Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1954
Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite
Buy Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
"'Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite'" is a popular song that was a hit during the mid-1950s. It was written by Calvin Carter and James "Pookie" Hudson in 1951, and was first recorded by The Spaniels in 1953. It has also been released by some artists as "'Goodnight, Well It's Time to Go'".'The Book of Golden Rock 'N' Roll', Columbia Pictures Publications, 1987
The Spaniels version
The song was originally released by the R&B doo-wop group The Spaniels in March 1954. The original version peaked at No. 5 on 'Billboard's "Rhythm and Blues Records" chart of "Best Sellers in Stores","[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-06-05.pdf The Billboard Music Popularity Charts Rhythm and Blues Records]", 'Billboard', June 5, 1954. p. 44. Retrieved April 28, 2018. No. 5 on 'Billboard's "Rhythm and Blues Records" chart of "Most Played in Juke Boxes","[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-07-17.pdf The Billboard Music Popularity Charts Rhythm and Blues Records]", 'Billboard', July 17, 1954. p. 63. Retrieved April 28, 2018. and No. 3 on 'Cash Box's Rhythm & Blues Top 15."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/50s/1954/CB-1954-06-19.pdf Rhythm & Blues Top 15]", 'Cash Box', June 19, 1954. p. 31. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
The Spaniels' version was ranked No. 20 on 'Billboard's ranking of "1954's Top R&B Records according to Retail Sales" and No. 15 on 'Billboard's ranking of "1954's Top R&B Records according to Juke Box Plays"."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-12-25.pdf 1954's Top R&B Records]", 'Billboard', December 25, 1954. p. 17. Retrieved April 29, 2018. It was also ranked No. 16 in 'Cash Box's ranking of "1954's Top R&B Records as Voted in the 'Cash Box' Poll"."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/50s/1954/CB-1954-12-25.pdf 1954's Top R&B Records as Voted in the Cash Box Poll]", 'Cash Box', December 25, 1954. p. 29. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
The McGuire Sisters version
The best-selling version of the song was recorded by the McGuire Sisters in 1954. Their version reached No. 8 on 'Billboard's chart of "Best Sellers in Stores","[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-08-14.pdf The Billboard Music Popularity Charts Popular Records]", 'Billboard', August 14, 1954. p. 26. Retrieved April 28, 2018. No. 7 on 'Billboard's chart of "Most Played in Juke Boxes", and No. 9 on 'Billboard's chart of "Most Played by Jockeys"."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-08-21.pdf The Billboard Music Popularity Charts Popular Records]", 'Billboard', August 21, 1954. p. 34. Retrieved April 28, 2018. A million copies of the McGuire Sisters' single were sold.Gugin, Linda C.; St. Clair, James E. (2015). '[https://books.google.com/books?id=oYZoDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA54#v=onepage&q&f=false Indiana's 200: The People Who Shaped the Hoosier State]', Indiana Historical Society. p. 54. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
The McGuire Sisters' version was ranked No. 21 on 'Billboard's ranking of "1954's Top Popular Records according to Juke Box Plays"."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-12-25.pdf 1954's Top Popular Records]", 'Billboard', December 25, 1954. p. 17. Retrieved April 29, 2018. It was also ranked No. 33 in 'Cash Box's ranking of "1954's Top Pop Records as Voted in the 'Cash Box' Poll"."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/50s/1954/CB-1954-12-25.pdf 1954's Top Pop Records as Voted in the Cash Box Poll]", 'Cash Box', December 25, 1954. p. 28. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
Johnnie & Jack version
It was also recorded in 1954 by country music duo Johnnie & Jack, whose version reached No. 3 on 'Billboard's "Country & Western Records" chart "Most Played by Jockeys","[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-09-11.pdf The Billboard Music Popularity Country & Western Records]", 'Billboard', September 11, 1954. p. 52. Retrieved April 28, 2018. No. 4 on 'Billboard's "Country & Western Records" chart "Best Sellers in Stores", No. 4 on 'Billboard's "Country & Western Records" chart "Most Played in Juke Boxes","[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-09-18.pdf The Billboard Music Popularity Country & Western Records]", 'Billboard', September 18, 1954. p. 36. Retrieved April 28, 2018. No. 4 on 'Cash Box's chart of "The 10 Top Folk & Western Best Sellers","[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/50s/1954/CB-1954-08-28.pdf The 10 Top Folk & Western Best Sellers]", 'Cash Box', August 28, 1954. p. 26. Retrieved April 29, 2018. No. 4 on 'Cash Box's chart of "The Ten Folk and Western Disk Jockeys Played Most This Week","[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/50s/1954/CB-1954-08-14.pdf The Ten Folk and Western Disk Jockeys Played Most This Week]", 'Cash Box', August 14, 1954. p. 29. Retrieved April 29, 2018. and No. 4 on 'Cash Box's chart of "Hillbilly, Folk & Western Juke Box Tunes"."