I Will Follow Him
| "I Will Follow Him" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 German edition picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by Little Peggy March | ||||
| from the album I Will Follow Him | ||||
| B-side | "Wind Up Doll" | |||
| Released | March 1963 | |||
| Format | Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM | |||
| Recorded | 1962 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 2:25 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Writer(s) |
Music: Franck Pourcel, Paul Mauriat, arr. Arthur Altman Lyrics: Norman Gimbel | |||
| Producer(s) | Hugo & Luigi, Arranged by Sammy Lowe | |||
| Little Peggy March singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"I Will Follow Him" is a popular song that was first recorded in 1961 by Franck Pourcel, as an instrumental titled "Chariot". The song achieved its widest success when it was covered by Little Peggy March in 1963. The music was written by Franck Pourcel (using the pseudonym J.W. Stole) and Paul Mauriat (using the pseudonym Del Roma).[1] It was adapted by Arthur Altman. The English lyrics were written by Norman Gimbel.[2]
Song history
The song was recorded in 1961 by Franck Pourcel and began as an instrumental piece appearing on the 1961 European LP release Amour, Danse, Et Violons. No.17. At the same time, it appeared on the EP release La Voix de son Maître. Pourcel co-wrote the song with his friend and fellow French bandleader Paul Mauriat. The other French bandleader Raymond Lefèvre has been credited for arrangements. Franck Pourcel's original recording was popular on MOR, or "easy listening," stations. Mauriat later recorded an instrumental version in 1976 with a disco beat, using a Moog synthesizer.
In 1963, Percy Faith released an instrumental version, re-titled "I Will Follow You", as the lead song on side 1 of his album titled Themes for Young Lovers.[3][4] Many other hits at the time were also on the album, including "Up on the Roof", "On Broadway", and "Rhythm of the Rain".[3]
Petula Clark versions
In 1962, Petula Clark released a French language version of the song, titled "Chariot" (lyrics by Jacques Plante),[1] which reached No. 1 in Wallonia,[5] No. 2 in France,[6] and No. 8 in Flanders,[7][8] and earned Clark a gold record. Her English version reached No. 4 in Denmark, where it was released by Vogue,[9] but failed to chart in the UK and the USA, where it was released by Pye and Laurie respectively. Clark also recorded Italian and German versions of the song, with her Italian verision, "Sul mio carro", reaching No. 4 in Italy,[10] and her German version, "Cheerio", reaching No. 6 in Germany.[11]
Little Peggy March version
In 1963, Little Peggy March's version of "I Will Follow Him", backed with "Wind Up Doll", was released by RCA Victor. March's version reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 27, 1963,[12] making 15-year-old March the youngest female artist to have a U.S. chart-topping single.[13] Her version also reached No. 1 in Australia,[14] Hong Kong,[15] Israel,[16] South Africa,[9] Uruguay,[17] Canada's CHUM Hit Parade,[18] New Zealand's "Lever Hit Parade",[19] and Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart.[20][21]
Chart performance
| Chart (1963) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US - Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| Australia - Music Maker[14] | 1 |
| Canada - CHUM Hit Parade | 1 |
| Hong Kong | 1 |
| Israel - Kol Yisrael[16] | 1 |
| New Zealand - Lever Hit Parade | 1 |
| South Africa | 1 |
| Uruguay - Discometro Mundial[17] | 1 |
| US - Billboard Hot R&B Singles | 1 |
| Finland - Ilta-Sanomat[22] | ≥2 |
| Sweden - Tio i Topp[23] | 2 |
| Peru - La Prensa[17] | 2 |
| Chile[15] | 5 |
| Philippines[24] | 5 |
| Germany[25] | 6 |
| Japan - Utamatic[26] | ≥8 |
Other versions
In Italy three versions of the song were in the charts in 1963 (translated/adapted by Vito Pallavicini and Bruno Pallesi): One recorded by Betty Curtis (highest position: #3), another version by Petula Clark ("Sul mio carro"; #4) and the Franck Pourcel version (#5).[10] Curtis's version was also a top 10 hit in Uruguay.[27]
In 1963, Italian singer Ennio Sangiusto released a version of the song titled "Chariot (La Tierra)", which reached No. 1 in Spain.[16] Also in 1963, Italian singer Joe Sentieri released a version of the song titled "La Tierra", which reached No. 3 in Argentina.[28]
In 1963, Argentine singer Alberto Cortez released a version of the song titled "La Tierra (Chariot)", which reached No. 2 in Spain.[29]
Dee Dee Sharp released a version of the song in 1963, which reached No. 1 in Hong Kong.[24]
In 1982, Dutch singer José Hoebee (former member of the girl band Luv') released a hit cover of the song, which reached No. 1 in Flanders,[30] No. 1 on the Dutch Top 40,[31] and No. 2 on the Dutch Nationale Hitparade.[32]
In 1994, Spanish singer Raphael released a Spanish version of the song titled "La Tierra" (English: "The Earth"), which appeared on his album Fantasía.[33] Raphael performed the song in his tours with remarkable success until 1999.
