Bobby Helms – Fraulein

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Fraulein”
Single by Bobby Helms
A-side“(Got A) Heartsick Feeling”
ReleasedFebruary 1957
GenreCountry
LabelDecca
Songwriter(s)Lawton Williams
Bobby Helms singles chronology
“Tennessee Rock and Roll”
(1956) “Fraulein
(1957) “My Special Angel
(1957)

Fraulein” is a 1957 single written by Lawton Williams and sung by Bobby Helms. Released by Decca Records that year, “Fraulein” was Helms’s debut single on the U.S. country chart, reaching #1 for four weeks and staying on chart for 52 weeks, the sixth longest song in country music history to spend over 50 weeks on the country singles chart. The song’s popularity crossed over to the pop chart where “Fraulein” peaked at #36.

Country artist Hank Locklin recorded a shorter version of the song that is included on his 1965 album, Once Over Lightly.

Fraulein (Remastered)

Willie Nelson recorded and released a version of the song on his 1966 album, Country Favorites – Willie Nelson Style.

Willie Nelson – Fraulein

David Allan Coe recorded and released a version on his 1975 album, Once Upon a Rhyme.

David Allan Coe – Fraulein

In 1967, this song was covered by the late Singaporean singer/songwriter/lyricist Su Yin (舒雲) in Mandarin Chinese language with Chinese lyrics written by Li Tian (黎天) and given the title name of 夜茫茫, appearing on his LP album 黃昏放牛*一片青青的草地, and released by EMI Columbia Records.

舒雲 – 夜茫茫

Jerry Lee Lewis released a version on his 1969 album, Sings the Country Music Hall of Fame Hits, Vol. 2.

Fraulein

Townes Van Zandt covered the song on his 1972 album The Late Great Townes Van Zandt.

Townes Van Zandt – Fraulein (Official Audio)

In 1974, Mickey Gilley also covered the song and released it on his album City Lights.

MICKEY GILLEY – FRAULEIN

Philippine singer Victor Wood covered this song on the album Memories.

Fraulein – Victor Wood (Lyrics) 🎶

Country music singer and Decca labelmate Kitty Wells recorded a response to the song, “(I’ll Always Be Your) Fraulein” in 1957. It reached #10 on the country charts that year. “(I’ll Always Be Your) Fraulein” appears in her 1959 album Kitty Wells’ Golden Favorites.

Fraulein (I'll Always Be Your)

Helms himself recorded his own follow-up song in 1960, entitled “Lonely River Rhine”. The lyrics reveal a darker side of the singer: he had had a wife all along, but “stole love” from a local girl when in Munich, only to later leave her and much later learn from the newspapers that she had committed suicide by drowning herself in the Rhine, and he learned that the deceased was the one whom he truly loved.

Bobby Helms Lonely River Rhine

In 2017, singer/songwriter Colter Wall released a version on his self-titled album, Colter Wall. In this duet version, he is joined by fellow traditional country music artist, Tyler Childers.

Colter Wall – Fraulein (Audio)

The melody of the song is largely borrowed from “Oklahoma Hills” by Woody Guthrie, which was recorded as a hit song in 1945 by his cousin Jack Guthrie.

OKLAHOMA HILLS by JACK GUTHRIE

Charts

Chart (1957–58)Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)1
US Billboard Hot 10036

Fraulein Covers

  • Sakura Teng – 夜茫茫
The Best Of Sakura Teng – 夜茫茫
  • Hit Crew Masters – Fraulein (Instrumental Version)
Fraulein (Instrumental Version)
  • Jim Ed Brown
Fraulein By Jim Ed Brown – Cool Old Classic Folk Song
  • George Jones
Fraulein
  • Buck Owens
Buck Owens “Fraulein”
  • Ernest Tubb
Ernest Tubb – Fraulein
  • The Tennessee Bluegrass Band
Fraulein – The Tennessee Bluegrass Band
Fraulein
  • David Allen Coe
Fraulein
Fraulein

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