From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Wheels” | |
|---|---|
| Single by The String-A-Longs | |
| B-side | “Am I Asking Too Much” |
| Released | 1960 |
| Label | Warwick |
| Songwriter(s) | Richard Stephens, Jimmy Torres, Norman Petty |
| Producer(s) | Norman Petty |
| The String-A-Longs singles chronology | |
| “Wheels“ (1960)”Brass Buttons” (1961) |
“Wheels” is The String-A-Longs‘ biggest hit single, a success in 1961. Their debut release, it was issued in 1960. The tune peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the number 8 single of 1961 according to Billboard. The track reached number 8 in the UK Singles Chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.
The tune was composed as “Tell the World” by Stephens and Torres of the String-A-Longs, who were then called the Leen Teens. When this was recorded at Norman Petty’s studio, the song was backed by Petty’s composition entitled “Wheels”. But when the single was issued by Warwick Records the labels for the two sides were switched and so “Tell the World” became “Wheels”. When it became a hit, Petty claimed the composing credit, as shown by the label. In 1964, the parties agreed to share the credit and so the Broadcast Music copyright agency recorded all three as the composers.
In Britain later the same year the tune was revived by the Joe Loss Orchestra as “Wheels Cha Cha”; it reached #21.
Billy Vaughn‘s version was at number one in the 1961 German singles charts with the song for 14 weeks; in the USA he reached #28.
The Ventures, Hot Butter, and Jorgen Ingmann also recorded a version.
){kind=link}
Comments