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I Will Follow Him
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Wikipedia article
"'I Will Follow Him'" is a popular song that was first recorded in 1961 by Franck Pourcel, as an instrumental titled "'Chariot'". The song achieved its widest success when it was recorded by American singer Little Peggy March with English lyrics in 1963. The music was written by Franck Pourcel (using the pseudonym J.W. Stole) and Paul Mauriat (using the pseudonym Del Roma).[https://archive.org/stream/catalogofcopy19653195libr/catalogofcopy19653195libr_djvu.txt Music Registrations], 'Catalog of Copyright Entries' : Third Series, Volume 19, Part 5, Number 2. U.S. Government Printing Office, JulyDecember 1965. p. 1509. Archive.org. Accessed February 29, 2016 It was adapted by Arthur Altman. The completely new English lyrics were written by Norman Gimbel.
Instrumental versions
The song was first recorded by Franck Pourcel as an instrumental, and was released in 1961 on the European LP 'Amour, Danse, Et Violons. No.17' and on an EP on the La Voix de son Matre label. Pourcel co-wrote the song with his friend and fellow French bandleader Paul Mauriat. Mauriat later recorded an instrumental version, which he released on his album 'Paul Mauriat Plays the Hits of 1976'.[https://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Paul+Mauriat&titel=Plays+The+Hits+Of+1976&cat=a Paul Mauriat Plays the Hits of 1976], norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
In 1963, Percy Faith released an instrumental version, re-titled "I Will Follow You", as the lead song on side 1 of his album titled 'Themes for Young Lovers'."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1964/Billboard%201964-07-18.pdf Winner of the Billboard DJ Poll Instrumental Album Award for 1963]", 'Billboard', July 18, 1964. p. 5. Accessed February 19, 2016.Popoff, Martin (2010). 'Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records 1948-1991', Krause Publications. p. 414. The album spent 28 weeks on 'Billboard's chart of Top LPs, reaching No. 32, and earned Percy Faith a gold record.[https://www.billboard.com/artist/percy-faith/chart-history/tlp/ Billboard 200 Percy Faith Themes for Young Lovers Chart History], 'Billboard.com'. Retrieved January 21, 2019."[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-09-14.pdf Top LP's]", 'Billboard'. September 14, 1963. Retrieved January 21, 2019."[https://books.google.com/books?id=aygEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6#v=onepage&q&f=false Col. Convention's Grand Finale: Barbra Repacted, Awards, Show]", 'Billboard'. August 12, 1967. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
Petula Clark versions
In 1962, Petula Clark released a French-language version of the song, titled "'Chariot'" (lyrics by Jacques Plante), which reached No. 1 in Wallonia,[http://www.ultratop.be/fr/song/29e9b/Petula-Clark-Chariot Petula Clark Chariot], Ultratop. Retrieved February 25, 2018."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1962/Billboard%201962-12-08.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', December 8, 1962. p. 37. Accessed February 27, 2016. No. 2 in France,"[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1962/Billboard%201962-12-01.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', December 1, 1962. p. 34. Accessed February 27, 2016. and No. 8 in Flanders,[http://www.ultratop.be/nl/song/29e9b/Petula-Clark-Chariot Petula Clark Chariot], Ultratop. Accessed February 25, 2016"[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1962/Billboard%201962-10-27.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', October 27, 1962. p. 26. Accessed February 27, 2016. and earned Clark a gold record.Worth, Fred L. (1985). 'Rock Facts'. p. 81. Her English version (the first recording to be titled "I Will Follow Him") reached No. 4 in Denmark, where it was released by Vogue,"[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-07-13.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', July 13, 1963. p. 30. Accessed February 23, 2016. but failed to chart in the UK and the US, where it was released by Pye and Laurie respectively. Clark also recorded Italian and German versions of the song, with her Italian version, "Sul mio carro", reaching No. 4 in Italy, and her German version, "Cheerio", reaching No. 6 in West Germany.[http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Petula+Clark&titel=Cheerio&cat=s Petula Clark Cheerio], 'norwegiancharts.com'. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
Little Peggy March version
On January 22, 1963, Little Peggy March's version of "I Will Follow Him", backed with "Wind Up Doll", conducted by Sammy Lowe, in studio RCA Victor Studio A, New York City on January 7, 1963, after running take 9, was released by RCA Victor."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-02-02.pdf Singles Reviews]", 'Billboard', February 2, 1963. p. 30. Retrieved April 17, 2017. March's version spent 14 weeks on the 'Billboard' Hot 100, reaching No. 1 on April 27, 1963 and spending three weeks in this position,[https://www.billboard.com/artist/little-peggy-march/chart-history/hsi/ Hot 100 Little Peggy March I Will Follow Him Chart History], 'Billboard.com'. Retrieved March 18, 2018. making 15-year-old March the youngest female artist to have a U.S. chart-topping single."[http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/951417/peggy-marchs-follow-still-the-leader Peggy March's 'Follow' Still The Leader]", 'Billboard.com'. November 9, 2010. Accessed February 19, 2016 Her version also reached No. 1 in Australia,"[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-05-18.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', May 18, 1963. p. 32. Accessed February 23, 2016. Hong Kong,"[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-07-20.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', July 20, 1963. p. 27. Accessed February 23, 2016. Israel,"[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-06-29.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', June 29, 1963. p. 46. Accessed February 26, 2016. South Africa, Uruguay,"[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-10-05.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', October 5, 1963. p. 22. Accessed February 27, 2016. Canada's CHUM Hit Parade, Chart No. 318. CHUM. New Zealand's "Lever Hit Parade",[http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=Lever%20hit%20parades&qyear=1963&qmonth=May&qweek=09-May-1963#n_view_location "Lever Hit Parade" 09-May-1963], 'Flavour of New Zealand'. Accessed February 19, 2016. and 'Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-05-25.pdf Hot R&B Singles]", 'Billboard', May 25, 1963. p. 22. Accessed February 19, 2016.
