"I Believe" is a

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

song

written Writing is a medium of human communication which involves the representation of a language through a system of physically inscribed, mechanically transferred, or digitally represented symbols. Writing systems do not themselves constitute h ...

by Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham (a pseudonym used by Irvin Abraham), Jimmy Shirl (a pseudonym for Jack Mendelsohn) and

Al Stillman Al Stillman ''(né'' Albert Irving Silverman; 26 June 1901 Manhattan, New York – 17 February 1979 Manhattan, New York) was an American lyricist. Biography Stillman was born to Jewish parents Herman Silverman and Gertrude Rubin ''(maiden).'' He a ...

in 1953. The most popular version was recorded by Italian-American singer Frankie Laine, and spent eighteen weeks at No. 1 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

Background

"I Believe" was commissioned and introduced by

Jane Froman Ellen Jane Froman (November 10, 1907 – April 22, 1980) was an American actress and singer. During her thirty-year career, she performed on stage, radio and television despite chronic health problems due to injuries sustained in a 1943 plane cra ...

on her television show, and became the first hit song ever introduced on TV. Froman, troubled by the uprising of the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

in 1952 so soon after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, asked Drake, Graham, Shirl and Stillman to compose a song that would offer hope and faith to the populace. Froman's commercial recording reached No. 11 in the ''Billboard'' charts during a 10-week stay. "I Believe" has been recorded by many others, and has become both a popular and religious standard.

Frankie Laine recording

Frankie Laine's original version was recorded for Columbia Records on 8 January 1953 at

Radio Recorders Radio Recorders, Inc. was an American recording studio located in Los Angeles, California. During the 1940s and 1950s, Radio Recorders was one of the largest independent recording studios in the world. Notable musicians recorded at Radio Recorder ...

in Hollywood. It featured

Paul Weston Paul Weston (born Paul Wetstein; March 12, 1912 – September 20, 1996) was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor who worked in music and television from the 1930s to the 1970s, pioneering mood music and becoming known as "the ...

and his Orchestra accompanying Laine. Laine's recording spent eighteen non-consecutive weeks at the top of the

. , this record remains unbeaten. "I Believe" was the best-selling single of 1953 in the UK, spending 36 weeks on the chart. It entered the listings on 3 April 1953, and first reached No. 1 in its fourth week on chart, spending nine weeks at the top. On 26 June, it was replaced at No. 1 for a week by "

I'm Walking Behind You "I'm Walking Behind You" is a popular song which was written by Billy Reid and published in 1953. The recording by American singer Eddie Fisher was a No. 1 hit in both the US and UK Singles charts, but it had previously been recorded by Reid's f ...

" by Eddie Fisher featuring Sally Sweetland, but returned to the top spot on 3 July for another six weeks. On 14 August, it was again replaced at the top for a week, this time by

Mantovani Annunzio Paolo Mantovani (; 15 November 1905 – 29 March 1980) was an Anglo-Italian conductor, composer and light orchestra-styled entertainer with a cascading strings musical signature. The book ''British Hit Singles & Albums'' sta ...

's "

Song From the Moulin Rouge "It's April Again" (also known as "The Song from Moulin Rouge" and "Where Is Your Heart") is a popular song that first appeared in the 1952 film ''Moulin Rouge''. It became a No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart when recorded by Mantovani. The music ...

". On 21 August, "I Believe" returned to No. 1 for its final run at the top, for three weeks, bringing its total time at No. 1 to eighteen weeks. Laine also had the most successful version in the US, where his recording reached No. 2, staying there for three weeks. Laine would later re-record the song for other labels on a number of occasions. The first of these was on December 18, 1964 in Hollywood, with orchestra arranged and conducted by

Ralph Carmichael Ralph Carmichael (May 27, 1927 – October 18, 2021) was an American composer and arranger of both secular pop music and contemporary Christian music. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music. Early Life and Career ...

