| "Hey Joe" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single byCarl Smith | ||||
| B-side | "Darlin' Am I The One" | |||
| Published | July 17, 1953 | |||
| Released | May 19, 1953 (1953-05-19) | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:28 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Boudleaux Bryant | |||
| Carl Smith singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Hey Joe!" is a 1953popularsongwritten byBoudleaux Bryant. It wasrecorded byCarl Smith forColumbia Records on 19 May 1953 and spent eight weeks atNo. 1 on theUScountry music chart,[1] marking Bryant's first no. 1 record. He later wrote songs with his wifeFelice forThe Everly Brothers.[2] The song was first published inNew York on July 17, 1953, as "Hey, Joe".[3]
A contemporarycover version byFrankie Laine was a hit on theBillboard chart, and also reached No. 1 in theUK Singles Chart.[2][4] Later that year,Kitty Wells recorded ananswer record, also titled "Hey Joe", which hit No. 8 on the Jukebox Country & Western chart.[5]
| "Hey Joe!" | |
|---|---|
| Single byFrankie Laine withPaul Weston and his Orchestra andThe Norman Luboff Choir Carl Fischer-Piano | |
| B-side | "Sittin' In The Sun (Countin' My Money)" |
| Published | July 17, 1953 |
| Released | July 6, 1953 (1953-07-06) |
| Recorded | June 22, 1953 |
| Studio | Radio Recorders (Hollywood, California) |
| Genre | Country,traditional pop |
| Length | 2:18 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Songwriter(s) | Boudleaux Bryant |
| Producer(s) | Mitch Miller |
A pop cover of "Hey Joe!" was made byFrankie Laine on June 22, 1953, atRadio Recorders inHollywood, withPaul Weston and his Orchestra and theNorman Luboff Choir, also featuringCarl Fischer on piano.[6][7][8] Produced byMitch Miller, the single was released byColumbia (the same label who issued theCarl Smith version) on July 6. It was featured inBillboard's New Records To Watch, with the magazine commenting, "It's a good tune for Laine, and he handles it in his customary exciting style."[9] Laine's "Hey Joe!" enteredBillboard's Best Selling Singles chart on August 22, where it peaked at No. 6.[4][10]
In the UK, Laine's recording was an even bigger success. Released byPhilips in August 1953, it entered theNew Musical Express singles chart on October 16, 1953.[11][12] "Hey Joe!" reached No. 1 on theUK Singles Chart the following week, October 23.[2] It was Laine's second UK chart topper, but unlike his record-breaking hit "I Believe", "Hey Joe!" only stayed on thechart for eight weeks, including two at No. 1. On October 23, Laine had threesingles in the chart, which at that time consisted of only twelve positions. The following week, Laine's third No. 1 hit in the UK, "Answer Me", entered the chart, giving him a third of all therecords on the listing.[2]
The version by Carl Smith charted at No. 1 on the US country chart, but did not appear on the overall Best Selling Singles listing.[13] Similarly, another country recording, byKitty Wells, only made the country chart, peaking at No. 8.[14]
In the UK's sheet music sales chart, "Hey Joe" first made the top 20 on October 3, 1953, and peaked at No. 14 in a nine-week run. Aside from the popular version by Frankie Laine, just two other contemporary cover recordings were available in the UK, by British singers Ronnie Meede (released onDecca in September) andFrankie Vaughan (issued byHis Master's Voice in October).[15]