The song also reached No. 1 on the 'Cash Box' Top 100, in a tandem ranking of Little Peggy March, Franck Pourcel, Petula Clark, Rosemary Clooney, Betty Curtis, Jackie Kannon, Joe Sentieri, and Georgia Gibbs' versions, with March's version marked as a bestseller."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/60s/1963/CB-1963-05-04.pdf Cash Box Top 100]", 'Cash Box', May 4, 1963. p. 4. Retrieved March 19, 2018. It was one of the nominees for the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Rock and Roll Recording.
In 2011, Peggy March re-recorded "I Will Follow Him" with Dutch singer Jos Hoebee (who covered this song and reached the number-one spot in the Netherlands and Belgium in 1982). The release of this new version song, however, was delayed one year later and finally came out on the German edition of March's album 'Always And Forever'.
Chart performance
Weekly singles charts
Year-end charts
Other versions
In Italy three versions of the song were in the charts in 1963 (translated/adapted by Vito Pallavicini and Bruno Pallesi): One recorded by Betty Curtis (highest position: No. 3), another version by Petula Clark ("Sul mio carro"; No. 4) and the Franck Pourcel version (No. 5). The song reached No. 1 in Italy's 'Musica e dischi', in a tandem ranking of these three versions."[https://books.google.com/books?id=dwsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA20#v=onepage&q&f=false Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', March 3, 1963. p. 20. Retrieved April 22, 2018. Curtis's version was also a top 10 hit in Uruguay."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-08-17.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', August 17, 1963. p. 35. Accessed February 28, 2016.
In 1963, Italian singer Ennio Sangiusto released a version of the song titled "Chariot (La Tierra)", which reached No. 1 in Spain. Also in 1963, Italian singer Joe Sentieri released a version of the song titled "La Tierra", which reached No. 3 in Argentina."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-08-24.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', August 24, 1963. p. 42. Accessed June 17, 2016.
In 1963, Argentine singer Alberto Cortez released a version of the song titled "La Tierra (Chariot)", which reached No. 2 in Spain."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-06-15.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', June 15, 1963. p. 36. Accessed June 26, 2016. Also in 1963, Argentine singer Violeta Rivas released a version titled "La Tierra", which reached No. 1 in Uruguay."[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1963/Billboard%201963-10-26.pdf Hits of the World]", 'Billboard', October 26, 1963. p. 47. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
Dee Dee Sharp released a version of the song on her 1963 album 'Do the Bird'."[https://books.google.com/books?id=fgsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA29#v=onepage&q&f=false Album Reviews]", 'Billboard', April 13, 1963. Retrieved June 20, 2018. Sharp's version reached No. 1 in Hong Kong.
Ricky Nelson recorded a cover for his 1963 album 'For Your Sweet Love', changing the title and lyrics to "I Will Follow You".
In 1982, Dutch singer Jos Hoebee (former member of the girl band Luv') released a hit cover of the song, which reached No. 1 in Flanders,[http://www.ultratop.be/nl/song/11b16/Jose-NL-I-Will-Follow-Him Jos I Will Follow Him], Ultratop. Accessed February 28, 2016 No. 1 on the Dutch Top 40,[http://www.top40.nl/top40-artiesten/jose Top 40-artiest: Jos], Media Markt Top 40. Accessed February 28, 2016. and No. 2 on the Dutch Nationale Hitparade.[http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Jos%E9+%5BNL%5D&titel=I+Will+Follow+Him&cat=s Jos I Will Follow Him], Dutch Charts. Accessed February 28, 2016 A 2005 remix reached No. 90 on the Dutch Single Top 100 in early 2006.[http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Jos%E9+%5BNL%5D&titel=I+Will+Follow+Him+2005+Version&cat=s Jos I Will Follow Him 2005 Version], Dutch Charts. Retrieved June 21, 2018. In 2011, she re-recorded "I Will Follow Him" with Peggy March. This duet appeared on the German edition of March's album 'Always and Forever'.
The Norwegian comedian Lars Mjen wrote comedic Norwegian lyrics, Torsken kommer! (translates to The cod is coming). The song was published by the comedy troupe KLM as Brdrene Dal as the B-side of "Gaus, Roms Og Brumund" (PolyGram 2052 206)[http://www.norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Br%F8drene+Dal&titel=Torsken+kommer&cat=s Brdrene Dal Torsken kommer], 'norwegiancharts.com'. Retrieved February 17, 2018. and on the LP record 'Spektralplate' (Polydor 2382 135) in 1982. A music video remake was released by Norges Bank in 2017 to mark the introduction of the new 200 krone banknote that features a cod on the obverse side.
The song is featured at the end of the 1992 film 'Sister Act,' where it was performed by the nuns' chorus for the Pope with Whoopi Goldberg's character as the lead singer.
In 2000, Cynthia Patag, Nanette Inventor, Malou de Guzman, Beverly Salviejo and Pinky Marquez performed the interactive version of the song at the end of the musical episode of 'Wansapanataym', "Bata-Okey".
References
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