"Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" is a popular song written by Scotty Wiseman for the 1944 musical film, '' Sing, Neighbor, Sing'' and performed by

Lulu Belle and Scotty Myrtle Eleanor Cooper (December 24, 1913 – February 8, 1999) and Scott Greene Wiseman (November 8, 1909 – January 31, 1981), known professionally as Lulu Belle and Scotty, were one of the major country music acts of the 1930s and 1940s, dubbe ...

. It was their greatest hit and one of the first country music songs to attract major attention in the pop music field. Although the song was featured in the movie, it was not released by Lulu Belle and Scotty until 1947 (and then again in 1956). The first released version of this song was by Gene Autry in 1945.

Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters version

Bing Crosby and

the Andrews Sisters The Andrews Sisters were an American close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews (July 6, 1911 – May 8, 1967), soprano Maxene Anglyn Andrews (January ...

recorded the song on November 25, 1949 and it had a good reception from the trade magazine Billboard who said: "Ditty’s a sprightly mountain-musiker that had its innings a couple of years back on straight hillbilly diskings. Bing and the gals are in top form as they harmonize it to a spanking fare-thee-well." The record entered the Billboard charts on January 21, 1950 and in a four-week stay it peaked at No. 24.

Lulu Belle and Scotty version

released their version in 1956 on a Mercury Records 45 rpm single.

Elvis Presley version

The earliest and easily most prominent recording of "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" in the early rock era was by Elvis Presley. According to the book of the CD-boxset "Elvis - The Complete 50's Masters", Presley recorded it on January 19, 1957, at RCA's Radio Recorders in Hollywood for his '' Loving You'' album. Session musicians for the song included Presley himself on acoustic guitar,

Scotty Moore Winfield Scott Moore III (December 27, 1931 – June 28, 2016) was an American guitarist who formed The Blue Moon Boys in 1954, Elvis Presley's backing band. He was studio and touring guitarist for Presley between 1954 and 1968. Rock critic ...

on electric guitar, Bill Black on double bass, D. J. Fontana on drums,

Dudley Brooks Dudley Brooks (December 22, 1913 – July 17, 1989) was an American jazz pianist, arranger, and composer. Biography Brooks was born on December 22, 1913, in Los Angeles, California.

on piano, Hoyt Hawkins on organ, and

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, Vocal ...

on background vocals. When the song was included on the ''Loving You'' album release in July 1957, it immediately prompted both

Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician, songwriter and actor. From age eight he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. In 1957, he bega ...

and Eddie Cochran to record cover versions of the song. Nelson's was the "B" side of a hit single ("Be-Bop Baby", released in September), while Cochran's was an album cut (released in November). The impact of the Elvis version was felt across the Atlantic.

Eddie Cochran version

Eddie Cochran recorded his version in August 1957 and released it on the album '' Singin' to My Baby''. Musicians on the session were: * Eddie Cochran - guitars, ukulele, vocals * Perry Botkin Sr. - rhythm guitar * Connie "Guybo" Smith - double bass * The Johnny Mann Chorus - backing vocals

Other versions

* Rosalie Allen *

on his 1957 album 'Ricky' Imperial LP 9048 USA and the B-side to " Be-Bop Baby" *

Eddy Arnold Richard Edward Arnold (May 15, 1918 – May 8, 2008) was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a Nashville sound (country/popular music) innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the ''Billboard'' cou ...

* Gene Autry – one of the first recorded versions of this song, which went to number 3 on the C&W charts in 1946. For many years it was the standard, and still is to many people today. * The Beau Marks * The Blue Diamonds (Netherlands, 1961) *

Jim Ed Brown James Edward Brown (April 1, 1934 – June 11, 2015) was an American country singer-songwriter who achieved fame in the 1950s with his two sisters as a member of the Browns. He later had a successful solo career from 1965 to 1974, followed by ...

* Anita Bryant *

Michael Bublé Michael Steven Bublé ( ; born September 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer. A four-time Grammy Award winner, he is often credited for helping to renew public interest and appreciation for traditional pop standards and the Great American Songboo ...

(2013) with Naturally 7 - included in the album To Be Loved. *

The Canadian Sweethearts The Canadian Sweethearts, sometimes known as Bob & Lucille, were a Canadian singing duo who were popular during the 1960s, disbanding in 1977. The duo consisted of vocalist Lucille Starr and her guitar-playing husband, Bob Regan. They are best k ...

* Tommy Collins *

Jill Corey Jill Corey (born Norma Jean Speranza; September 30, 1935 – April 3, 2021) was an American popular standards singer. She was discovered and signed on one day when she was 17. She went on to have her own radio shows and to star in a feature film ...

* Floyd Cramer * Bob Hope with Bing Crosby (This was a parodied version which was used in Crosby's radio show on February 1, 1950.) *

Vic Damone Vic Damone (born Vito Rocco Farinola; June 12, 1928 – February 11, 2018) was an American traditional pop and big band singer and actor. He was best known for his performances of songs such as the number one hit "You're Breaking My Heart", and ...

Skeeter Davis Skeeter Davis (born Mary Frances Penick; December 30, 1931September 19, 2004) was an American country music singer and songwriter who sang crossover pop music songs including 1962's " The End of the World". She started out as part of the Davis S ...

and Porter Wagoner * Little Jimmy Dickens *

Don Edwards William Donlon Edwards (January 6, 1915 – October 1, 2015) was an American politician of the Democratic Party and a member of the United States House of Representatives from California for 32 years in the late 20th century. Early life Edwar ...

