Empty Arms

"Empty Arms"
Single by Sonny James
from the album Empty Arms
B-side"Everything Begins and Ends with You"
ReleasedJanuary 1971
GenreCountry
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Ivory Joe Hunter
Sonny James singles chronology
"Endlessly"
(1970) 		"Empty Arms"
(1971) 		"Bright Lights, Big City"
(1971)

"Empty Arms" is a song composed and first recorded by Ivory Joe Hunter which became an R&B hit in 1957. This original version peaked at #2 on the US, R&B Airplay chart and at #43 on the pop chart.[1]

Cover Versions

  • A cover version by Teresa Brewer became a hit the same month as the original recording.[2]
  • The song was successfully revived with a 1971 single by Sonny James. "Empty Arms" was Sonny James' eighteenth number one on the country charts. The single stayed at number one for four weeks and spent a total of fifteen weeks on the chart.[3]

Chart performance

Sonny James

Chart (1971) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles 1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[4] 93
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 1

References

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 267.
  2. ^ Dean, Maury (2003-01-01). Rock and Roll. Algora Publishing. ISBN 9780875862071.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 172.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 423.


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