David Whitfield
Encyclopedia
David Whitfield was a popular British
male tenor vocalist
. This operatic-style tenor
had a formidable and predominantly female fan
base in the 1950s.
, in the East Riding of Yorkshire
and as a child, became a choirboy
in St. Peter's Church and began a lifelong love of singing. He joined the Royal Navy
at the age of 17 and served in the Far East
as well as being part of the D-Day
landings in France
in 1944. During his days in the Navy, he would entertain shipmates and also at base hospital
s. Returning to civilian life after the war
, he began working in the concrete
business until a break came as he appeared on the talent show
, Opportunity Knocks on Radio Luxembourg
. His first couple of releases were not successful, but the third song
, a recording
of "Bridge Of Sighs" finally broke him into the Top 10 (the UK Singles Chart
was only a Top 12 at that time) and the next release, "Answer Me, Oh Lord" went all the way to Number One despite a partial ban by the BBC
for the song's religious
connotations. Because of this ban, Whitfield re-recorded the number with different lyrics as "Answer Me, My Love
". Both versions have appeared on CD
.
Whitfield notched up a string of hits in the 1950s, and was the most successful UK
male singer in the U.S. during the pre-rock
years. He used a variety of popular orchestras of his day, including Stanley Black
, Mantovani
, and the Roland Shaw
orchestra to supply him with his backing accompaniment.
He was the first UK male vocalist to earn a gold disc
; the first to have a hit placed in the Top Ten
of the Billboard Hot 100
; and the first artist from Britain
to sell over one million copies of one disc
in America
. Whitfield was the third British artist
to win a coveted gold disc. The only other British artists up to that point to have been awarded a Golden Record were Vera Lynn
(for "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart
") and trumpet
er Eddie Calvert
(for "Oh Mein Papa
").
His most popular recordings were:-
"Cara Mia" spent ten weeks at the pole position in the UK, making it one of the biggest selling British records in the pre-rock days. That recording co-credits Mantovani and his Orchestra and Chorus. Whitfield was invited to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show as well as being one of the stars of the 1954 Royal Command Performance
alongside Bob Hope
, Frankie Howerd
, Guy Mitchell
, Norman Wisdom
, Max Bygraves
, Frankie Laine
and Howard Keel
. Like many others, Whitfield's work was usurped by the tidal wave of rock and roll
. All of his hits were released by the Decca
record label
in the UK. Nevertheless, when the hits dried up, he continued to perform regularly across the globe, despite keeping a home close to his roots in Hull
. His only album
chart
entry was the Decca
compilation
The World Of David Whitfield which hit Number 19 on the separate mid price chart
which ran in the UK during the early 1970s.
Whitfield recorded exclusively for Decca from 1953 (starting with "Marta") until 1961. Many of his singles were also issued on LP and similarly have been reissued in recent years on assorted CD compilations under licence. There were three 45rpm EP
specials (1959–60), one entitled "The Good Old Songs" and the other two featuring numbers from "Rose Marie" and "The Desert Song," two musical shows in which Whitfield toured. On leaving Decca he recorded two singles for HMV (1962–63). His last LP, made for Philips
in 1975 and entitled Hey There! It's David Whitfield, included his third recording of "Cara Mia" (he had already recorded a stereo
re-make of this for Decca in 1966 in an album entitled Great Songs for Young Lovers). Whitfield's last single was for Denman, a coupling of "Land of Hope and Glory
" and "When You Lose The One You Love" (1977).
He never managed to make the amount of money that his success would have brought him if it had happened ten years later. When he died in Sydney
, Australia
, during a singing tour in Australia from a brain haemorrhage at the age of 54, he left only £3,000 but his renown was exemplified by the corresponding, four column obituary notice, afforded him in The Times
.
His ashes were flown back to the UK where they were carried out to sea, south of Spurn Point
near his birthplace of Hull. Over 50 years on, he is still one of only six artists
to have spent 10 or more consecutive weeks at Number One on the UK Singles Chart.
At this moment in time, a statue is being planned in the memory of Whitfield. This information has been published in the David Whitfield International Appreciation Society magazine.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
male tenor vocalist
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
. This operatic-style tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
had a formidable and predominantly female fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
base in the 1950s.
