Such a Night
Encyclopedia
"Such a Night" is a popular
song
from 1953, written by Lincoln Chase
and first recorded by The Drifters
.
The Drifters' original version, featuring Clyde McPhatter
, was recorded in November 1953 and released in January 1954. Despite being banned by some radio stations as too "racy", it reached number 2 on the American
R&B
chart
in 1954.
The song also became a hit single
for Johnnie Ray
, whose cover version
reached #1 in the UK Singles Chart
in 1954. Ray's version was produced by Mitch Miller
, but was not a big U.S.
hit for Ray (it entered the US Cash Box chart on 27th March 1954, peaking at No.18 two weeks later on 10th April).
Elvis Presley
also recorded the song and released it on his 1960 album Elvis Is Back. Presley's version made number 13 in the UK and number 16 in the U.S. when released as a single in 1964. In the Presley version, the first three verses, when he says the words of the title song, he speaks. However, in the last two verses, Presley sings the title words. There is also a version by the Belgian
singer Ricky Gorden.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
song
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...
from 1953, written by Lincoln Chase
Lincoln Chase
Lincoln R. Chase was an African-American songwriter and occasional recording artist. As a writer, his most notable songs were "Such a Night", "Jim Dandy", and several of Shirley Ellis' hits in the early 1960s including "The Name Game" and "The Clapping Song".-Career:He studied at the American...
and first recorded by The Drifters
The Drifters
The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
.
The Drifters' original version, featuring Clyde McPhatter
Clyde McPhatter
Clyde McPhatter was an American R&B singer, perhaps the most widely imitated R&B singer of the 1950s and 1960s, making him a key figure in the shaping of doo-wop and R&B. He is best known for his solo hit "A Lover's Question"...
, was recorded in November 1953 and released in January 1954. Despite being banned by some radio stations as too "racy", it reached number 2 on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in 1954.
The song also became a hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
for Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor of what would become rock and roll, for his jazz and blues-influenced music and his animated stage personality.-Early life:John Alvin Ray was born in...
, whose cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
reached #1 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1954. Ray's version was produced by Mitch Miller
Mitch Miller
Mitchell William "Mitch" Miller was an American musician, singer, conductor, record producer, A&R man and record company executive...
, but was not a big U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hit for Ray (it entered the US Cash Box chart on 27th March 1954, peaking at No.18 two weeks later on 10th April).
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
also recorded the song and released it on his 1960 album Elvis Is Back. Presley's version made number 13 in the UK and number 16 in the U.S. when released as a single in 1964. In the Presley version, the first three verses, when he says the words of the title song, he speaks. However, in the last two verses, Presley sings the title words. There is also a version by the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
singer Ricky Gorden.