I Will Follow Him

"I Will Follow Him"

German edition picture sleeve
Single by Little Peggy March
from the album I Will Follow Him
B-side "Wind Up Doll"
Released March 1963
Format Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Recorded 1962
Genre Pop
Length 2:25
Label RCA Victor
Songwriter(s) Music: Franck Pourcel, Paul Mauriat, arr. Arthur Altman
Lyrics: Norman Gimbel
Producer(s) Hugo & Luigi, Arranged by Sammy Lowe
Little Peggy March singles chronology
"Little Me"
(1962)		 "I Will Follow Him"
(1963)		 "I Wish I Were a Princess"
(1963)

"Little Me"
(1962)		 "I Will Follow Him"
(1963)		 "I Wish I Were a Princess"
(1963)

"I Will Follow Him" is a popular song that was first recorded in 1961 by Franck Pourcel, as an instrumental titled "Chariot". The song achieved its widest success when it was covered by Little Peggy March in 1963. The music was written by Franck Pourcel (using the pseudonym J.W. Stole) and Paul Mauriat (using the pseudonym Del Roma).[1] It was adapted by Arthur Altman. The English lyrics were written by Norman Gimbel.[2]

Song history

The song was recorded in 1961 by Franck Pourcel and began as an instrumental piece appearing on the 1961 European LP release Amour, Danse, Et Violons. No.17. At the same time, it appeared on the EP release La Voix de son Maître. Pourcel co-wrote the song with his friend and fellow French bandleader Paul Mauriat. The other French bandleader Raymond Lefèvre has been credited for arrangements. Franck Pourcel's original recording was popular on MOR, or "easy listening," stations. Mauriat later recorded an instrumental version in 1976 with a disco beat, using a Moog synthesizer.

In 1963, Percy Faith released an instrumental version, re-titled "I Will Follow You", as the lead song on side 1 of his album titled Themes for Young Lovers.[3][4] Many other hits at the time were also on the album, including "Up on the Roof", "On Broadway", and "Rhythm of the Rain".[3]

Petula Clark versions

In 1962, Petula Clark released a French language version of the song, titled "Chariot" (lyrics by Jacques Plante),[1] which reached No. 1 in Wallonia,[5] No. 2 in France,[6] and No. 8 in Flanders,[7][8] and earned Clark a gold record. Her English version reached No. 4 in Denmark, where it was released by Vogue,[9] but failed to chart in the UK and the USA, where it was released by Pye and Laurie respectively. Clark also recorded Italian and German versions of the song, with her Italian version, "Sul mio carro", reaching No. 4 in Italy,[10] and her German version, "Cheerio", reaching No. 6 in Germany.[11]

Little Peggy March version

In 1963, Little Peggy March's version of "I Will Follow Him", backed with "Wind Up Doll", was released by RCA Victor.[12] March's version reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 27, 1963,[13] making 15-year-old March the youngest female artist to have a U.S. chart-topping single.[14] Her version also reached No. 1 in Australia,[15] Hong Kong,[16] Israel,[17] South Africa,[9] Uruguay,[18] Canada's CHUM Hit Parade,[19] New Zealand's "Lever Hit Parade",[20] and Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart.[21][22]

The song was ranked No. 6 on Cash Box's "Top 100 Chart Hits of 1963".[23]

Chart performance

Chart (1963) Peak
position
Australia (Music Maker)[15] 1
Canada (CHUM Hit Parade)[19] 1
Chile[16] 5
Finland (Ilta-Sanomat)[24] ≥2
Germany[25] 6
Hong Kong[16] 1
Israel (Kol Yisrael)[17] 1
Japan (Utamatic)[26] ≥8
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[20] 1
Peru (La Prensa)[18] 2
Philippines[27] 5
South Africa[9] 1
Sweden (Tio i Topp)[28] 2
Uruguay (Discometro Mundial)[18] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[13] 1
US Billboard Hot R&B Singles[21] 1

Other versions

In Italy three versions of the song were in the charts in 1963 (translated/adapted by Vito Pallavicini and Bruno Pallesi): One recorded by Betty Curtis (highest position: #3), another version by Petula Clark ("Sul mio carro"; #4) and the Franck Pourcel version (#5).[10] Curtis's version was also a top 10 hit in Uruguay.[29]

In 1963, Italian singer Ennio Sangiusto released a version of the song titled "Chariot (La Tierra)", which reached No. 1 in Spain.[17] Also in 1963, Italian singer Joe Sentieri released a version of the song titled "La Tierra", which reached No. 3 in Argentina.[30]

In 1963, Argentine singer Alberto Cortez released a version of the song titled "La Tierra (Chariot)", which reached No. 2 in Spain.[31] Also in 1963, Argentine singer Violeta Rivas released a version titled "La Tierra", which reached No. 1 in Uruguay.[32]

Dee Dee Sharp released a version of the song in 1963, which reached No. 1 in Hong Kong.[27]

In 1982, Dutch singer José Hoebee (former member of the girl band Luv') released a hit cover of the song, which reached No. 1 in Flanders,[33] No. 1 on the Dutch Top 40,[34] and No. 2 on the Dutch Nationale Hitparade.[35]

In 1994, Spanish singer Raphael released a Spanish version of the song titled "La Tierra" (English: "The Earth"), which appeared on his album Fantasía.[36] Raphael performed the song in his tours with remarkable success until 1999.

