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Pop song composed by Buck Ram From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Only You (And You Alone)" (often shortened to "Only You") is a pop song composed by Buck Ram.[1] It was originally recorded by The Platters with lead vocals by Tony Williams in 1955.[2]
"Only You (And You Alone)" | ||||
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![]() 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 | ||||
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"Only You" | ||||
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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 | ||||
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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.[3] 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."[4] 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.[2]
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.[5] 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.[6]
Chart (1955–1957) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] | 4 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[8] | 5 |
US Best Sellers in Stores (Billboard)[9] | 5 |
US Rhythm & Blues Best Sellers in Stores (Billboard)[10] | 1 |
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.[11]
An instrumental version by Franck Pourcel was a hit single in 1959, and sold more than 5 million copies.[12] Pourcel's version spent 16 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 9,[13] while reaching number 3 on Canada's CHUM Hit Parade,[14] and number 18 on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides.[15][16]
"Only You" | ||||
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![]() Standard picture sleeve | ||||
Single by Ringo Starr | ||||
from the album Goodnight Vienna | ||||
B-side | "Call Me" | |||
Released |
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Length | 3:16 | |||
Label | Apple | |||
Songwriter(s) | Buck Ram | |||
Producer(s) | Richard Perry | |||
Ringo Starr singles chronology | ||||
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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,[nb 1][17] 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.[18] It was released in the UK on 15 November.[nb 2][19] 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.
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