. The recording was released on the

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

album ''I Believe'' the following year. A recording made by Laine on February 25, 1970 for

Amos Records Amos Records was an independent record label established in Los Angeles, California by Jimmy Bowen, in 1968. The label was located on 6565 Sunset Boulevard, and had an additional office branch in New York City. With Bowen producing most of Amos Rec ...

in Hollywood, with orchestra arranged by Jimmie Haskell, was issued on the album ''Frankie Laine's Greatest Hits'' that year. In June 1977, with Pete Moore's Orchestra and Ray Barr on piano, Laine recorded "I Believe" for a fourth label. This version was included on the

Polydor Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States ...

album ''20 Memories in Gold'', an album largely consisting of re-recordings of his earlier hits, which was released in September that year. In May 1980, Laine recorded "I Believe" at a session of his hit re-recordings used by

K-Tel K-tel International Ltd is a Canadian company which formerly specialized in selling consumer products through infomercials and live demonstration. Its products include compilation music albums, including ''The Super Hits'' series, ''The Dynamic ...

. The recordings were backed by an orchestra conducted by Don Jackson with The Worlettes, and released on the 1982 album ''The Music Of Frankie Laine''. "I Believe" was also recorded as part of a different collection of Laine hit remakes in January 1982, again with the Don Jackson Orchestra. This album, ''The World Of Frankie Laine'', was released by Ronco the same year. In all, Laine recorded "I Believe" for six different record companies over a period spanning from 1953 to 1982.

Contemporary chart performance and recordings

In the US, only the versions by Froman and Laine charted, whilst only Laine's charted in the UK. It was commonplace at the time for multiple artists to record versions of a new song, and others were released. In the UK, "I Believe" entered the sheet music sales chart on 11 April 1953, and reached No. 1 on 13 June, its tenth week on chart. It spent a week at the top, and returned on 24 October for another week, with a total of two weeks at No. 1 on the sheet music chart. The Frankie Laine version was the first to be issued in the UK, in February 1953. April saw recordings by Jane Froman,

Ronnie Ronalde Ronald Charles Waldron (29 June 1923 – 13 January 2015), known professionally as Ronnie Ronalde, was a British music hall singer and siffleur. Ronalde was famous for his voice, whistling, yodelling, imitations of bird song and stage personalit ...

and

David Whitfield David Whitfield (2 February 1925 – 15 January 1980) was a popular British male tenor vocalist from Hull. He became the first British artist to have a UK No.1 single in the UK and in the United States with " Cara Mia", featuring Mantovani an ...

. Subsequent releases were of versions by

Eve Boswell Eve Boswell (born Éva Keleti; 11 May 1922 – 14 August 1998, was a Hungarian pop singer. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Eva's family moved to South Africa, where they worked with the Boswell Circus. After a few years in South Afric ...

, Allan Jones, Victor Silvester and his Ballroom Orchestra, and Ethel Smith (organ). The song spent forty weeks on the sheet music sales chart, whilst Laine's recording was on the singles chart for 36 weeks.

Other notable recordings

* Louis Armstrong - included in his album ''I Will Wait for You'' (1968). *

The Bachelors The Bachelors were a popular music group, originating from Dublin, Ireland, but primarily based in the United Kingdom. They had several international hits during the 1960s, including eight top-ten singles in the UK between 1963 and 1966. Car ...

took the song to the No. 2 spot in the UK in 1964. This version also peaked at No. 33 on the US Hot 100. *

Brook Benton Benjamin Franklin Peay (September 19, 1931 – April 9, 1988), better known as Brook Benton, was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960 ...

& Dinah Washington - included in their album ''Two of Us'' (1960). *

Pat Boone Patrick Charles Eugene Boone (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer and actor. He was a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He sold more than 45 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and appeared in mo ...

- ''The Lord's Prayer (And Other Great Hymns)'' (1964). *

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting '' The Glen Campbell Good ...

- for his album ''

Oh Happy Day "Oh Happy Day" is a 1967 gospel music arrangement of the 1755 hymn by clergyman Philip Doddridge. Recorded by the Edwin Hawkins Singers, it became an international hit in 1969, reaching No. 4 on the US Singles Chart, No. 1 in France, Germany, an ...

