"Miss You Nights" is a song written by Dave Townsend and made famous worldwide by

Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is a British singer and actor. He has total sales of over 21.5 million singles in the United Kingdom and, as of 2012, was the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart histo ...

. The song has been recorded by numerous other artists, most notably

Westlife Westlife are an Irish pop group formed in Dublin in 1998. The group consists of members Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily. Brian McFadden was a member before leaving in March 2004. The group disbanded in 2012 and later reun ...

, who released it as the second track on a

double A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of vinyl records and cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a single usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or ...

single in 2003. The Westlife single reached number 3 in the UK singles chart.

Background

Townsend wrote the song in 1974 while his girlfriend was away on holiday. He recorded it on an album for

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in Jamaica by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in 1959, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, another ...

, but the label shelved the album and decided to recoup part of the cost of the unreleased album through cover deals. Some demo tapes were handed to

Bruce Welch Bruce Cripps (born 2 November 1941), known professionally as Bruce Welch, is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer, singer and businessman best known as a founding member of the Shadows. Early life Bruce Welch was born in Bognor Regis in ...

The Shadows The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters between 1958 and 1959) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the pre-Beatles era from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. They served as the bac ...

who also worked as producer for Cliff Richard and was looking for songs to revitalize his career. Welch immediately recognized it as a hit - "

Andrew Powell Andrew Powell (born 18 April 1949) is a British musical composer, arranger and performer, born of Welsh parents. He moved to Wales in 2003. Early life Powell was born in Surrey, England. He began piano lessons at the age of four and later atte ...

's string arrangement helped to make it a great love song through its imagery and potent feelings of longing and loneliness". Welch and Cliff recorded it in September 1975. Of the song and its writer Cliff said: "I think it's one of the nicest songs I’ve ever made... when I heard his version it was terrific. He ownsendwas pleased to have that happen. I mean it could have been anybody and it would have been a hit."

Original release

Cliff Richard released ''Miss You Nights'' on 14 November 1975 as the lead single from his studio album '' I'm Nearly Famous''. It entered the British Top 20 and in March 1976, reached #15 in the UK Singles Chart. Chart performance Album appearances ''Miss You Nights'' was first included on Richard's 1976 studio album '' I'm Nearly Famous''. As one of Richard's most enduring songs, it has been included on many of his compilation albums. The most notable of these compilation albums and albums with alternative versions are: *1977: '' 40 Golden Greats'' *1979: '' Thank You Very Much'' (1978 live version) *1981: ''

Love Songs A love song is a song about love, falling in love, broken heart, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. Love songs can be found in a variety of different music genres. They can come in various formats, from sa ...

'' *1983: '' Dressed for the Occasion'' (1982 live version with the

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, England. The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable recording contracts and important engagemen ...

) *1990: '' From a Distance: The Event'' box-set edition. An

a cappella Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...

version with Coro Croz Corona (choir) was included on a single-sided 7" vinyl record. *1994: '' The Hit List'' *2005: ''From a Distance: The Event'' (1989 live version, but only included on the 2005 re-release containing the full original live concert track-listing) *2008: '' The 50th Anniversary Album'' *2015: '' 75 at 75'' *2018: '' Rise Up'' (original vocals with new backing by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)

Cliff Richard 1994 re-release

In 1994, Cliff Richard re-released the song on a

single with "

All I Have to Do Is Dream "All I Have to Do Is Dream" is a song made famous by the Everly Brothers, written by Boudleaux Bryant of the husband-and-wife songwriting team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, and published in 1958. The song is ranked No. 141 on the ''Rolling Stone ...

", which was listed first. "All I Have to Do Is Dream", originally by

The Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close-harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly and Phillip "Phil" Everly, the duo combined elements of rock and roll, country, ...

was recorded as a live duet with

Phil Everly Phillip Everly (January 19, 1939 – January 3, 2014) was an American musician, who was one half of the duo The Everly Brothers alongside his older brother Don. Early life Phil was born in Chicago in 1939 to Isaac Milford "Ike" Everly, Jr. (190 ...

, while "Miss You Nights" is a remix of the 1976 original. The double A-side single reached #14 in the UK singles chart. Track list: CD1: #"

" #"Miss You Nights" #" When Will I Be Loved" #"Tribute to the Legends - Medley" CD2: #"All I Have to Do Is Dream" #"Miss You Nights" #" True Love Ways" #"Party Megamix" Chart performance

Westlife version

released "

Tonight Tonight may refer to: Television * ''Tonight'' (1957 TV programme), a 1957–1965 British current events television programme hosted by Cliff Michelmore that was broadcast on BBC * ''Tonight'' (1975 TV programme), a 1975–1979 British current ...

