When You Walk in the Room

"When You Walk in the Room" is a song written and recorded by Jackie DeShannon. It was initially released as a single on November 23, 1963,^[1] as the B-side to "Till You Say You'll Be Mine". It was re-released as an A-side in September 1964, and later included on the album Breakin' It Up on the Beatles Tour. The single charted on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 99.^[2]

"When You Walk in the Room"
Single by Jackie DeShannon
from the album Breakin' It Up on The Beatles Tour!
A-side	"Till You Say You'll Be Mine"
Released	November 23, 1963 (1963-11-23)
Recorded	1963
Genre	Pop
Length	2:35
Label	Liberty 55645
Songwriter(s)	Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s)	Dick Glasser
Jackie DeShannon singles chronology
"Little Yellow Roses" (1963) "Till You Say You'll Be Mine" / "When You Walk in the Room" (1963) "Oh Boy" (1964)

The song has been covered by many other artists including The Searchers, whose version reached number 3 in the UK in 1964. Other versions, all of which made the British charts though less successfully, were recorded by Paul Carrack in 1987, Status Quo in 1996, and Agnetha Fältskog in 2004.

Content

The song's lyrics attempt to detail the singer's emotions when in the presence of the person he or she loves. There is also an expression of frustration by the singer that he or she cannot manage to tell that person of his or her love.

The song was produced using the "Wall of Sound" method of Phil Spector.^[3]

The Searchers version

"When You Walk in the Room"
Single by The Searchers
B-side	"I'll Be Missing You"
Released	September 1964 (1964-09) January 1988 (1988-01) (re-release)
Genre	Merseybeat, pop rock
Length	2:22
Label	Pye 7N.15694 (UK) Kapp K-618 (USA)
Songwriter(s)	Jackie DeShannon
The Searchers singles chronology
"Someday We're Gonna Love Again" (1964) "When You Walk in the Room" (1964) "What Have They Done to the Rain" (1964)
Official audio
"When You Walk in the Room" (remastered) on YouTube

The Searchers had a hit song in early 1964 with "Needles and Pins," previously recorded by Jackie DeShannon, and they then recorded this, another song previously recorded by DeShannon.^[4] Their version reached No. 35 in the US and No. 3 in the UK. The group also recorded a German version titled "Wenn ich dich seh".^[5]

Charts

Chart (1964)	Peak position
Australia[6]	1
Canada (CHUM Hit Parade)[7]	21
Ireland (IRMA)[8]	4
UK Singles (OCC)[9]	3
US Billboard Hot 100[10]	35

The Sports version

"When You Walk in the Room"
Single by The Sports
from the album Reckless
B-side	"True Stories"/"Taxi Rank"
Released	July 1978 (1978-07)
Recorded	1978
Studio	Armstrong Studios, Melbourne
Genre	Pop rock
Length	2:32
Label	Mushroom Records
Songwriter(s)	Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s)	Joe Camilleri
The Sports singles chronology
"Boys! (What Did the Detective Say?)" (1978) "When You Walk in the Room" (1978) "Who Listens to the Radio" (1978)

Australian rock band The Sports released a version of the song as the second single from their debut studio album, Reckless. It reached No. 42 on the Australian Kent Music Report chart.^[11]

Track listing

• Side A "When You Walk in the Room" - 2:32
• Side B1 "True Stories" - 2:34
• Side B2 "Taxi Rank" - 2:25

Charts

Chart (1978)	Position
Australian Kent Music Report	42

Stephanie Winslow version

"When You Walk in the Room"
Single by Stephanie Winslow
B-side	"Somebody to Love"
Released	October 1981 (1981-10)
Genre	Country
Length	2:27
Label	Warner Bros./Curb
Songwriter(s)	Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s)	Ray Ruff
Stephanie Winslow singles chronology
"I've Been a Fool" (1981) "When You Walk in the Room" (1981) "Slippin' and Slidin'" (1982)

The American country music artist Stephanie Winslow recorded a version of the song, reaching No. 29 on the US country singles chart.