'' (1970). * Perry Como - ''I Believe ~ Songs of All Faiths Sung by Perry Como'' (1953). * The Earls - included in the album "Remember Me" (1965). * Eddie Fisher sang the song before a live television audience of 60 million viewers (broadcast live over the NBC and CBS networks) as part of ''

The Ford 50th Anniversary Show ''The Ford 50th Anniversary Show'', also known as ''The American Road'', was a two-hour television special that was broadcast live on June 15, 1953, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Ford Motor Company purchased two hours of prime time from ...

''. * Mahalia Jackson - a single release in 1953, later included in the album ''The World's Greatest Gospel Singer'' (1956). *

Joni James Giovanna Carmella Babbo (September 22, 1930 – February 20, 2022), known professionally as Joni James, was an American singer of traditional pop music. Biography Giovanna Carmella Babbo was born to an Italian-American family in Chicago, Illino ...

- included in the album "Give Us This Day" (1957). * Tom Jones - ''Tom Jones Live! At the Talk of the Town'' (1967). *

Daniel O'Donnell Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell, MBE (born 12 December 1961) is an Irish singer, television presenter and philanthropist. After rising to public attention in 1983, he has since become a household name in Ireland and Britain; he has also had co ...

- ''I Believe'' (1997). *

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

- for his EP '' Peace in the Valley'' (1957). Later included on the album ''

Elvis' Christmas Album ''Elvis' Christmas Album'' (also reissued as ''It's Christmas Time'') is the third studio album and first Christmas album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley on RCA Victor, LOC -1035, a deluxe limited edition, released October 15, 1957, ...

'' (1957). *

Johnnie Ray John Alvin Ray (January 10, 1927 – February 24, 1990) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Highly popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor to what became rock and roll, for his jazz and blu ...

& Timi Yuro - a single release in 1961. *

Reparata and the Delrons Reparata and the Delrons were an American girl group. They are best known for their 1965 recordings "Whenever a Teenager Cries" and "Tommy", for the 1968 European hit " Captain of Your Ship" and for Reparata's 1975 solo hit "Shoes". History 1962 ...

- 45 RPM single Mala 573. (1967). * Cissy Houston - for her album '' Presenting Cissy Houston'' (1970). * Robson & Jerome's version reached number one in the UK in 1995. * Jimmie Rodgers - included on the album ''The Number One Ballads'' (1958). *

recorded the song in 1953, and again in 1960. Only the latter recording appeared in the

, peaking at No.49. Both were issued by Decca Records. * Andy Williams - for his album '' The Village of St. Bernadette'' (1960). *

Roy Hamilton Roy Hamilton (April 16, 1929 – July 20, 1969) was an American singer. By combining semi-classical technique with traditional black gospel feeling, he brought soul to Great American Songbook singing. Hamilton's greatest commercial success ca ...

- a single release in 1955. * B.J. Thomas - for his album ''Amazing Grace'' (1981). *

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

- included "I Believe" as a medley with "You’ll Never Walk Alone," as the first selection on her album '' Higher Ground'' (1997). * Gary Valenciano for his album ''Revive'' (2000). * Martin Nievera included "I Believe" as a medley with "The Lord's Prayer (Our Father)," for the grand finale of his 17th anniversary concert (2001).

Quodlibet with Ave Maria

In 1972, Shawnee Music published a new arrangement of "I Believe" that includes a

quodlibet A quodlibet (; Latin for "whatever you wish" from '' quod'', "what" and '' libet'', "pleases") is a musical composition that combines several different melodies—usually popular tunes—in counterpoint, and often in a light-hearted, humorous m ...

with

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...

Gounod Charles-François Gounod (; ; 17 June 181818 October 1893), usually known as Charles Gounod, was a French composer. He wrote twelve operas, of which the most popular has always been ''Faust (opera), Faust'' (1859); his ''Roméo et Juliette'' (18 ...

, "Ave Maria". This version is frequently performed by choirs at Christmas time.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:I Believe (1953 song) 1953 songs 1953 singles 1964 singles Glen Campbell songs Frankie Laine songs Timi Yuro songs London Records singles Gospel songs UK Singles Chart number-one singles Number-one singles in Scotland