" and "Miss You Nights" together in 2003 as a

single 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 ...

(with "Tonight" listed first). However it was "Tonight" rather than "Miss You Nights" that received most of the radio airplay. The single reached number 3 in both the UK and Scotland. In all other countries where the single charted, only "Tonight" is listed as the charting track. In some countries "Miss You Nights" was excluded from the single altogether. The song was composed in the traditional

verse–chorus form Verse–chorus form is a musical form going back to the 1840s, in such songs as "Oh! Susanna", " The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze", and many others. It became passé in the early 1900s, with advent of the AABA (with verse) form in the T ...

A major A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor. The A major scale is: Changes needed for the ...

and in this rendition Filan, McFadden and Feehily's vocal ranges from the chords of E₄ to B₅. Chart performance

Other versions

Cliff Richard also recorded two more versions of the song as duets: *2004: With

Elaine Paige Dame Elaine Jill Paige (born Elaine Jill Bickerstaff, 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Chipping Barnet, Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, m ...

, included on her album ''Centre Stage: The Very Best of Elaine Paige'' *2005: With G4 on their album ''

G4 & Friends G4 are a four-piece British vocal troupe who first came to prominence when they finished second in Series 1 of ''The X Factor'' in 2004, and are known for their operatic delivery of modern pop songs. Originally a barbershop quartet, the member ...

'', later also included on Cliff Richard's 2006 album '' Two's Company - The Duets'' Other covers include: *1976: Diane Solomon on her album ''Mixed Feelings'' *1977:

Marie Osmond Olive Marie Osmond (born October 13, 1959) is an American singer, actress, television personality, author, and businesswoman. She is known for her girl next door, girl-next-door image and her decades-long career in many different areas. Her musi ...

on her album '' This Is the Way That I Feel'' *1978:

Dobie Gray Dobie Gray (born Lawrence Darrow Brown; July 26, 1940 – December 6, 2011) was an American singer and songwriter. Gray's music spanned multiple genres, including soul, country, pop, and musical theater. His hit songs included " The 'In' Cro ...

on his album ''Midnight Diamond'' *1979:

Art Garfunkel Arthur Ira Garfunkel (born November 5, 1941) is an American singer, actor and poet who is best known for his partnership with Paul Simon in the folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, Garfunkel became acquainte ...

on his album '' Fate for Breakfast'' *1979:

The Nolans The Nolans were an Anglo-Irish girl group formed in Blackpool in 1974, originally known as the Nolan Sisters. They changed their name to The Nolans in 1980. Between 1979 and 1982, they enjoyed a string of hit singles, including ''I'm in the M ...

on their album '' Nolan Sisters'' *1980:

Demis Roussos Artemios "Demis" Ventouris-Roussos ( ; , ; 15 June 1946 – 25 January 2015) was a Greek-Egyptian singer, songwriter and musician. As a band member, he is best remembered for his work in the progressive rock music act Aphrodite's Child, but as a ...

on his album '' Man of the World'' *1980:

Roger Whittaker Roger Henry Brough Whittaker (22 March 1936 – 13 September 2023) was a Kenyan-born British singer-songwriter and musician. His music is an eclectic mixture of folk music and popular songs, the latter variously in a crooning or in a schlager ...

on his album ''You Are My Miracle'' *1981:

Brotherhood of Man Brotherhood of Man were a British pop group who achieved success in the 1970s with three number one hits in the UK. They won the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with " Save Your Kisses for Me". Created in 1969 by songwriter and record producer ...

on their album '' 20 Disco Greats / 20 Love Songs'' *1982: Carl Wayne with Choral Union *1983:

Acker Bilk Bernard Stanley "Acker" Bilk, (28 January 1929 – 2 November 2014) was an English clarinetist and vocalist known for his breathy, vibrato-rich, lower-register style, and distinctive appearance – of goatee, bowler hat and striped waistco ...

*1990: Johnny Logan &

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 ...

single from Logan's album ''Love Songs'' *1996: Randy VanWarmer on his album ''Sun, Moon & Stars'' *2001: Smokie on their album ''Uncovered Too'' *2005:

Rick Springfield Richard Lewis Springthorpe (born 23 August 1949), known professionally as Rick Springfield, is an Australian-American musician and actor. He was a member of the pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971, then started his solo career with his debut ...

on his album '' The Day After Yesterday''

References

External links

Second Hand Songs: "Miss You Night" song page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miss you nights 1975 singles 1994 singles Cliff Richard songs The Nolans songs EMI Records singles 1974 songs