The Most Beautiful Girl
Encyclopedia
"The Most Beautiful Girl" is a song recorded by Charlie Rich
and written by Bill Sherrill
, Norris Wilson
, and Rory Michael Bourke
. The country & western ballad reached #1 in the United States
in 1973 on three Billboard
music charts: the pop chart
(for two weeks); the country chart
(for three weeks); and the adult contemporary chart
(also for three weeks) as well as in Canada
on three RPM
charts: the RPM 100 Top Singles chart, the Country Tracks chart and the Adult Contemporary chart. The single stayed in a country chart for 18 weeks. Its B-side, Rich's own I Feel Like Going Home, was later covered by Rita Coolidge
and was released on her 1974 album Fall into Spring
.
"The Most Beautiful Girl" was also recorded by Slim Whitman
in the 1970s. In 1975 ABBA
singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad
recorded a Swedish-language version called "Vill du låna en man?" (with Swedish lyrics by Stig Anderson
) on her solo album "Frida ensam
". Sergio Franchi
covered the song in his 1976 DynaHouse album 20 Magnificent Songs. Country music boy band South 65
recorded an updated version of the song, titled "The Most Beautiful Girl (2001 Version)", on their 2001 album Dream Large.
The song receives a – very brief – airing by Brenda Fricker
in the film So I Married an Axe Murderer
.
Charlie Rich
Charles Rich was an American country music singer and musician. A Grammy Award winner, his eclectic-style of music was often hard to classify in a single genre, playing in the rockabilly, jazz, blues, country, and gospel genres.In the latter part of his life, Rich acquired the nickname The Silver...
and written by Bill Sherrill
Billy Sherrill
Billy Sherrill is a record producer and arranger who is most famous for his association with a number of country artists, most notably Tammy Wynette...
, Norris Wilson
Norro Wilson
Norris "Norro" Wilson is an American country music singer, songwriter and producer, and member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame....
, and Rory Michael Bourke
Rory Michael Bourke
Rory Michael Bourke is a country music songwriter born July 14, 1942 in Cleveland, Ohio.Bourke moved to Nashville in 1964 and worked for a period in the promotional department of Mercury Records....
. The country & western ballad reached #1 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1973 on three 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...
music charts: the pop chart
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...
(for two weeks); the 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...
(for three weeks); and 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...
(also for three weeks) as well as in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on three RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
charts: the RPM 100 Top Singles chart, the Country Tracks chart and the Adult Contemporary chart. The single stayed in a country chart for 18 weeks. Its B-side, Rich's own I Feel Like Going Home, was later covered by Rita Coolidge
Rita Coolidge
Rita Coolidge is a multiple Grammy Award-winning American vocalist. During the 1970s and 1980s, she charted hits on Billboard's Pop, Country, Adult Contemporary and Jazz charts.-Career:...
and was released on her 1974 album Fall into Spring
Fall Into Spring
Fall Into Spring is a 1974 album by Rita Coolidge and was released on the A&M Records label.-Side one:#"Love Has No Pride" — 3:50#"That's What Friends Are For" — 4:55#"Cowboys and Indians" — 3:15...
.
"The Most Beautiful Girl" was also recorded by Slim Whitman
Slim Whitman
Ottis Dewey Whitman, Jr. , known professionally as Slim Whitman, is an American country music singer and songwriter, known for his yodelling abilities. He has sold in excess of 120 million albums in unit sales and has had numerous successful recordings...
in the 1970s. In 1975 ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Anni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...
recorded a Swedish-language version called "Vill du låna en man?" (with Swedish lyrics by Stig Anderson
Stig Anderson
Stig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
) on her solo album "Frida ensam
Frida ensam
Frida ensam is a solo album by ABBA singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The album was produced by her fiancé, ABBA member Benny Andersson and was first released by Polar Music in 1975. It has since been re-released several times, most significantly in remastered form in 2005 with bonus tracks...
". Sergio Franchi
Sergio Franchi
Sergio Franchi was an Italian tenor.Franchi was born in Cremona, Italy. His father wanted him to become an electrical engineer, so he studied both music and engineering simultaneously. The family moved to South Africa in 1952, where Sergio worked part-time as a draftsman, while continuing to study...
covered the song in his 1976 DynaHouse album 20 Magnificent Songs. Country music boy band South 65
South 65
-Track listing:#"Baby's Got My Number" – 3:00#"Climbing Up Mt. Everest" – 3:03#"I'm There" – 4:12#"Uncle Hickory's General Store" -Track listing:#"Baby's Got My Number" (Roger Cook, Anthony L. Smith) – 3:00#"Climbing Up Mt. Everest" (Tommy Lee James, Robin Lerner) – 3:03#"I'm There" (Kelly...
recorded an updated version of the song, titled "The Most Beautiful Girl (2001 Version)", on their 2001 album Dream Large.
The song receives a – very brief – airing by Brenda Fricker
Brenda Fricker
Brenda Fricker is an Irish actress of theatre, film and television. She had appeared in more than 30 films and television roles...
in the film So I Married an Axe Murderer
So I Married an Axe Murderer
So I Married an Axe Murderer is a 1993 American comedy-horror film starring Mike Myers and Nancy Travis. Myers plays Charlie McKenzie, a man afraid of commitment until he meets Harriet , who works at a butcher shop and may be a serial killer...
.
Chart performance
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 1 |
| Belgian VRT Top 30 | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 2 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 3 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 5 |
| Australian Kent Music Report | 7 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 8 |
| French Singles Chart | 10 |
| German Singles Chart | 14 |