Portrait of My Love

"Portrait of My Love"
Single by Matt Monro
from the album My Kind of Girl
B-side"You're the Top of My Hit Parade"
Released1960
GenreTraditional pop
LabelParlophone
Songwriter(s)Norman Newell (as David West) & Cyril Ornadel[1]
Matt Monro singles chronology
"I'll Know Her"
(1960) 		"Portrait of My Love"
(1960) 		"My Kind of Girl"
(1961)

"Portrait of My Love" is a song written by Norman Newell and Cyril Ornadel, which was released by Matt Monro in 1960, and was an international hit for Steve Lawrence in 1961.

Matt Monro version

In 1960, Matt Monro released the song as a single. The song was Monro's first hit single, and spent 16 weeks on the UK's Record Retailer chart, reaching No. 3,[2] also reaching No. 3 on the UK's New Musical Express chart.[3] In 1961, the song was released on Monro's album My Kind of Girl.[4]

Charts

Chart (1961) Peak
position
UK Record Retailer[2] 3
UK New Musical Express[3] 3

Steve Lawrence version

"Portrait of My Love"
Single by Steve Lawrence
from the album Portrait Of My Love
B-side"Oh How You Lied"
Released1961
GenreTraditional pop
Length2:51
LabelUnited Artists
Songwriter(s)Norman Newell (as David West) & Cyril Ornadel[5]
Producer(s)Don Costa[6]
Steve Lawrence singles chronology
"Hansel and Gretel"
(1960) 		"Portrait of My Love"
(1961) 		"My Clair De Lune"
(1961)

In 1961, Steve Lawrence released a version of the song as a single and on the album Portrait of My Love. Lawrence's version became an international hit and spent 16 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 9,[7] while reaching No. 1 in the Philippines,[8] No. 7 in Australia,[9] and No. 9 on Canada's CHUM Hit Parade.[10]

Lawrence's version was ranked No. 30 on Billboard's end of year "Hot 100 for 1961 - Top Sides of the Year"[11] and No. 81 on Cash Box's "Top 100 Chart Hits of 1961".[12]

In 1962, Steve Lawrence was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his rendition of "Portrait of My Love".[13]

Awards

In 1961, the song won songwriters Norman Newell and Cyril Ornadel the British Songwriters Guild's Ivor Novello Award for "Outstanding Song of 1960".[14][1]

In 1999, the song was honored at the BMI Awards in London for having 2 million radio plays.[15]

Other versions

References

  1. ^ a b "The Ivors 1961". The Ivors. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Matt Monro - Full Official Chart History, Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Best Selling Pop Records in Britain", Billboard, January 30, 1961. p. 56. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  4. ^ "My Kind of Girl - Matt Monro". AllMusic. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  5. ^ Portrait of My Love - By: Steve Lawrence, MusicVF.com. Accessed July 26, 2015
  6. ^ "Announcing Don Costa Productions, Inc.", Billboard, October 19, 1961. p. 9. Accessed December 17, 2015.
  7. ^ Hot 100 - Steve Lawrence Portrait of My Love Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  8. ^ "Steve Lawrence Tune Still Tops", Billboard, June 19, 1961. p. 22. Accessed December 17, 2015.
  9. ^ "Billboard Music Week Hits of the World", Billboard, May 22, 1961. p. 12. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  10. ^ "CHUM Hit Parade – Week of May 8, 1961". CHUM. Archived from the original on November 7, 2006. Retrieved 2018-03-12. Chart No. 211.
  11. ^ "Chart Toppers", Billboard, December 25, 1961. p. 10. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  12. ^ "Top 100 Chart Hits of 1961", Cash Box, December 30, 1961. p. 12. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  13. ^ "RCA Victor Leads List Of Grammy Nominations", Billboard, May 5, 1962. p. 32. Accessed December 17, 2015.
  14. ^ "Steve Lawrence's 'Portrait' Takes English Ivors Award", Billboard, March 27, 1961. p. 12. Accessed December 17, 2015.
  15. ^ "1999 BMI/PRS Awards", BMI. Music Industry News Network. November 5, 1999. Accessed July 26, 2015
  16. ^ Hot 100 - The Tokens Portrait of My Love Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  17. ^ Cash Box Top 100, Cash Box, June 3, 1967. p. 4. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  18. ^ "100 Top Pops", Record World, June 3, 1967. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  19. ^ "RPM 100", RPM Weekly, Volume 7, No. 12, May 20, 1967. Retrieved January 13, 2024.