It's Such a Pretty World Today
Encyclopedia
"It's Such a Pretty World Today" is the title of a popular song released in 1967. The song was written by songwriter
Dale Noe.
The song was originally a country music
single
by singer Wynn Stewart
. Although Stewart had previously hit the Top 40 on the Billboard
US country chart
with songs such as "Wishful Thinking" in 1960, "It's Such a Pretty World Today" would become his highest charting hit, peaking at No.1 on the country music chart for two weeks in the late spring of 1967. It was released as a single from his album of the same name that year.
recorded a cover version
of the song. Russell had enjoyed quite a bit of popularity in the U.S. throughout the 1940s and 1950s, recording songs such as "Bésame Mucho
" and co-starring in a short-lived daily musical show with his then-wife, Della, on ABC
from 1950-1951. After the couple divorced, Russell left the U.S. for many years, but he returned in the mid 1960s and tried resurrecting his singing career. Although his cover of "It's Such a Pretty World Today" failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100
pop chart (it "bubbled under", peaking at No. 119), it did spend one week at No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart
, making the song the first to top the AC chart while not entering the pop chart. Russell died in 1992.
, whose version appears on her 1967 album Singin' with Feelin'
; Nancy Sinatra
, who also recorded the song in 1967 and included it on her album Country, My Way; and Marie Osmond
, whose version appears on her 1973 album Paper Roses
. Sinatra's version of the song can be heard near the end of a second season episode of the AMC
drama Breaking Bad
.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Dale Noe.
The song was originally a country music
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...
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by singer Wynn Stewart
Wynn Stewart
Winford Lindsey Stewart , better known as Wynn Stewart, was an American country music performer. He was one of the progenitors of the Bakersfield sound...
. Although Stewart had previously hit the Top 40 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
US country chart
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...
with songs such as "Wishful Thinking" in 1960, "It's Such a Pretty World Today" would become his highest charting hit, peaking at No.1 on the country music chart for two weeks in the late spring of 1967. It was released as a single from his album of the same name that year.
Chart performance
| Chart (1967) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
Andy Russell version
That same year, Mexican-American singer Andy RussellAndy Russell (singer)
Andy Russell was an American popular vocalist, specializing in traditional pop and Latin music.He was born Andrés Rabago Pérez in the Boyle Heights area of East Los Angeles. He was one of ten children born to parents who were Mexican immigrants of Spanish descent...
recorded a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the song. Russell had enjoyed quite a bit of popularity in the U.S. throughout the 1940s and 1950s, recording songs such as "Bésame Mucho
Bésame Mucho
"Bésame Mucho" is a Spanish language song written in 1940 by Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velázquez.-Inspiration:According to Velázquez herself, she wrote this song even though she had never been kissed yet at the time, and kissing as she heard was considered a sin.She was inspired by the piano...
" and co-starring in a short-lived daily musical show with his then-wife, Della, on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from 1950-1951. After the couple divorced, Russell left the U.S. for many years, but he returned in the mid 1960s and tried resurrecting his singing career. Although his cover of "It's Such a Pretty World Today" failed to reach 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...
pop chart (it "bubbled under", peaking at No. 119), it did spend one week at No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
, making the song the first to top the AC chart while not entering the pop chart. Russell died in 1992.
Other versions
Other artists who have recorded cover versions of the song include: Loretta LynnLoretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter, author and philanthropist. Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Lynn. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he...
, whose version appears on her 1967 album Singin' with Feelin'
Singin' With Feelin'
Singin' With Feelin' is a 1967 album by American country singer-songwriter, Loretta Lynn.This was Lynn's second studio album of the year. The album spawned one single, "If You're Not Gone too Long", which peaked in the Country Top 10 in 1967...
; Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
, who also recorded the song in 1967 and included it on her album Country, My Way; and Marie Osmond
Marie Osmond
Olive Marie Osmond is an American singer, actress, doll designer, and a member of the show business family The Osmonds. Although she was never part of her family's singing group, she gained success as a solo country music artist in the 1970s and 1980s...
, whose version appears on her 1973 album Paper Roses
Paper Roses (album)
Paper Roses is the debut studio album by American country music singer, Marie Osmond. It was released in 1973 on MGM Records. It was the first of four MGM albums Osmond would record as solo artist....
. Sinatra's version of the song can be heard near the end of a second season episode of the AMC
AMC (TV network)
AMC is a cable television specialty channel that primarily airs movies, along with a limited amount of original programming. The letters originally stood for American Movie Classics; however since 2002, the full name has been deemphasized as a result of a major shift in programming...
drama Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series...
.