George Faith Earl George Lawrence (1946–2003), also known as George Faith, Earl George and George Earl, was a Jamaican reggae singer best known for his work in the 1970s with producers such as Lee "Scratch" Perry and Bunny Lee. Biography Born in Rae Town, ...

Red Foley Clyde Julian "Red" Foley (June 17, 1910 – September 19, 1968) was an American musician who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II. For more than two decades, Foley was one of the biggest stars of the gen ...

(1947) *

Billy Fury Ronald Wycherley (17 April 1940 – 28 January 1983), better known as Billy Fury, was an English singer, musician, songwriter, and actor. An early star of rock and roll, he equalled the Beatles' record of 24 hits in the 1960s and spent 332 we ...

* Stonewall Jackson * Jerry Lee Lewis *

Vera Lynn Dame Vera Margaret Lynn (; 20 March 191718 June 2020) was an English singer and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were very popular during World War II. She is honorifically known as the " Forces' Sweetheart", having giv ...

Al Martino Al Martino (born Jasper Cini; October 7, 1927 – October 13, 2009) was an American singer and actor. He had his greatest success as a singer between the early 1950s and mid-1970s, being described as "one of the great Italian American pop croone ...

- included in his album "Painted, Tainted Rose" (1963). * Susan McCann * Willie Nelson (on his 1967 album ''

Make Way for Willie Nelson ''Make Way for Willie Nelson'' is the fifth studio album by country music, country singer Willie Nelson. The single "One in a Row", Nelson's only original included on the album, peaked at number 19 on ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard's'' Hot Cou ...

'') * Patti Page - included in her album "Patti Page Sings Country and Western Golden Hits" (1961) *

Freddy Quinn Freddy Quinn (born Franz Eugen Helmut Manfred Nidl; 27 September 1931) is an Austrian singer and actor whose popularity in the German-speaking world soared in the late 1950s and 1960s. As Hans Albers had done two generations before him, Quin ...

* Jim Reeves - included in the album "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" (1964). * Cliff Richard (on his 1965 album '' Love is Forever'' album) * Riders in the Sky * Riders of the Purple Sage *

Tex Ritter Woodward Maurice Ritter (January 12, 1905 – January 2, 1974) was a pioneer of American country music, a popular singer and actor from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter acting family (son John, grandsons Jason and ...

(1946) *

Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, and NASCAR racing driver. Robbins was one of the most popular and succ ...

- included in his album "The Songs of Robbins" (1957 Columbia Records) and "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" (1974). *

Johnny Rodriguez Juan Raoul Davis "Johnny" Rodriguez (born December 10, 1951) is an American country music singer. He is a Tejano and Texas country music singer, infusing his music with Latin sounds, and even singing verses of songs in Spanish. In the 1970s an ...

The Sons of the Pioneers The Sons of the Pioneers are one of the United States' earliest Western singing groups. Known for their vocal performances, their musicianship, and their songwriting, they produced innovative recordings that have inspired many Western music perf ...

Sissy Spacek Mary Elizabeth Spacek (; born December 25, 1949) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and nominations for four Britis ...

(on her 1983 album ''

Hangin' Up My Heart ''Hangin' Up My Heart'' is the 1983 debut album of actress Sissy Spacek. The album produced three singles: "Lonely but Only for You", which reached number 15 on Hot Country Songs, along with "If I Can Just Get Through the Night" and "If You Could ...

'') * Ringo Starr (on his 1970 album '' Sentimental Journey'') * Hank Thompson *

Wesley Tuttle Wesley Tuttle (born December 30, 1917, in Lamar, Colorado; died September 29, 2003) was an American country music singer. He was raised in California and took up music at age four, relearning to play the guitar and ukulele after losing all but ...

1946 * Billy Vaughn and His Orchestra *

Bobby Vinton Stanley Robert "Bobby" Vinton (born April 16, 1935) is a American former singer and occasional actor, who also hosted his own self-titled TV show in the late 1970s. As a teen idol, he became known as "The Polish Prince", as his music paid trib ...

* Porter Wagoner * Patrick Wall *

Kitty Wells Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a barrier to women in country music with her 1952 hit recording " It Wasn't God ...

Slim Whitman Ottis Dewey Whitman Jr. (January 20, 1923 – June 19, 2013), known as Slim Whitman, was an American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist known for his yodeling abilities and his use of falsetto. He claimed he had sold in excess of ...

Roger Whittaker Roger Henry Brough Whittaker (born 22 March 1936) is a British singer-songwriter and musician, who was born in Nairobi to English parents. His music is an eclectic mix of folk music and popular songs in addition to radio airplay hits. He is bes ...

* Hank Williams * Mac Wiseman *

Faron Young Faron Young (February 25, 1932 – December 10, 1996) was an American country music producer, musician, and songwriter from the early 1950s into the mid-1980s. Hits including "If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin')" and "Live Fast, Love Hard, Di ...

Dale Evans Dale Evans Rogers (born Frances Octavia Smith; October 31, 1912 – February 7, 2001) was an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She was the third wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers. Early life Evans was born Frances Octavia Smith on ...

and

Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and television host. Following early work under his given name, first as co-founder of the Sons of the Pioneers and then acting, the rebra ...

* Pat and Shirley Boone - included in their album "I Love You Truly" (1962). * The Overtones - On their first album, Good Ol' Fashioned Love

Charting versions

References

External links

Scotty Wiseman at Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
{{authority control 1945 songs 1956 singles Eddie Cochran songs Gene Autry songs Kitty Wells songs Red Foley songs Ricky Nelson songs Tex Ritter songs Bob Hope songs Liberty Records singles Mercury Records singles