"Crying in the Chapel" is a song written by Artie Glenn and recorded by his son Darrell Glenn. The song was released in 1953 and reached number six on the ''Billboard'' chart. The song has also been recorded by many artists including the Orioles and June Valli, but the most successful version was by

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

, whose recording reached number three in the US, and number one in the UK in 1965.

Background

According to Artie Glenn's youngest son, Larry, the song was inspired by a personal experience his father had, and the chapel in the title was the Loving Avenue Baptist Church in

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...

. By this account, Glenn had suffered a serious back problem, and while in hospital, he bargained with God that he would become a better person if God helped him recover. He recuperated from a successful spinal surgery, and when he was released from hospital, he went to pray at the nearest chapel he could find. While in the chapel, he started shedding tears of joy, which was witnessed by the pastor. The inspiration for the song then came to him, by the time he was back home, he had the basic tune and the chorus, and that evening he finished the rest of the song. Glenn's son Darrell recorded a demo of the song. The song, however, was rejected by a number of publishers, and the song sat unreleased for some time. The song was eventually published by Valley Publishers, while a small independent label Valley Records from Knoxville released the recording as a single.

1953 releases

Darrell Glenn was the first to record the song while still in high school, backed by his father's band the Rhythm Riders. This original version of the song was issued in May 1953. The song became a local hit in Fort Worth, Texas, and then it went nationwide. It quickly gained the attention of other artists who then recorded the song. Many different versions of the song in a variety of genres were released in the summer of 1953, and they appeared in multiple genre charts. Four versions (Glenn, Rex Allen, the Orioles and June Valli) reached ''Billboard''s best-selling popular records chart at the same time in August, while two versions (Glenn, Allen) also reached the country and western best-selling record chart, and one (the Orioles) on the rhythm and blues chart in the same month.

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

and the Ray Charles Singers also recorded a Jazz version (flip side of her "When the Hands of the Clock Pray at Midnight", Decca 28762), while Rosetta Tharpe recorded a spiritual version. All versions sold over a combined million copies by August 1953 before they peaked in the charts. Glenn's original recording was the first to appear in ''Billboard''s Top Popular Records as well as the country and western charts in July 1953, eventually reaching number six on ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' pop singles chart, and number four on the ''Billboard'' country and western chart. The version by Rex Allen reached number eight, the Orioles' number 11,

number 15, and Art Lund reached number 23. On the ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' chart where versions by Glenn, June Valli, the Orioles and Rex Allen were amalgamated, the song reached number one. In the UK, Lee Lawrence took his version to number 7. June Valli recorded her version with an orchestra directed by Joe Reisman in New York City on June 11, 1953. RCA Victor Records released it as a single in the U.S. (catalog umber 20–5368). and elsewhere by EMI on the

His Master's Voice His Master's Voice is an entertainment trademark featuring a dog named Nipper, curiously peering into the horn of a wind-up gramophone. Painted by Francis Barraud in 1898, the image has since become a global symbol used across consumer elect ...

label (catalog number B. 10568). This was the most successful pop version on the ''Billboard'' charts in 1953, peaking at number four charting for a total of 17 weeks beginning August 1, 1953. Valli's version was the 24th best-selling song of 1953, while the song itself was ranked 10th in 1953's top tune. The doo-wop version recorded by the Orioles was the group's biggest success in the charts and their only million seller. The Orioles' version went to number one on the R&B chart and number eleven on the pop chart. It became one of the best-known versions and was included on the soundtracks of a number of films, including ''

American Graffiti ''American Graffiti'' is a 1973 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by George Lucas, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz and Lucas, and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat ...

'' in 1973, '' Just Cause'' in 1995, and '' Revolutionary Road'' in 2008. The song was among the first songs to receive a Million-Airs award from BMI in 1979 for over a million airplays.

Elvis Presley version

On October 31, 1960,

cut a version of the song with plans to put it on his

RCA RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded in 1919 as the Radio Corporation of America. It was initially a patent pool, patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Westinghou ...

gospel album '' His Hand in Mine''. Three takes were recorded, but neither Elvis nor

the Jordanaires The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Vo ...

, who provided background vocals, were satisfied. Eventually, it was decided to shelve the recordings and move on. On April 6, 1965, "Crying In the Chapel" was issued on RCA's "Gold Standard Series." It became Elvis' first million seller since " Return to Sender" in 1962 and his greatest chart success over a six-year span. The single hit number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart and topped the

Easy Listening chart The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary music, adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on ...

for seven weeks. It was later included as a bonus track on Presley's 1967 gospel album, '' How Great Thou Art''. Presley's version also was a hit in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, where it spent two non-consecutive weeks at number one.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Bob Marley & the Wailers version

In April 1968, the vocal trio the Wailers, featuring

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...

on lead vocals and guitar, Rita Marley (replacing Bunny Wailer) and

Peter Tosh Winston Hubert McIntosh (19 October 1944 – 11 September 1987), professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band Bob Marley and the Wa ...

on harmony vocals, backed by Rastafarian nyabinghi percussion group Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus recorded an adapted version of the song in Kingston, Jamaica. Its lyrics were adapted from the Orioles' version by Rasta leader Mortimo Planno, who also produced and pressed the single entitled "Selassie Is the Chapel", the first ever Rastafarian song recorded and released by Marley. The song is thus meaningful to Rastafarians as its lyrics were modified in order to affirm the divinity of

Haile Selassie Haile Selassie I (born Tafari Makonnen or ''Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles#Lij, Lij'' Tafari; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as the Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles, Rege ...

