA for Hickory Holler Revisited the parent album of his Top 40 hit Son of Hickory Holler s Tramp The track Main Street Mission was originally issued as the follow up single but as Buzz Cason recalls a disc jockey in Detroit played the album cut by O C Smith of Little Green Apples one morning That single spin triggered such a reaction and rash of phone requests as to prompt the deejay to call Steve Popovich head of promotion for Columbia in New York City 5 and Little Green Apples replaced Main Street Mission as Smith s then current single Smith s version was a 2 hit on the Hot 100 behind Hey Jude by the Beatles 6 and likewise peaked at 2 on the R amp B chart in Billboard and was certified Gold for domestic sales of one million units 7 The song won its composer Bobby Russell the 1969 Grammy Award for Song of the Year and the Grammy Award for Best Country Song 8 Chart positions editWeekly charts edit Roger Miller version Chart 1968 69 Peakposition Australia Kent Music Report 9 46 UK Singles OCC 10 19 US Billboard Hot 100 11 39 US Adult Contemporary Billboard 12 5 US Hot Country Songs Billboard 13 6 Patti Page version Chart 1968 Peakposition US Billboard Hot 100 14 96 US Adult Contemporary Billboard 15 12 O C Smith version Chart 1968 Peakposition Australia Kent Music Report 9 35 US Billboard Hot 100 16 2 US Adult Contemporary Billboard 17 4 US Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Billboard 18 2 Robbie Williams featuring Kelly Clarkson version Chart 2013 14 Peakposition Mexico Ingles Airplay Billboard 19 25 Year end charts edit O C Smith version Chart 1968 Rank US Billboard Hot 100 20 12Other notable versions editThe song has been covered by the following artists and groups Bobby Goldsboro on his 1968 album Honey Burl Ives on his 1968 album The Times They Are A Changin Johnny Mathis on his 1968 album Those Were the Days Ray Price on his 1968 album She Wears My Ring Frank Sinatra on his 1968 album Cycles Stanley Turrentine on his 1968 album Always Something There Dionne Warwick on her 1968 album Promises Promises Tony Joe White on his 1968 album Black and White Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry on their 1968 album Bobbie Gentry amp Glen Campbell Saxophonist Sonny Stitt on his 1969 album Little Green Apples The Temptations on their 1969 album Puzzle People Andy Williams on his 1969 album Happy Heart Bing Crosby on his 1969 album Hey Jude Hey Bing and also on his 1972 album Bing n Basie Dean Martin on his 1969 album I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am The Four Tops on their 1969 album Four Tops Now Tony Bennett on his 1970 album Tony Sings the Great Hits of Today Ben E King on his 1970 album Rough Edges Bloodstone on their 1972 self titled album Vicki Lawrence on her 1973 album The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia Monica Zetterlund in 1969 as Grona sma applen with Swedish lyrics written by ABBA s manager Stig Anderson Both the performance and the lyrics won Swedish Grammy awards Nancy Wilson on her 2004 album R S V P Rare Songs Very Personal Robbie Williams featuring Kelly Clarkson on his 2013 album Swings Both Ways 21 References edit Biography Jerry Fuller s official website Archived from the original on April 26 2010 Retrieved June 13 2009 Billboard vol 80 13 March 30 1968 p 51 Praguefrank s Country Music Discographies Roger Miller countrydiscography blogspot com Archived from the original on 31 October 2011 Retrieved 17 January 2022 Chart appearances for the song Little Green Apples the database of popular music Archived from the original on October 7 2011 Retrieved June 13 2009 Living the Rock N Roll Dream The Adventures of Buzz Cason Hal Leonard Corp Milwaukee WI 2004 ISBN 0 634 06672 2 p 192 The Hot 100 the week of October 26 1968 Billboard Retrieved December 15 2018 Murrells Joseph 1978 The Book of Golden Discs 2nd ed London Barrie and Jenkins Ltd p 248 ISBN 0 214 20512 6 O C Smith 65 Singer Minister Who Had a Grammy Award Hit The New York Times November 27 2001 Retrieved June 13 2009 a b Kent David 2005 Australian Chart Book 1940 1969 doc Australian Chart Book St Ives N S W ISBN 0 646 44439 5 Official Singles Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Roger Miller Chart History Hot 100 Billboard Roger Miller Chart History Adult Contemporary Billboard Roger Miller Chart History Hot Country Songs Billboard Patti Page Chart History Hot 100 Billboard Patti Page Chart History Adult Contemporary Billboard O C Smith Chart History Hot 100 Billboard O C Smith Chart History Adult Contemporary Billboard O C Smith Chart History Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Billboard Mexico Ingles Airplay Billboard Prometheus Global Media March 1 2015 Retrieved September 19 2013 subscription required Billboard Top 100 1968 Archived from the original on 2010 11 25 Retrieved 2011 01 05 Graff Gary September 12 2013 Lily Allen duets with Robbie Williams on his new album Swings Both Ways NME IPC Media Retrieved September 13 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Little Green Apples amp oldid 1220158443, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
