Melancholy Me

"Melancholy Me"
Single by Ella Fitzgerald
B-side"Somebody Bad Stole de Wedding Bell"
Released1954 (1954)
LabelDecca
Songwriters
Audio
"Melancholy Me" on YouTube

"Melancholy Me" is a song written by Joe Thomas and Howard Biggs that was a hit in 1954 for Ella Fitzgerald, who recorded it for Decca with the orchestra directed by Sy Oliver.

Release and critical reception

Ella Fitzgerald version
Review scores
SourceRating
Billboard79/100
Smith Brothers version
Review scores
SourceRating
Billboardpositive

In its issues from 6, 13, 20 February, and 6 March 1954, the Billboard magazine listed three single records of the song available for purchase: by Eddy Howard (on Mercury), by Ella Fitzgerald (on Decca) and by the Smith Brothers (on Label X). Eddy Howard 's version was rated "excellent" by Variety, Ella Fitzgerald's version — "excellent" by Variety and 79 ("good") by Billboard.

In its issue from 27 February, Billboard reported: "The Howard recording of this tune has definitely stepped out ahead of the several competing versions on the market. [...] The Ella Fitzgerald and Smith Brothers versions have been reported as good sellers in some territories also, but in almost all considerably behind Howard."

Chart performance

Howard's single charted for several weeks on Billboard's Most Played by Disk Jockeys chart.

Charts

Eddy Howard version

Chart (1954) Peak
position
US Billboard Most Played by Disk Jockeys 16

References

  1. 1 2 3 "BMI check list of new record ratings by the trade press". Billboard. 6 March 1954.
  2. ↑ "New records to watch". Billboard. 13 February 1954. p. 48.
  3. ↑ "Cough drops plug record". Billboard. 6 February 1954. p. 20.
  4. ↑ "'Melancholy' draws action by diskers". Billboard. 20 February 1954.
  5. ↑ "This week's best buys". Billboard. 27 February 1954. p. 31.
  6. ↑ "Most Played by Disk Jockeys". Billboard. 3 April 1954.
  7. 1 2 "Most Played by Disk Jockeys". Billboard. 24 April 1954.