Queen of Hearts (song)
Encyclopedia
"Queen of Hearts" is the title of a country
-pop
song written by Hank DeVito, who was the pedal steel guitarist in Emmylou Harris
' backing group The Hot Band
in the early '80s.
The song first appeared on Dave Edmunds
's 1979 album Repeat When Necessary
, and it was released as a single that reached #11 in the UK that year. Following an appearance of the 1980 Rodney Crowell
album But What Will the Neighbors Think - on which the song's composer Hank DeVito played guitar - "Queen of Hearts" had its highest profile incarnation via inclusion on the 1981 album Juice by Juice Newton
; the last-named album's second single release, "Queen of Hearts" would afford Newton her career record.
In September 1981, Newton's "Queen of Hearts" reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
(the top spot being held by the Diana Ross
and Lionel Richie
juggernaut "Endless Love
"). Newton's version sold more than a million copies in the United States and achieved Top Ten hit status in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Switzerland with more moderate success in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. For her recording of the song, Juice Newton earned a 1982 Grammy nomination for Best Female Vocalist in the C&W
category, "Queen of Hearts" having been a #14 C&W hit.
"Queen of Hearts" is featured prominently in Oliver Stone
's 1986 film Salvador
, as well as in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
in which it plays on the fictional radio station K-Rose. The song is also featured in the film Boogie Nights
(1997).
Chart performance/ Juice Newton version
released her version of "Queen of Hearts" in 2006.
In 1982, Alvin and the Chipmunks
covered the Juice Newton version for their album Chipmunk Rock
.
In 1981, French singer Sylvie Vartan
released a French-language version of "Queen of Hearts," entitled "Quand tu veux" ("When You Want It").
In 1983 The Shadows
released an instrumental version on their album XXV.
Also in 1983 czech singer Hana Zagorová
covered "Queen Of Hearts on her single for Supraphon
recording company. This Czech-language version was entitled "Spěchám" ("I Rush") and the lyrics were written by Pavel Žák. Zagorová was joined by Petr Kotvald
and Stanislav Hložek in the song, as well as its semi-live renditions.
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...
-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...
song written by Hank DeVito, who was the pedal steel guitarist in Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
' backing group The Hot Band
The Hot Band
The Hot Band may refer to:* The backing band formed by American soul musician Sylvester James in 1973.* The backing band for Emmylou Harris from 1974 to 1991....
in the early '80s.
The song first appeared on Dave Edmunds
Dave Edmunds
David 'Dave' Edmunds is a Welsh singer, guitarist and record producer. Although he is primarily associated with Pub rock and New Wave, and had numerous hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has always been towards 1950s style rock and roll.-Early bands:As a teenager Edmunds first...
's 1979 album Repeat When Necessary
Repeat When Necessary
Repeat When Necessary is an album by Welsh rock musician Dave Edmunds. Produced by Edmunds, it was released in 1979 by Swan Song Records...
, and it was released as a single that reached #11 in the UK that year. Following an appearance of the 1980 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....
album But What Will the Neighbors Think - on which the song's composer Hank DeVito played guitar - "Queen of Hearts" had its highest profile incarnation via inclusion on the 1981 album Juice by Juice Newton
Juice Newton
Judith Kay "Juice" Newton is an American Pop music and Country singer, songwriter and guitarist...
; the last-named album's second single release, "Queen of Hearts" would afford Newton her career record.
In September 1981, Newton's "Queen of Hearts" reached #2 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...
(the top spot being held by the Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
and Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
juggernaut "Endless Love
Endless Love (song)
"Endless Love" is a song written by Lionel Richie and originally recorded as a duet between Richie and fellow soul singer Diana Ross. In this ballad, the singers declare their "endless love" for one another. It was covered by soul singer Luther Vandross with R&B singer Mariah Carey and also by...
"). Newton's version sold more than a million copies in the United States and achieved Top Ten hit status in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Switzerland with more moderate success in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. For her recording of the song, Juice Newton earned a 1982 Grammy nomination for Best Female Vocalist in the C&W
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...
category, "Queen of Hearts" having been a #14 C&W hit.
"Queen of Hearts" is featured prominently in Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
's 1986 film Salvador
Salvador (film)
Salvador is a 1986 war drama film which tells the story of an American journalist in El Salvador covering the Salvadoran civil war. While trying to get footage, he becomes entangled with both leftist guerrillas and the right wing military...
, as well as in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
in which it plays on the fictional radio station K-Rose. The song is also featured in the film Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights is a 1997 drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, the script focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic films, and chronicles his rise and fall from the Golden Age of Porn of the 1970s...
(1997).
Chart performance/ Juice Newton version
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs | 14 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 2 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 6 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 8 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 3 |
Covers
Citing Juice Newton as one her idols (on her official website), country singer Melanie LaineMelanie Laine
Melanie Laine is a country music singer from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, best known for her cover of Juice Newton's "Queen Of Hearts." Her first album, Time Flies, was released in 2005.-Albums:-Singles:-External links:**...
released her version of "Queen of Hearts" in 2006.
In 1982, Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
covered the Juice Newton version for their album Chipmunk Rock
Chipmunk Rock
Chipmunk Rock is a children's album by Alvin and the Chipmunks featuring covers of various rock hits, mostly from the late 70s and early 80s, plus one original tune...
.
In 1981, French singer Sylvie Vartan
Sylvie Vartan
Sylvie Vartan is a French singer. She was one of the first rock girls in France. Vartan was the most productive and active of the yé-yé style artists, considered as the toughest-sounding of those. Her performance often featured elaborate show-dance choreography. She made many appearances on French...
released a French-language version of "Queen of Hearts," entitled "Quand tu veux" ("When You Want It").
In 1983 The Shadows
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
released an instrumental version on their album XXV.
Also in 1983 czech singer Hana Zagorová
Hana Zagorová
Hana Zagorová is a Czech female singer who has been recording since 1964. She has written the lyrics to around fifty of her recorded songs. Nine times she was listed number one in the national Zlaty Slavík popularity chart.Since 1992 she has been married to opera singer Štefan...
covered "Queen Of Hearts on her single for Supraphon
Supraphon
Supraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
recording company. This Czech-language version was entitled "Spěchám" ("I Rush") and the lyrics were written by Pavel Žák. Zagorová was joined by Petr Kotvald
Petr Kotvald
Petr Kotvald is a Czech singer.In 1986 he started his solo career and has since toured with his own band Trik.The group saw the light of day in mid-June 1986, the band had as his guest for three years Hana Křížková...
and Stanislav Hložek in the song, as well as its semi-live renditions.