The Norwegian comedian Lars Mjøen wrote comedic Norwegian lyrics, «Torsken kommer!» (translates to «The cod is coming»). The song was published by the comedy troupe KLM as Brødrene Dal as the B-side of "Gaus, Roms Og Brumund" (PolyGram 2052 206)[34] and on the LP record Spektralplate (Polydor 2382 135) in 1982.
In popular culture
- The Peggy March version of the song is featured prominently in Kenneth Anger's famous 1963 experimental film Scorpio Rising.
- The Betty Curtis version is used in the 1990 film Goodfellas.
- The song is featured at the end of the 1992 film Sister Act, where it was performed by the nuns' chorus for the Pope.[13]
- The Cartoon Network television show The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack used a modified version of the song for the season one episode "Lead 'Em and Weep", changing the song from "I Will Follow Him" to "He Will Follow Me".
- The song's chorus was sampled in the Eminem/Dr. Dre song "Guilty Conscience", as "these voices, these voices, I hear them, and where they talk I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow" from Eminem's The Slim Shady LP.
- The song's back beat was sampled by rock band Seether, for their song "Same Damn Life".[35]
- Bone Thugs N Harmony interpolated the chorus on the short song "Me Killa" off of the 1995 album E. 1999 Eternal.
- Bob Sinclar adapted part of the song in his single "Me Not a Gangsta" recorded in 2011 with Mr Shammi & Colonel Reyel
References
- 1 2 Music Registrations, Catalog of Copyright Entries : Third Series, Volume 19, Part 5, Number 2. U.S. Government Printing Office, July-December 1965. p. 1509. Archive.org. Accessed February 29, 2016
- ↑ "I Will Follow Him by Little Peggy March Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
- 1 2 "Winner of the Billboard DJ Poll Instrumental Album Award for 1963", Billboard, July 18, 1964. p. 5. Accessed February 19, 2016.
- ↑ Popoff, Martin; "Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records 1948-1991", Krause Publications (2010) p. 414
- ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, December 8, 1962. p. 37. Accessed February 27, 2016.
- ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, December 1, 1962. p. 34. Accessed February 27, 2016.
- ↑ Petula Clark - Chariot, Ultratop. Accessed February 25, 2016
- ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, October 27, 1962. p. 26. Accessed February 27, 2016.
- 1 2 "Hits of the World", Billboard, July 13, 1963. p. 30. Accessed February 23, 2016.
- 1 2 "Hit Parade Italia - Top Annuali Single: 1963". Hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
- ↑ Petula Clark - Cheerio, norwegiancharts.com. Accessed February 26, 2016
- ↑ Little Peggy March - Chart History - The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed February 19, 2016
- 1 2 "Peggy March's 'Follow' Still The Leader", Billboard.com. November 9, 2010. Accessed February 19, 2016
- 1 2 "Hits of the World", Billboard, May 18, 1963. p. 32. Accessed February 23, 2016.
- 1 2 "Hits of the World", Billboard, July 20, 1963. p. 27. Accessed February 23, 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Hits of the World", Billboard, June 29, 1963. p. 46. Accessed February 26, 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Hits of the World", Billboard, October 5, 1963. p. 22. Accessed February 27, 2016.
- ↑ CHUM Hit Parade – Week of April 15, 1963 at the Wayback Machine (archived November 7, 2006). Chart No. 318. CHUM. Accessed February 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Lever Hit Parade" 09-May-1963, Flavour of New Zealand. Accessed February 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Hot R&B Singles", Billboard, May 25, 1963. p. 22. Accessed February 19, 2016.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 803.
- ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, October 12, 1963. p. 40. Accessed February 26, 2016.
- ↑ Fernbom, Hugo. Sommartoppen 1963, Datorföreningen vid LU & LTH, Lund University. July 16, 2008. Accessed June 25, 2016.
- 1 2 "Hits of the World", Billboard, July 27, 1963. p. 42. Accessed February 26, 2016.
- ↑ Little Peggy March - I Will Follow Him, norwegiancharts.com. Accessed February 19, 2016
- ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, October 19, 1963. p. 34. Accessed February 26, 2016.
- ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, August 17, 1963. p. 35. Accessed February 28, 2016.
- ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, August 24, 1963. p. 42. Accessed June 17, 2016.
- ↑ "Hits of the World", Billboard, June 15, 1963. p. 36. Accessed June 26, 2016.
- ↑ José - I Will Follow Him, Ultratop. Accessed February 28, 2016
- ↑ Top 40-artiest: José, Media Markt Top 40. Accessed February 28, 2016.
- ↑ José - I Will Follow Him, Dutch Charts. Accessed February 28, 2016
- ↑ Letra La Tierra de Raphael, CMTV. Accessed June 26, 2016.
- ↑
- ↑ "Seether's Same Damn Life sample of Little Peggy March's I Will Follow Him". WhoSampled.com. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
External links
| Preceded by "He's So Fine" by The Chiffons |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single (Little Peggy March version) April 27, 1963 - May 11, 1963 (three weeks) |
Succeeded by "If You Wanna Be Happy" by Jimmy Soul |
| Preceded by "Baby Workout" by Jackie Wilson |
Billboard Hot R&B Singles number-one single (Little Peggy March version) May 25, 1963 (one week) |
Succeeded by "If You Wanna Be Happy" by Jimmy Soul |