Life and career
Whitfield was born in Kingston upon HullKingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, in the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
and as a child, became a choirboy
Choirboy
A choirboy is a boy member of a choir, also known as a treble.As a derisive slang term, it refers to a do-gooder or someone who is morally upright, in the same sense that "Boy Scout" refers to someone who is considered honorable or conscientious.- History :The use of choirboys in Christian...
in St. Peter's Church and began a lifelong love of singing. He joined the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
at the age of 17 and served in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
as well as being part of the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1944. During his days in the Navy, he would entertain shipmates and also at base hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s. Returning to civilian life after the war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he began working in the concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
business until a break came as he appeared on the talent show
Talent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
, Opportunity Knocks on Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
. His first couple of releases were not successful, but the third song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
, a recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
of "Bridge Of Sighs" finally broke him into the Top 10 (the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
was only a Top 12 at that time) and the next release, "Answer Me, Oh Lord" went all the way to Number One despite a partial ban by the BBC
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
for the song's religious
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
connotations. Because of this ban, Whitfield re-recorded the number with different lyrics as "Answer Me, My Love
Answer Me, My Love
"Answer Me, My Love" is a popular song, originally written by Gerhard Winkler and Fred Rauch. The English lyrics were written by Carl Sigman in 1953....
". Both versions have appeared on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
.
Whitfield notched up a string of hits in the 1950s, and was the most successful UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
male singer in the U.S. during the pre-rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
years. He used a variety of popular orchestras of his day, including Stanley Black
Stanley Black
Stanley Black OBE was an English Bandleader, Composer, conductor, arranger and pianist. He wrote and arranged many film scores and recorded prolifically for the Decca label...
, Mantovani
Mantovani
Annunzio Paolo Mantovani known as Mantovani, was an Anglo-Italian conductor and light orchestra-styled entertainer with a cascading strings musical signature. The book British Hit Singles & Albums states that he was "Britain's most successful album act before The Beatles .....
, and the Roland Shaw
Roland Shaw (bandleader)
Roland Shaw born Roland Edgar Shaw-Tomkins 26 May 1920 is an English composer, musical arranger, and orchestra leader.Shaw attended the Trinity College of Music and served in the Royal Air Force in World War II leading RAF No 1 Band of the Middle East Forces....
orchestra to supply him with his backing accompaniment.
He was the first UK male vocalist to earn a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
; the first to have a hit placed in the Top Ten
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
; and the first artist from Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to sell over one million copies of one disc
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Whitfield was the third British artist
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
to win a coveted gold disc. The only other British artists up to that point to have been awarded a Golden Record were Vera Lynn
Vera Lynn
Dame Vera Lynn, DBE is an English singer-songwriter and actress whose musical recordings and performances were enormously popular during World War II. During the war she toured Egypt, India and Burma, giving outdoor concerts for the troops...
(for "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart
Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart
"Auf Wiederseh'n, Sweetheart" is a popular song and a cover version of "Auf wiedersehen, auf wiedersehen" written by German composer Eberhard Storch. Storch wrote the song in the hospital for his wife Maria as he was ill for a long time....
") and trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
er Eddie Calvert
Eddie Calvert
Eddie Calvert was an English trumpeter, who enjoyed his greatest successes in the 1950s. Calvert had his first United Kingdom, number one instrumental single in 1954, with "Oh Mein Papa".-Biography:...
(for "Oh Mein Papa
Oh My Pa-Pa (O Mein Papa)
"O mein Papa" is a German song, as related by a young woman remembering her beloved, once-famous clown father. It was written by Swiss composer Paul Burkhard in 1939 for the musical Der Schwarze Hecht , reproduced in 1950 as Feuerwerk to a libretto by Erik Charell, Jürg Amstein, and Robert Gilbert...
").
His most popular recordings were:-
- "Cara MiaCara Mia"Cara Mia" is a popular song published in 1954 and became a hit for English singer David Whitfield in 1954 and a #4 hit by the American pop group Jay and the Americans in 1965. The title means "my beloved" in Italian....
" - which earned him that gold disc and gave him his second Number One in the UK Singles Chart. - "Answer Me" - his first UK chart topper.
- "My September Love" - a big crowd pleaser.
- "I'll Find You" - the theme musicTheme musicTheme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
to the 1957 filmFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Sea Wife, starring Joan CollinsJoan CollinsJoan Henrietta Collins, OBE , is an English actress, author, and columnist. Born in Paddington and raised in Maida Vale, Collins grew up during the Second World War. At the age of nine, she made her stage debut in A Doll's House and after attending school, she was classically trained as an actress...
and Richard BurtonRichard BurtonRichard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
. - "William Tell" - the theme music to the TVTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series, The Adventures of William TellThe Adventures of William TellThe Adventures of William Tell is a British swashbuckler adventure series, first broadcast on the ITV network in 1958, and produced by ITC Entertainment.-Production notes:...
.
"Cara Mia" spent ten weeks at the pole position in the UK, making it one of the biggest selling British records in the pre-rock days. That recording co-credits Mantovani and his Orchestra and Chorus. Whitfield was invited to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show as well as being one of the stars of the 1954 Royal Command Performance
Royal Command Performance
For the annual Royal Variety Performance performed in Britain for the benefit of the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund, see Royal Variety Performance...
alongside Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, Frankie Howerd
Frankie Howerd
Francis Alick "Frankie" Howerd OBE was an English comedian and comic actor whose career, described by fellow comedian Barry Cryer as "a series of comebacks", spanned six decades.-Early career:...