as the born again Christ. Only a few hundred copies of the single were pressed on a blank label at the time, making it a much sought-after rarity for decades. It was finally reissued and documented on CD on the album ''Selassie Is the Chapel'' (JAD Records, 1997), as part of the '' Complete Bob Marley & the Wailers 1967 to 1972'' series produced by Bruno Blum and Roger Steffens. A vinyl single was also released by JAD in 2002. The recording was reissued on that single along with the original Mortimo Planno-voiced flip side, Rastafarian cult song "A Little Prayer" as well as on the 2002 four CD Marley ''Rebel'' anthology set released in France only and deleted in 2003. A "Selassie Is the Chapel" remix produced by Blum, with a contribution by The Wailers, was released on the European Rastafari label in 1998 (and the Jamaican Human Race label a few years later) as " War/Selassie Is the Chapel". They feature a virtual duet between Marley and Ethiopian emperor Selassie in medley style. This duet version single hit number one in the UK ''Echoes'' magazine in April 1998.

Other versions

More than 50 artists worldwide have released a version of "Crying in the Chapel". * Arne Alm wrote the Swedish lyrics. Raya Avellan and Yngve Stoors Hawaiiorkester recorded "Klockorna i dalen" in Stockholm on October 10, 1953. The song was released on the 78 rpm record Cupol 4780. * Ken Griffin recorded a version in 1953 *

Johnny Burnette John Joseph Burnette (March 25, 1934 – August 14, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter of rockabilly and pop music. In 1952, Johnny, his brother Dorsey Burnette, and their mutual friend Paul Burlison, formed the band that became ...

included it on his self-titled 1961 album *

Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel music, gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was ...

recorded a version in 1962 with Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Johnny Williams *

Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...

recorded a version in 1963 for Atlantic Records, which became a "Regional" hit on the Billboard Chart *

Carol Fran Carol Fran (born Carol Augustus Anthony; October 23, 1933 – September 1, 2021) was an American soul blues singer, pianist, and songwriter, best known for her string of single releases in the 1950s and 1960s, and her later musical association ...

recorded a version in 1964 for Port Records *

The Platters The Platters are an American vocal group formed in 1952. They are one of the most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound bridges the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the new burgeoning genre. The act ...

recorded a version in 1964 for Mercury Records *

Santo & Johnny Santo & Johnny were an American rock and roll instrumental duo of Italian descent from Brooklyn, New York, composed of brothers Santo Farina (born October 24, 1937) and Johnny Farina (born April 30, 1941). They are known best for their instrum ...

included the song on their 1964 album, ''In the Still of the Night'' * In 1965, the Argentinian vocal group "Los 5 Latinos" with Estela Raval on the leading voice, recorded a Spanish version of the song, entitled "Llorando en la capilla", included in their album, ''El Show. Vol. 2'' * In 1965, Taiwanese singer Chen Lee Qing recorded the Chinese version of the song titled 教堂淚影. One year later Singaporean singer Huang Qing Yuan also recorded the same Chinese version of the song. * In 1966 the Venezuelan singer Mirtha Perez made a local hit of this song in her first album as soloist, ''Mirtha Solita'', entitled "Llorando en la capilla", with arrangements by the director Jose Gay and using as background vocals the members of group "Hermanos O Brien", after, Las 4 monedas * Don McLean recorded a version of the song on his '' Homeless Brother'' album (1974) * Allies, a Christian rock band, recorded a version of the song on their album, ''Long Way From Paradise'' (1989)

Bibliography

* Roy Carr & Mick Farren: ''Elvis: The Illustrated Record'' (Harmony Books, 1982), pp. 97, 106.

References

* "Crying in the Chapel - Darrell Glenn Original Recording." ''Billboard Archive'', 1953. https://www.billboard.com/charts/1953. ''(This would reference the original Billboard chart rankings and information on Darrell Glenn's recording.)'' * Guralnick, Peter. ''Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley''. Little, Brown and Company, 1999. . ''(For background information on Elvis Presley's version of "Crying in the Chapel" and its significance in his career.)'' * "Crying in the Chapel by Elvis Presley." ''AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder''. https://www.allmusic.com/song/crying-in-the-chapel-mt0000323505. ''(For details on Elvis Presley's version and its chart performance.)'' * "Million-Air Songs." ''Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)'', 1979. https://www.bmi.com/millionairs. ''(Reference for the song receiving the Million-Airs award from BMI.)'' * "Selassie Is the Chapel - Bob Marley & The Wailers." ''JAD Records, Liner Notes'', 1997. https://www.jadrecords.com/selassie-is-the-chapel. ''(For the information regarding Bob Marley and The Wailers' version of the song and its significance in Rastafarian culture.)'' * Carr, Roy, and Mick Farren. ''Elvis: The Illustrated Record''. Harmony Books, 1982. . ''(Cites the book that provides additional context about the song in relation to Elvis Presley's career.)'' * "Crying in the Chapel - Multiple Versions." ''Discogs''. https://www.discogs.com/search/?q=crying+in+the+chapel&type=all. ''(For listing various artists who recorded versions of the song.)'' * "American Graffiti Soundtrack." ''IMDb''. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069704/soundtrack. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Crying In The Chapel 1950s ballads 1953 singles 1965 singles Darrell Glenn songs Rex Allen songs Elvis Presley songs UK singles chart number-one singles Number-one singles in Australia Irish Singles Chart number-one singles Number-one singles in Italy Number-one singles in Norway Number-one singles in South Africa Atlantic Records singles RCA Victor singles 1953 songs Rock ballads