Chart positions

Chart (1981)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot Country Songs	29

Paul Carrack version

"When You Walk in the Room"
Single by Paul Carrack
from the album One Good Reason
B-side	"Collrane"
Released	April 1987
Recorded	1986
Genre	Rock
Length	3:25
Label	Chrysalis CHS 3109
Songwriter(s)	Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s)	Christopher Neil
Paul Carrack singles chronology
"A Little Unkind" (1983) "When You Walk in the Room" (1987) "Don't Shed a Tear" (1987)

Paul Carrack's version, from his 1987 album One Good Reason, reached No. 90 in the US and No. 48 in the UK.

It was also a Top Ten hit in Australia, peaking at No. 7.^{[citation needed]}

Charts

Chart (1987–88)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	7
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12]	39
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[13]	19
UK Singles (OCC)[14]	48
US Billboard Hot 100[15]	90

Year-end charts

Chart (1987)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[16]	33

Pam Tillis version

"When You Walk in the Room"
Single by Pam Tillis
from the album Sweetheart's Dance
B-side	"'Til All the Lonely's Gone"
Released	August 6, 1994 (1994-08-06)
Genre	Country
Length	2:43
Label	Arista Nashville 07822-12726-7
Songwriter(s)	Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s)	Pam Tillis Steve Fishell
Pam Tillis singles chronology
"Spilled Perfume" (1994) "When You Walk in the Room" (1994) "Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life)" (1994)

In 1994, country music artist Pam Tillis recorded a version for her album Sweetheart's Dance. It was released as a single, peaking at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was accompanied by a music video (featuring Dick Clark), and depicting Tillis in a mid-1960s appearance on American Bandstand.

Charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[17]	13
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[18]	2

Year-end charts

Chart (1994)	Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[19]	51

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes.^[20]

• Mike Brignardello — bass guitar
• Mary Chapin Carpenter — background vocals
• Rob Hajacos — fiddle
• Bob DiPiero — 12-string guitar
• Paul Franklin — steel guitar
• George Marinelli — electric guitar
• Steve Nathan — piano
• Brent Mason — electric guitar
• Kim Richey — background vocals
• Pam Tillis — lead vocals
• Biff Watson — acoustic guitar
• Lonnie Wilson — drums

Agnetha Fältskog version

"When You Walk in the Room"
Single by Agnetha Fältskog
from the album My Colouring Book
Released	June 14, 2004 (2004-06-14)[21][22]
Length	3:36
Label	WEA
Songwriter(s)	Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s)	Agnetha Fältskog Anders Neglin Dan Strömkvist
Agnetha Fältskog singles chronology
"If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind" (2004) "When You Walk in the Room" (2004) "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" (2004)

Former ABBA singer Agnetha Fältskog released her version of "When You Walk in the Room" as the second single from her 2004 album, My Colouring Book. The track peaked at number 11 in Sweden and number 34 in the UK, where it remained in the chart for only two weeks. It was remixed by Almighty and SoundFactory.

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22]	11
UK Singles (OCC)[23]	34

Other recordings

• In 1966, Del Shannon included it on his This Is My Bag LP.^[24]

References

1. RCS Chronological Index For November 1963
2. "Jackie DeShannon: Charted Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
3. Leggett, Steve. "Jackie DeShannon Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
4. Kutner, Jon; Leigh, Spencer (2010). 1,000 UK Number One Hits. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857123602.
5. "The Searchers - Wenn ich dich seh - Deutsch - YouTube". YouTube.
6. "Hits of the World: Australia". Billboard. 14 November 1964. p. 34.
7. "CHUM Hit Parade, week of November 16, 1964".
8. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – When You Walk in the Room". Irish Singles Chart.
9. "The Searchers: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
10. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 21 November 1964. p. 22.
11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 288. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian singles and albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
12. "Paul Carrack – When You Walk in the Room" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
13. "Paul Carrack – When You Walk in the Room". Singles Top 100.
14. "Paul Carrack: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
15. Paul Carrack version USA chart history, Billboard. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
16. "Australian Music Report No 701 – 28 December 1987 > National Top 100 Singles for 1987". Australian Music Report. Retrieved 11 December 2019 – via Imgur.
17. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 2653." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. November 14, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
18. "Pam Tillis Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
19. "Best of 1994: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
20. Sweetheart's Dance (CD booklet). Pam Tillis. Arista Records. 1994. 18758.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
21. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 12, 2004. p. 27.
22. "Agnetha Fältskog – When You Walk in the Room". Singles Top 100. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
23. "Agnetha Fältskog: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
24. "www.discogs.com". discogs.com. Retrieved January 31, 2024.