, Guy Mitchell
Guy Mitchell
Guy Mitchell, born Albert George Cernik, was an American pop singer, successful in his homeland, the U.K. and Australia...
, Norman Wisdom
Norman Wisdom
Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, OBE was an English actor, comedian and singer-songwriter best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring his hapless onscreen character Norman Pitkin...
, Max Bygraves
Max Bygraves
Max Bygraves OBE is an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs...
, Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio , was a successful American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performance of "That's My Desire" in 2005...
and Howard Keel
Howard Keel
Harold Clifford Keel , known professionally as Howard Keel, was an American actor and singer. He starred in many film musicals of the 1950s...
. Like many others, Whitfield's work was usurped by the tidal wave of rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. All of his hits were released by the Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
in the UK. Nevertheless, when the hits dried up, he continued to perform regularly across the globe, despite keeping a home close to his roots in Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
. His only album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
entry was the Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
The World Of David Whitfield which hit Number 19 on the separate mid price chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
which ran in the UK during the early 1970s.
Whitfield recorded exclusively for Decca from 1953 (starting with "Marta") until 1961. Many of his singles were also issued on LP and similarly have been reissued in recent years on assorted CD compilations under licence. There were three 45rpm EP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
specials (1959–60), one entitled "The Good Old Songs" and the other two featuring numbers from "Rose Marie" and "The Desert Song," two musical shows in which Whitfield toured. On leaving Decca he recorded two singles for HMV (1962–63). His last LP, made for Philips
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
in 1975 and entitled Hey There! It's David Whitfield, included his third recording of "Cara Mia" (he had already recorded a stereo
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
re-make of this for Decca in 1966 in an album entitled Great Songs for Young Lovers). Whitfield's last single was for Denman, a coupling of "Land of Hope and Glory
Land of Hope and Glory
"Land of Hope and Glory" is a British patriotic song, with music by Edward Elgar and lyrics by A. C. Benson, written in 1902.- Composition :...
" and "When You Lose The One You Love" (1977).
He never managed to make the amount of money that his success would have brought him if it had happened ten years later. When he died in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, during a singing tour in Australia from a brain haemorrhage at the age of 54, he left only £3,000 but his renown was exemplified by the corresponding, four column obituary notice, afforded him in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
.
His ashes were flown back to the UK where they were carried out to sea, south of Spurn Point
Spurn
Spurn Point is a narrow sand spit on the tip of the coast of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England that reaches into the North Sea and forms the north bank of the mouth of the Humber estuary. It is over long, almost half the width of the estuary at that point, and as little as wide in places...
near his birthplace of Hull. Over 50 years on, he is still one of only six artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
to have spent 10 or more consecutive weeks at Number One on the UK Singles Chart.
At this moment in time, a statue is being planned in the memory of Whitfield. This information has been published in the David Whitfield International Appreciation Society magazine.
Singles
- F10062 "Marta" / "I'll Never Forget You"
- F10099 "I BelieveI Believe (1953 song)"I Believe" is the name of a popular song written by Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl and Al Stillman in 1953.I Believe was commissioned and introduced by Jane Froman on her television show, and became the first hit song ever introduced on TV...
" / "I'll Make You Mine" - F10129 "The Bridge of Sighs" / "I'm the King of Broken Hearts" - 1953 - Number 9 (UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
throughout) - F10192 "Answer MeAnswer Me"Answer Me" is a popular song, originally written by Gerhard Winkler and Fred Rauch. The English lyrics were written by Carl Sigman in 1952....
" / "Dance Gypsy Dance" - 1953 - Number 1 - F10207 "Rags to RichesRags to Riches (song)"Rags to Riches" is a 1953 popular song by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The best-known version of the song was recorded by Tony Bennett and reached number one on the Billboard chart in 1953. In the same year, a version by David Whitfield reached number three in the British charts...
" / "Mardi Gras" - 1953 - Number 3 - F10242 "The Book" / "Heartless" - 1954 - Number 5
- F10279 "Laugh" / "It's Never Too Late to Pray"
- F10327 "Cara MiaCara Mia"Cara Mia" is a popular song published in 1954 and became a hit for English singer David Whitfield in 1954 and a #4 hit by the American pop group Jay and the Americans in 1965. The title means "my beloved" in Italian....