The Norwegian comedian Lars Mjøen wrote comedic Norwegian lyrics, «Torsken kommer!» (translates to «The cod is coming»). The song was published by the comedy troupe KLM as Brødrene Dal as the B-side of "Gaus, Roms Og Brumund" (PolyGram 2052 206)[37] and on the LP record Spektralplate (Polydor 2382 135) in 1982. A music video remake was released by Norges Bank in 2017 to mark the introduction of the new 200 krone banknote that features a cod on the obverse side.[38]

References

  1. 1 2 Music Registrations, Catalog of Copyright Entries : Third Series, Volume 19, Part 5, Number 2. U.S. Government Printing Office, July-December 1965. p. 1509. Archive.org. Accessed February 29, 2016
  2. ↑ "I Will Follow Him by Little Peggy March Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
  3. 1 2 "Winner of the Billboard DJ Poll Instrumental Album Award for 1963", Billboard, July 18, 1964. p. 5. Accessed February 19, 2016.
  4. ↑ Popoff, Martin; "Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records 1948-1991", Krause Publications (2010) p. 414
  5. ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, December 8, 1962. p. 37. Accessed February 27, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, December 1, 1962. p. 34. Accessed February 27, 2016.
  7. ↑ Petula Clark - Chariot, Ultratop. Accessed February 25, 2016
  8. ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, October 27, 1962. p. 26. Accessed February 27, 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 "Hits of the World", Billboard, July 13, 1963. p. 30. Accessed February 23, 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Hit Parade Italia - Top Annuali Single: 1963". Hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
  11. ↑ Petula Clark - Cheerio, norwegiancharts.com. Accessed February 26, 2016
  12. ↑ "Singles Reviews", Billboard, February 2, 1963. p. 30. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  13. 1 2 Little Peggy March - Chart History - The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed February 19, 2016
  14. 1 2 "Peggy March's 'Follow' Still The Leader", Billboard.com. November 9, 2010. Accessed February 19, 2016
  15. 1 2 "Hits of the World", Billboard, May 18, 1963. p. 32. Accessed February 23, 2016.
  16. 1 2 3 "Hits of the World", Billboard, July 20, 1963. p. 27. Accessed February 23, 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 "Hits of the World", Billboard, June 29, 1963. p. 46. Accessed February 26, 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 "Hits of the World", Billboard, October 5, 1963. p. 22. Accessed February 27, 2016.
  19. 1 2 "CHUM Hit Parade – Week of April 15, 1963". Archived from the original on November 7, 2006. Retrieved 2016-02-19. Chart No. 318. CHUM.
  20. 1 2 "Lever Hit Parade" 09-May-1963, Flavour of New Zealand. Accessed February 19, 2016.
  21. 1 2 "Hot R&B Singles", Billboard, May 25, 1963. p. 22. Accessed February 19, 2016.
  22. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 803.
  23. ↑ "Top 100 Chart Hits of 1963", Cash Box, December 28, 1963. p. 18. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, October 12, 1963. p. 40. Accessed February 26, 2016.
  25. ↑ Little Peggy March - I Will Follow Him, norwegiancharts.com. Accessed February 19, 2016
  26. ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, October 19, 1963. p. 34. Accessed February 26, 2016.
  27. 1 2 "Hits of the World", Billboard, July 27, 1963. p. 42. Accessed February 26, 2016.
  28. ↑ Fernbom, Hugo. Sommartoppen 1963, Datorföreningen vid LU & LTH, Lund University. July 16, 2008. Accessed June 25, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, August 17, 1963. p. 35. Accessed February 28, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, August 24, 1963. p. 42. Accessed June 17, 2016.
  31. ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, June 15, 1963. p. 36. Accessed June 26, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, October 26, 1963. p. 47. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  33. ↑ José - I Will Follow Him, Ultratop. Accessed February 28, 2016
  34. ↑ Top 40-artiest: José, Media Markt Top 40. Accessed February 28, 2016.
  35. ↑ José - I Will Follow Him, Dutch Charts. Accessed February 28, 2016
  36. ↑ Letra La Tierra de Raphael, CMTV. Accessed June 26, 2016.
  37. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-10-15. Retrieved 2016-05-14.
  38. ↑ Williams-Grut, Oscar (24 May 2017). "Norway's central bank has made a bizarre music video to celebrate its new 'cod' banknotes". Business Insider Nordic. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  39. ↑ I Will Follow You Digi Advertisement, 27 March 2008, retrieved 25 May 2017
Preceded by
"He's So Fine" by The Chiffons		 Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
(Little Peggy March version)
April 27, 1963 - May 11, 1963 (three weeks) 		Succeeded by
"If You Wanna Be Happy" by Jimmy Soul
Preceded by
"Baby Workout" by Jackie Wilson		 Billboard Hot R&B Singles number-one single
(Little Peggy March version)
May 25, 1963 (one week) 		Succeeded by
"If You Wanna Be Happy" by Jimmy Soul
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