Hello Darlin' (song)
Encyclopedia
"Hello Darlin'" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music
artist, Conway Twitty
. The song was originally released in March 1970 and became Twitty's fourth No. 1 song on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles
chart that summer. The song spent four weeks atop the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, and was named the No. 1 song of 1970. Aside from being Twitty's standard concert opener, the song became a country standard as well as his signature song.
" and "Hello Darlin'." The latter song would become the song Twitty used to open his concerts.
While recording the song in 1969, Twitty sang the opening lines, but for some reason it didn't work. Record producer Owen Bradley
suggested speaking the lines: "Hello darlin', nice to see you." The result was a hook that made the song instantly recognizable to fans.
as a track on his 1993 album, High Tech Redneck
, and was considered to be part of Jones' tribute to Twitty (who had died earlier in the year).
Among the artists recording cover versions were Lynn Anderson, Bobby Bare, Wanda Jackson, Jason Molina, Daniel O'Donnell, Stu Phillips, Charlie Rich, and Charley Pride.
) is used at the end of the Family Guy
episode "Peter's Daughter
."
. Actually, it was a Russian language
version of the song. Called "Privet Radost," the song — commissioned by the Apollo crew — was played by the American astronauts to Russian cosmonauts (of the Soyuz crew) as "a gesture of goodwill." Twitty worked with a language professor from the University of Oklahoma
to record the phonetic Russian version of the song.
"Privet Radost" - released as a special edition single in 1975, although it did not chart - is available on The Conway Twitty Collection box set.
|-
! Country
! Certification
(sales thresholds)
|-
| United States
| Gold
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist, Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
. The song was originally released in March 1970 and became Twitty's fourth No. 1 song on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart that summer. The song spent four weeks atop the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, and was named the No. 1 song of 1970. Aside from being Twitty's standard concert opener, the song became a country standard as well as his signature song.
Background and writing
During Twitty's lifetime, two songs became closely associated with him: "It's Only Make BelieveIt's Only Make Believe
"It's Only Make Believe" is the title of a song written by Jack Nance and American country music artist Conway Twitty, released by Twitty as a single in July 1958. The single topped both U.S...
" and "Hello Darlin'." The latter song would become the song Twitty used to open his concerts.
While recording the song in 1969, Twitty sang the opening lines, but for some reason it didn't work. Record producer Owen Bradley
Owen Bradley
Owen Bradley was an American record producer who, along with Chet Atkins and Bob Ferguson, was one of the chief architects of the 1950s and 1960s Nashville sound in country music and rockabilly.-Before the fame:...
suggested speaking the lines: "Hello darlin', nice to see you." The result was a hook that made the song instantly recognizable to fans.
Content
"Hello Darlin'" is about a man who runs into an old flame and, after acknowledging to her "You're just as lovely as you used to be," tries to put up his bravado by saying he's getting along fine without her, "except," he admits, "I can't sleep, and I cry all night 'til dawn." He then details his deep sorrow for his mistakes that led to the breakup of their relationship, then - after sharing an embrace "just for old time's sake" - bids her well. Before the two part, he says that if she would forgive him, he'll be waiting for her.Cover versions
A cover version of "Hello Darlin'" was recorded in 1993 by George JonesGeorge Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
as a track on his 1993 album, High Tech Redneck
High Tech Redneck
High-Tech Redneck is an album by American country music singer George Jones. It was released in 1993 on the MCA Nashville Records label. This album went Gold in 1994. Its lead-off single was its title track, which peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts in 1994...
, and was considered to be part of Jones' tribute to Twitty (who had died earlier in the year).
Among the artists recording cover versions were Lynn Anderson, Bobby Bare, Wanda Jackson, Jason Molina, Daniel O'Donnell, Stu Phillips, Charlie Rich, and Charley Pride.
In popular culture
A live video clip of Twitty singing "Hello Darlin'" (on Hee HawHee Haw
Hee Haw is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with fictional rural Kornfield Kounty as a backdrop. It aired on CBS-TV from 1969–1971 before a 20-year run in local syndication. The show was inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, the major difference being...
) is used at the end of the Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode "Peter's Daughter
Peter's Daughter
"Peter's Daughter" is the seventh episode of the sixth season of Family Guy and originally aired November 25, 2007 and ended the first half of the season. When a flood hits Quahog, Meg winds up in the hospital in a coma, and an over-protective Peter vows he will take extra care of her from then on...
."
"Privet Radost"
On July 17, 1975, "Hello Darlin'" was played and broadcast to a worldwide audience as part of the Apollo-Soyuz Test ProjectApollo-Soyuz Test Project
-Backup crew:-Crew notes:Jack Swigert had originally been assigned as the command module pilot for the ASTP prime crew, but prior to the official announcement he was removed as punishment for his involvement in the Apollo 15 postage stamp scandal.-Soyuz crew:...
. Actually, it was a Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
version of the song. Called "Privet Radost," the song — commissioned by the Apollo crew — was played by the American astronauts to Russian cosmonauts (of the Soyuz crew) as "a gesture of goodwill." Twitty worked with a language professor from the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
to record the phonetic Russian version of the song.
"Privet Radost" - released as a special edition single in 1975, although it did not chart - is available on The Conway Twitty Collection box set.
Chart performance
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 60 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 2 |
Certifications
{| class="wikitable"|-
! Country
! Certification
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,...
(sales thresholds)
|-
| United States
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
| Gold