Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)

"Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)"
Single by The Shepherd Sisters
B-side"Congratulations to Someone"
ReleasedAugust 1957
Recorded1957
GenreRock and roll
Length2:45
LabelLance
Songwriter(s)Morty Craft-Selma Craft[1]
The Shepherd Sisters singles chronology
"Gone with the Wind"
(1956) 		"Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)"
(1957)
"Alone"
Single by The Four Seasons
from the album More Golden Hits by The Four Seasons
B-side"Long, Lonely Nights (from the album Folk-Nanny)"
ReleasedMay 1964
GenreDoo-wop, rock and roll
Length2:49
LabelVee-Jay
Songwriter(s)Morty Craft-Selma Craft[2]
Producer(s)Bob Crewe
The Four Seasons singles chronology
"Ronnie"
(1964) 		"Alone"
(1964) 		"Rag Doll"
(1964)

"Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)" is a popular song written by Morty Craft with lyrics written by Craft's wife, Selma. .

Original recordings

Craft, who founded Lance Records, produced the recording of "Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)" by The Shepherd Sisters for the label. It was the only hit for The Shepherd Sisters in the United States, reaching No. 18 on the Billboard chart[3] on November 11, 1957. The Shepherd Sisters' version also charted in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 14.[4]

Four Seasons recording

A remake of the song by The Four Seasons charted in 1964, reaching its peak Billboard Hot 100 position at No. 28,[5] on July 18. "Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)" also went to No. 8 on the Canadian singles chart. It was the act's last hit single on Vee Jay Records, as The Four Seasons had already left the label at the beginning of 1964 in a royalty dispute.

Cover versions

  • "Alone" was one of a number of hits for Petula Clark, reaching No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart,[6] before she became famous internationally.
  • The song was also subsequently recorded by Tracey Ullman.
  • A 1957, version by The Southlanders, reached No. 17 in the UK.
  • Saint Motel sampled the original version in their song "Sisters" which appears on their third album, The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.[7]

References

  1. ^ "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  2. ^ "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 759.
  4. ^ "officialcharts.com". Official Charts. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 238.
  6. ^ "Petula Clark British charts". Petulaclark.net. Archived from the original on 2010-04-03. Retrieved 2012-05-12.
  7. ^ "Saint Motel's 'Sisters' - Discover the Sample Source". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2022-07-20.