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/50s/1954/CB-1954-09-25.pdf Hillbilly, Folk & Western Juke Box Tunes]", 'Cash Box', September 25, 1954. p. 27. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
Johnnie & Jack's version was ranked No. 20 on 'Billboard's ranking of "1954's Top C&W Records according to Retail Sales" and No. 21 on 'Billboard's ranking of "1954's Top C&W Records according to Juke Box Plays"."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-12-25.pdf 1954's Top C&W Records]", 'Billboard', December 25, 1954. p. 17. Retrieved April 29, 2018. It was also ranked No. 17 in 'Cash Box's ranking of "1954's Top Country Records as Voted in the 'Cash Box' Poll"."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/50s/1954/CB-1954-12-25.pdf 1954's Top Country Records as Voted in the Cash Box Poll]", 'Cash Box', December 25, 1954. p. 36. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
It was used by NTV in Tokyo, Japan from 2000 to 2001 when the broadcasting in a day ended and not having the NNN24.
Other versions
Sunny Gale also released a version in 1954, which reached No. 27 on 'Billboard's chart of "Best Sellers in Stores".
The song reached No. 8 on the 'Cash Box' Top 50, in a tandem ranking of the McGuire Sisters, Sunny Gale, the Spaniels, Johnnie & Jack, Ella Mae Morse, and Gloria Mann & Carter Rays' versions, with the McGuire Sisters and Sunny Gale's versions marked as bestsellers,"[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/50s/1954/CB-1954-07-24.pdf The Nation's Top 50 Best Selling Records]", 'Cash Box', July 24, 1954. p. 16. Retrieved April 29, 2018. while reaching No. 5 on 'Cash Box's Top Ten Juke Box Tunes chart,"[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/50s/1954/CB-1954-08-14.pdf The Nation's Top Ten Juke Box Tunes]", 'Cash Box', August 14, 1954. p. 4. Retrieved April 29, 2018. and No. 7 on 'Cash Box's chart of "The Ten Records Disk Jockeys Played Most This Week", in a tandem ranking of the McGuire Sisters and Sunny Gale's versions."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/50s/1954/CB-1954-08-14.pdf The Ten Records Disk Jockeys Played Most This Week]", 'Cash Box', August 14, 1954. p. 7. Retrieved April 29, 2018. The song also reached No. 8 on 'Billboard's "Honor Roll of Hits", with the McGuire Sisters, the Spaniels, and Sunny Gale's versions listed as best sellers."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-09-04.pdf Honor Roll of Hits]", 'Billboard', September 4, 1954. p. 20. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
Later use
The Spaniels re-recorded the song in 1969 for Buddah Records; however, the title was shown as "Goodnight Sweetheart" and the songwriting misattributed to Ray Noble, Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Rudy Vallee, implying they covered the 1930s standard.[https://www.45cat.com/record/bda153 The Spaniels - Goodnight Sweetheart / Maybe], 45cat.com. Retrieved July 20, 2019.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkqp3kv7TbA The Spaniels Goodnight Sweetheart], YouTube. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
The song became well known again in the late 1970s as the closing song performed by Sha Na Na on their weekly variety show, as well as because of its appearance in the 1973 movie 'American Graffiti'.
In 1975, Australian band Ol' 55 released a version as their debut single. The song peaked at number 95 on the Kent Music Report.
In the late 1980s it was used again as a lullaby in the major hit film 'Three Men and a Baby'.
For many years, Dick Biondi played the song at the end of every show on Chicago's 94.7 WLS-FM.[https://www.dickbiondifilm.com/blog/2016/11/22/ulp5xrt8ka315e6r54jhe9g2bth4rt Thanks Ted!], The Dick Biondi Film, November 14, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
References
Category:1954 songs
Category:1954 singles
Category:1975 singles
Category:Vee-Jay Records singles
Category:Coral Records singles
Category:RCA Victor singles
Category:The McGuire Sisters songs
Category:Johnnie & Jack songs
Category:Ol' 55 (band) songs
Buy Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 1954