My Prayer

"My Prayer"
Single by the Platters
from the album The Platters (Mercury Records)
B-side	"Heaven on Earth"
Released	July 1956
Genre	Traditional Pop, Doo-Wop
Length	2:48
Label	Mercury
Songwriter(s)	Georges Boulanger Carlos Gomez Barrera Jimmy Kennedy
Producer(s)	Buck Ram
The Platters singles chronology
"(You've Got) The Magic Touch" (1956) "My Prayer" (1956) "Heaven on Earth" (1956)

"My Prayer" is a 1939 popular song with music by salon violinist Georges Boulanger and lyrics by Carlos Gomez Barrera and Jimmy Kennedy. It was originally written by Boulanger with the title Avant de mourir (Before dying) 1926. The lyrics for this version were added by Kennedy in 1939.

Glenn Miller recorded the song that year for a number two hit and the Ink Spots' version featuring Bill Kenny reached number three, as well, that year.^[1] It has been recorded many times since, but the biggest hit version was a doo-wop rendition in 1956 by the Platters,^[2] whose single release reached number one on the Billboard Top 100 in the summer, and ranked four for the year.^[3] This version also went to #1 on both the R&B Airplay and R&B Juke Box chart.^[4]

The Platters recording features in the 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, in the 1985 film Mischief, in the 1999 film October Sky, and in two episodes of the 2017 series of Twin Peaks. The Ink Spots' version of the song was featured in the 1992 movie Malcolm X. Vera Lynn sang the song in the British film One Exciting Night in 1944.^[5]

The song also became a tango in the Italian version by Norma Bruni and Cinico Angelini's orchestra (1940), "Sì, voglio vivere ancor!".^[6]

Recordings

• Ambrose (1939)
• Denny Dennis recorded June 17, 1939^[7]
• Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (1939)^[8]
• The Ink Spots feat. Bill Kenny (1939)
• Vera Lynn recorded July 5, 1939 with Fela Sowande (Organ) and issued on Decca F 7120.
• Dick Haymes (1951) included in the compilation album Polka Dots & Moonbeams (1987)^[9]
• The Orioles (1951)^[10][11]
• Rosita Serrano, German lyrics by Curth Flatow entitled "Eine Saite zersprang". Rosita Serrano with Kurt Wege's orchestra Violin solo: Barnabas Bakos recorded it in Berlin on November 22, 1951. The song was released by Electrola as catalog number EG 7702. Serrano also performed it in the West German film Dark Eyes (Schwarze Augen)^[12]
• Patti Page (1955) included in the compilation album Golden Memories (1982)^[13]
• Edna Savage (1956) (Parlophone R4226)
• Ronnie Hilton included in his album England's Ronnie Hilton (1958)^[14]
• Franck Pourcel (1958)
• Jimmie Rodgers for his album The Number One Ballads (1959)^[15]
• Sue Raney - Songs for A Raney Day (1960)^[16]
• Brenda Lee for her album All Alone Am I (1963)
• Pat Boone (1964)
• P.J. Proby (1964)
• Bing Crosby included in his album Bing Crosby's Treasury - The Songs I Love (1965)^[17]

See also

• "Our Prayer", a song by the Beach Boys

References

1. Notes on the song by its publisher Archived 2007-10-05 at the Wayback Machine
2. Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 5 - Hail, Hail, Rock 'n' Roll: The rock revolution gets underway. [Part 1]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
3. Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1956
4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 463.
5. "YouTube". Youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
6. First italian version of "My prayer", titled "Sì, voglio vivere ancor!" by Norma Bruni on YouTube
7. "Denny Dennis Discography". Dennydennis.co.uk. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
8. "Listings". Secondhandsongs.com.
9. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
10. "The Orioles - Singles Collection 1948 To 1956 - Real Gone CD Grooves Inc". Grooves-inc.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
11. "The Orioles Record Label Shots". Colorradio.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
12. Rosita Serrano "Avant de mourir" on YouTube
13. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
14. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
15. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
16. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
17. "www.discogs.com". discogs.com. Retrieved May 12, 2024.