"
Crying in the Chapel" is a song written by
Artie Glenn for his son
Darrell to sing. Darrell recorded it while still in high school in 1953, along with Artie's band the Rhythm Riders. It became a local hit and publishers got a hold of it and it went nationwide. He released the original version as a single as Valley 105 in 1953. His original recording reached number one on the
Cash Box charts where all the different versions were amalgamated and number six on
Billboard.
June Valli had the biggest pop hit version on the
Billboard charts, reaching number four after charting for 17 weeks beginning August 1, 1953.
That same year, the black R&B; group, The Orioles, recorded a cover version of the song, and it became a major success. The Orioles' cover version went to number one on the R&B; chart and number eleven on the pop chart.
Darrell Glenn's original version also hit number six on the Billboard pop singles chart and number four on the Billboard country and western chart, Rex Allen's number eight, Ella Fitzgerald number 15, and Art Lund reached number 23.
A recording by June Valli with orchestra directed by Joe Reisman was made in New York City on June 11, 1953. It was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog umber 20-5368 (in USA) and by EMI on the His Master's Voice label as catalog numbers HR 10007, N 14105 and CS 14.
Elvis Presley version
On October 30, 1960,
Elvis Presley recorded a version of the song during the sessions for his
RCA Records gospel album,
His Hand in Mine. It was not included on that album, but rather was held back by RCA and finally released as an "
Easter Special" single (447-0643) in April 1965, hitting number three on the
Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and topping the Easy Listening chart for seven weeks , the greatest chart success for Presley over a six-year span. The single reached number one on the British charts in 1965 where it stayed for two weeks. It was later included as a bonus track on Presley's 1967 gospel album,
How Great Thou Art. The single was eventually certified "Platinum" by the
RIAA for sales in excess of one million units in the US.
The song was redone in the 1980s by Allies, a Christian band, on their 1989 album "Long Way From Paradise".
Arne Alm has written the Swedish lyrics. The Swedish title is "Klockorna i dalen". Raya Avellan and Yngve Stoor Yngve Stoors Hawaiiorkester recorded it in Stockholm on October 10, 1953. The song was released on the 78 rpm record Cupol 4780.
In popular culture
The 1960 recording by
Elvis Presley is on the
ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits album (2002).
The 1953 recording by
Sonny Till & the Orioles is featured in the film
American Graffiti (1973).
References
Roy Carr & Mick Farren: Elvis: The Illustrated Record (Harmony Books, 1982), pp. 97, 106.
Category:1953 singles
Category:1965 singles
Category:Elvis Presley songs
Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in Norway
Category:Billboard Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs number-one singles
Category:Billboard Adult Contemporary number-one singles
