Tears on My Pillow
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"Tears on My Pillow" | ||||
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File:Little Anthony And The Imperials - Tears on My Pillow.jpg One of A-side labels for the U.S. vinyl single | ||||
Single by Little Anthony and the Imperials | ||||
from the album We Are the Imperials Featuring Little Anthony | ||||
Released | 1958 | |||
Genre | Doo-wop | |||
Length | 2:20 | |||
Label | End 1027 | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Little Anthony and the Imperials singles chronology | ||||
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"Tears on My Pillow" is a doo-wop song written by Sylvester Bradford and Al Lewis in 1958. The composition was first recorded by Little Anthony and the Imperials on End Records and was that group's debut recording under that name. Their original recording of the song became a Billboard Top 10 Pop smash, peaking at #4, and was The Imperials' first million-seller. It was also a two-sided hit, with its flip side, "Two People in the World," also becoming a major hit. Although it remains one of the Imperials' signature songs, "Tears on My Pillow" has been extensively covered, including a No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart version by Kylie Minogue in January 1990.[1]
The Imperials' Original version
Early copies of the single were credited simply to "The Imperials," a group which had previously been known as "The Duponts" and "The Chesters." Brooklyn, New York deejay Alan Freed gave the group's lead singer, Anthony Gourdine, top billing while introducing the single over the air and the moniker of "Little Anthony and the Imperials" stuck.
"Tears on My Pillow" was a #4 hit single in the United States. Selling over a million copies, "Tears on My Pillow" was the most successful single of the Imperials' doo wop period. Its success would be matched only by the Imperials' 1964 single "Goin' Out of My Head." The Imperials ("Little Anthony" Gourdine, Clarence Collins, Ernest Wright,Tracy Lord, and Nate Rogers - the last two of whom were later replaced by Sammy Strain) performed the song on numerous TV programs, including The Dick Clark Show [2] and on the PBS Oldies special, Rock, Rhythm, and Doo-Wop in 1958 and 2002 respectively. They also performed the tune on the American Bandstand 40th Anniversary Special (also in 2002).[3][4]
Covers
- One of the earliest covers was by The McGuire Sisters in 1961, reaching #12 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
- A cover of "Tears on My Pillow" by Sha Na Na was featured on the soundtrack to Grease. They played it also on their 1973 concert "Musikladen", in 1972 and in 1973 concerts in San Francisco and in their TV show.
- In 1986, New Edition released a Motown-covers album Under the Blue Moon that included a cover of "Tears on My Pillow." In the New Edition version, Little Anthony Gourdine himself appeared as a guest vocalist.
- S Club 8 did a cover version as a B-Track on their second album, Sundown.
- Clem Snide recorded a cover for the Stubbs the Zombie soundtrack.
"Tears on My Pillow" has also been covered by Timi Yuro, Chuck Jackson, Bobby Vee, Lou Christie, Martha and the Vandellas, Bobby Vinton, Johnny Tillotson, Neil Sedaka, Reba McEntire, Jodeci, Lorrie Morgan, Derrick Morgan with Lyn Tait & The Jets, Neils Children, and The Fleetwoods.
The song was also used in the season one seventh episode of Sliders entitled "The Weaker Sex," which originally aired as episode six. The character Rembrandt Brown (played by Cleavant Derricks) sings the song repeatedly on the street in an effort to raise money for a motel room.
Kylie Minogue version
"Tears on My Pillow" | ||||
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Single by Kylie Minogue | ||||
from the album Enjoy Yourself | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 8 January 1990 | |||
Recorded | February 1989,London, England | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 2:30 | |||
Label | PWL | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Stock Aitken Waterman | |||
Kylie Minogue singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Tears on My Pillow" on YouTube |
Released by Australian singer Kylie Minogue as the final single from her second studio album, Enjoy Yourself. It was released in February 1990 in Australia and on January 8, 1990 in Europe. Minogue's cover was also included on the soundtrack of the film The Delinquents, which she also starred in. The song was the #1 single on the UK Singles Chart for one week in January 1990,[1] and reached #35 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary Chart.
Music video
The music video shows Kylie in a black dress with a Brigitte Bardot hairstyle singing the song. The video is inter-cut with clips from the 1989 film The Delinquents.
Live performances
Minogue performed the song on the following concert tours:
- Disco in Dream/The Hitman Roadshow
- Enjoy Yourself Tour (performed as an a cappella)
- Rhythm of Love Tour
- Let's Get to It Tour
- Anti Tour
- Kylie Summer 2015 Tour (performed as an a cappella)
The song was also performed on:
- The Kylie Show 2007 TV special
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Tears on My Pillow".
CD single
- "Tears on My Pillow" - 2:33
- "We Know the Meaning of Love" (Extended) - 5:50
- "Tears on My Pillow" (More Tears Mix) - 4:14
7" vinyl single
- "Tears on My Pillow" - 2:28
- "We Know the Meaning of Love" - 3:25
12" vinyl single
- "Tears on My Pillow" (More Tears Mix) - 4:14
- "We Know the Meaning of Love" (Extended) - 5:50
US & Canadian cassette
- "Tears on My Pillow" - 2:33
- "Nothing to Lose" - 3:20
Release history
Country | Date |
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Australia | November 12, 1989 |
Europe | January 8, 1990 |
Charts and certification
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Certifications
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See also
References
- ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 510. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Little Anthony "Tears on My Pillow". 30 November 2012 – via YouTube.
- ^ Little Anthony & The Imperials Medley. 16 November 2011 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Little Anthony and the Imperials".
- ^ "Kylie Minogue – Tears on My Pillow". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ "Kylie Minogue – Tears on My Pillow" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1240." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 5. February 3, 1990. pp. IV–V. OCLC 29800226.
- ^ "Kylie Minogue: Tears on My Pillow" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Tears on My Pillow". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 11, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ "Kylie Minogue – Tears on My Pillow" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ "Kylie Minogue – Tears on My Pillow". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ^ "Kylie Minogue – Tears on My Pillow". Singles Top 100. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ "1990 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 2 March 1991. p. 41.
- ^ Myers, Justin (March 15, 2014). "Kylie Minogue's Official Number 1 Singles' Sales Revealed!". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "British single certifications – Kylie Minogue – Tears on My Pillow". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 10, 2015. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Tears on My Pillow in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- Single chart usages for Germany2
- 1958 singles
- 1989 singles
- 1990 singles
- Songs written by Al Lewis (lyricist)
- Little Anthony and the Imperials songs
- The McGuire Sisters songs
- Kylie Minogue songs
- New Edition songs
- Bobby Vee songs
- S Club 8 songs
- Martha and the Vandellas songs
- Bobby Vinton songs
- Chuck Jackson songs
- Neil Sedaka songs
- Reba McEntire songs
- Jodeci songs
- Lorrie Morgan songs
- The Fleetwoods songs
- UK Singles Chart number-one singles
- Song recordings produced by Stock Aitken Waterman
- Doo-wop songs
- 1958 songs
- Debut singles
- Pete Waterman Entertainment singles
- Songs about heartache