Elvira (song)
Encyclopedia
"Elvira" is a song
written by Dallas Frazier
which became a famous country
and pop
hit by The Oak Ridge Boys
. A Number One hit on the Billboard country music charts, The Oak Ridge Boys' version is considered one of their signature song
s.
, recorded the song through the years, to varying degrees of success. Frazier's own version peaked at #72 on the Billboard Hot 100
in 1966.
In 1978, alternative country
recording artist Rodney Crowell
recorded his cover of "Elvira" (with "Ashes by Now
" on the b-side) which became a very minor hit that year. However, Crowell's version did have its fans — most notably, The Oak Ridge Boys. In 1980, when the band began planning for their upcoming album Fancy Free, they decided to cover the song as well.
Released in March 1981 with Joe Bonsall
on lead vocals, "Elvira" quickly climbed the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles
chart, and became their fourth No. 1 hit that Memorial Day weekend. Their rendition — which included bass singer Richard Sterban
's deep-voiced vocal solo on the chorus ("ba-oom papa oom papa oom papa mow mow") — would also become their biggest pop hit, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100
that August.
"Elvira" was certified platinum for sales of 2 million units by the Recording Industry Association of America
, a distinction that, for years, it shared only with "Islands in the Stream
" by Kenny Rogers
and Dolly Parton
.
, more than a minute earlier than the album version (which features two more key changes and "oom pa-pa mow mow" choruses).
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
written by Dallas Frazier
Dallas Frazier
Dallas Frazier is an American country musician and songwriter who had success in the 1950s and 60s.-Biography:Frazier was born in Spiro, Oklahoma but was raised in Bakersfield, California...
which became a famous country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
hit by The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
. A Number One hit on the Billboard country music charts, The Oak Ridge Boys' version is considered one of their signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
s.
Song history
Songwriter Dallas Frazier penned "Elvira" in 1966 and included it as the title track of an album he released that year. A number of recording artists, most notably Kenny Rogers and the First EditionThe First Edition
The First Edition was a country music/rock band. Its stalwart members being Kenny Rogers , Mickey Jones and Terry Williams...
, recorded the song through the years, to varying degrees of success. Frazier's own version peaked at #72 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in 1966.
In 1978, alternative country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
recording artist Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music....
recorded his cover of "Elvira" (with "Ashes by Now
Ashes by Now
"Ashes by Now" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country artist Rodney Crowell, whose version reached #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981. Before its release as a single, it served as the b-side to his 1978 single "Elvira."...
" on the b-side) which became a very minor hit that year. However, Crowell's version did have its fans — most notably, The Oak Ridge Boys. In 1980, when the band began planning for their upcoming album Fancy Free, they decided to cover the song as well.
Released in March 1981 with Joe Bonsall
Joe Bonsall
Joseph Sloan Bonsall, Jr. known professionally as Joe Bonsall is a member of the Oak Ridge Boys, since 1973 and an author...
on lead vocals, "Elvira" quickly climbed the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart, and became their fourth No. 1 hit that Memorial Day weekend. Their rendition — which included bass singer Richard Sterban
Richard Sterban
Richard Anthony Sterban is an American bass singer born in Camden, New Jersey, who joined the country and gospel quartet The Oak Ridge Boys in 1972. Prior to joining The Oak Ridge Boys, Sterban toured with J. D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, who were singing backup for Elvis Presley at that time...
's deep-voiced vocal solo on the chorus ("ba-oom papa oom papa oom papa mow mow") — would also become their biggest pop hit, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
that August.
"Elvira" was certified platinum for sales of 2 million units by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
, a distinction that, for years, it shared only with "Islands in the Stream
Islands in the Stream
"Islands in the Stream" is the title of a song written by the Bee Gees and sung by American country music artists Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It was released in August 1983 as the first single from Rogers' album Eyes That See in the Dark and the second pop number-one for both Rogers and Parton...
" by Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
and Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
.
Single and album edits
The single version fades out after the first key changeModulation (music)
In music, modulation is most commonly the act or process of changing from one key to another. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature. Modulations articulate or create the structure or form of many pieces, as well as add interest...
, more than a minute earlier than the album version (which features two more key changes and "oom pa-pa mow mow" choruses).
Dallas Frazier
| Chart (1966) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 72 |
Rodney Crowell
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 95 |
The Oak Ridge Boys
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 8 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 26 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 13 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 13 |
See also
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944-2005," 2006.
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Pop Singles: 1955-2006," 2007.