Broken Hearted Melody

"Broken Hearted Melody" is a popular song written by Hal David and Sherman Edwards.[1] It was recorded by Sarah Vaughan and it became a hit for Vaughan, reaching No. 7 on Billboard Hot 100 in 1958.

"Broken Hearted Melody"
Single by Sarah Vaughan
B-side"Misty"
Written1957
ReleasedJuly 1959
GenreJazz
Length2:23
LabelMercury Records
Composer(s)Sherman Edwards
Lyricist(s)Hal David

Background

Hal David wrote the lyrics for "Broken Hearted Melody", with Sherman Edwards writing the music instead of his better-known collaborator Burt Bacharach. Sarah Vaughan recorded the song in early 1958, left it for over a year before releasing it around the first of July 1959.[2] It was initially released as the B-side to "Misty", but flipped when "Broken Hearted Melody" proved more popular with the public.[3] "Broken Hearted Melody" became one of Sarah Vaughan's biggest hits, yielding Vaughan her first million seller.[4][5] It was also Vaughan's first song to receive a Grammy nomination at the 2nd Annual Grammy Awards for Best Performance By A "Top 40" Artist.[6] It became part of her concert repertoire for many years afterwards.

Chart performance

The song became a major hit for Vaughan, peaking at No. 7 in the Billboard Charts in September 1959,[7] and No. 5 on the R&B charts in October 1959.[8][9] This version was released by Mercury Records under catalog number 957085. The song was also released in the UK, where it first entered the charts on September 11, 1959, and spent 11 weeks there, also peaking at No. 7.[10]

Charts
Chart (1959–1960) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11] 8
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[12] 19
Canada (CHUM Hit Parade)[13] 3
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] 19
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 7
US (Billboard Hot 100)[8] 7
US (Billboard Hot R&B Sides)[9] 5

References
  1. Pollock, Bruce (2014). Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era. Taylor & Francis. p. 43. ISBN 9781135462963.
  2. "Pubber Hussle on Misty Licensing". Billboard. September 14, 1959. p. 4.
  3. Dominic, Serene (2003). Burt Bacharach: Song By Song. Music Sales. ISBN 9780857122599.
  4. Whorf, Michael (2014). American Popular Song Lyricists: Oral Histories, 1920s-1960s. McFarland. p. 61. ISBN 9780786490615.
  5. Ruuth, Marianne (1994). Sarah Vaughan. Melrose Square Publishing Company. p. 96. ISBN 9780870677861.
  6. "Sarah Vaughan". Grammy Awards.
  7. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. September 14, 1959. p. 54.
  8. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 602.
  9. "Billboard Hot R&B Sides". Billboard. October 19, 1959. p. 50.
  10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  11. "Sarah Vaughan – Broken Hearted Melody" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  12. "Sarah Vaughan – Broken Hearted Melody" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  13. "CHUM Hit Parade, week of September 21, 1959".
  14. "Sarah Vaughan – Broken Hearted Melody" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.


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