" / "Love, Tears and Kisses" - 1954 - Number 1; Number 5 U.S. - F10355 "Smile" / "How, When or Where"
- F10399 "Santo Natale (Merry Christmas)" / "Adeste Fideles (Oh Come All Ye Faithful)" - 1954 - Number 2
- F10458 "Beyond The Stars" / "Open Your Heart" - 1955 - Number 8 (with Mantovani and his Orchestra)
- F10515 "Mama" / "Ev'rywhere" - 1955 - Number 12/Number 3
- F10562 "The Lady" / "Santa Rosa Lea Rose"
- F10596 "Lady of Madrid" / "I'll Never Stop Loving YouI'll Never Stop Loving You (1955 song)"I'll Never Stop Loving You" is a popular song.The music was written by Nicholas Brodzsky, the lyrics by Sammy Cahn. The song was published in 1955....
" - F10627 "When You Lose The One You Love" / "Angelus" - 1955 - Number 7 (with Mantovani and his Orchestra)
- F10690 "My September Love" / "The Rudder and the Rock" - 1956 - Number 3
- F10752 "It's Almost TomorrowIt's Almost Tomorrow"It's Almost Tomorrow" is a 1955 popular song with music by Gene Adkinson and lyrics by Wade Buff. The song was actually written in 1953, when Adkinson and Buff were in high school...
" (All Star Hit Parade) - F10769 "My Son John" / "My Unfinished Symphony" - 1956 - Number 22/Number 29
- F10833 "The Adoration Waltz" / "If I Lost You" - 1957 - Number 9
- F10864 "I'll Find You" / "I'd Give You the World" - 1957 - Number 27
- F10890 "Without Him" / "Dream of Paradise"
- F10931 "Martinella" / "Ev'rything"
- F10978 "Cry My Heart" / "My One True Love" - 1958 - Number 22 (with Mantovani and his Orchestra)
- F11018 "On the Street Where You LiveOn the Street Where You Live"On the Street Where You Live" is a song with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner from the 1956 Broadway musical My Fair Lady. It is sung in the musical by the character Freddy Eynsford-Hill, who was portrayed by John Michael King in the original production...
" / "Afraid" - 1958 - Number 16 - F11039 "The Right to Love" / "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" - 1958 - Number 30
- F11079 "This is Lucia" / "Love is a Stranger"
- F11101 "William Tell" / "Willingly"
- F11144 "A Million Stars" / "Farewell My Love"
- F11161 "Oh, Tree" / "Our Love Waltz"
- F11196 "Song of the Dreamer" / "My Only Love"
- F11221 "Angela Mia" / "A Tear, A Kiss, A Smile"
- F11289 "I BelieveI Believe (1953 song)"I Believe" is the name of a popular song written by Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl and Al Stillman in 1953.I Believe was commissioned and introduced by Jane Froman on her television show, and became the first hit song ever introduced on TV...
" / "Hear My Song, Violetta" - 1960 - Number 49 - F11336 "A Scottish SoldierA Scottish Soldier"A Scottish soldier" is a Scottish folk song.The lyrics were written by Andy Stewart. The song is about a dying Scottish soldier, wishing to return to the hills of his homeland rather than die in Tyrol. The song was one of two US chart entries by Andy Stewart. "A Scottish Soldier" reached no...
" / "Scotland the BraveScotland the Brave"Scotland the Brave" is a Scottish patriotic song. It was one of several songs considered an unofficial national anthem of Scotland.Scotland the Brave is also the authorised pipe band march of The British Columbia Dragoons of the Canadian Forces, and is played during the Pass in Review at Friday...
" (withdrawn: unissued in the UK) - F11339 "Climb Ev'ry MountainClimb Ev'ry Mountain"Climb Ev'ry Mountain" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. Here it is sung at the close of the first act by the Mother Abbess...
" / "The Sound of MusicThe Sound of Music (song)“The Sound of Music” is the title song from The Sound of Music, composed by Richard Rodgers to lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was originally sung by Mary Martin in the 1959 stage musical of the same name. It was sung by Julie Andrews in the 1961 film, with a reprise by the Von Trapp family...
" - 1961
- HMV POP1015 "As long as you love me" / "Impossible" (1962)
- HMV POP1180 "This Heart of Mine" / You Belong in Someone Else's Arms" (1963)
Albums
- 1954 - Yours from the Heart
- 1958 - Whitfield Favourites
- 1958 - From David With Love
- 1960 - My Heart and I
- 1961 - Alone
- 1966 - Great Songs for Young Lovers
- 1975 - Hey There It's David Whitfield
See also
- Early British popular musicEarly British popular musicEarly British popular music, in the sense of commercial music enjoyed by the people, can be seen to originate in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries with the arrival of the broadside ballad as a result of the print revolution, which were sold cheaply and in great numbers until the nineteenth...
- List of artists under the Decca Records label
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart