Johnnie Ray Sounds

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Johnnie Ray's first million seller from 1951, originally released on Okeh Record's Rhythm & Blues label, it hit #1 and remained there for 11 straight weeks and was the first record to be a double sided hit (both sides A & B were hits). Recorded October 16, 1951 in Columbia Studio A, 49 52nd Street, New York City with The Four Lads. Produced by Mitch Miller. Cry. To see the lyrics, click here. "Cry" was also a big hit for Crystal Gayle.

Original 78rpm label

This was the "B" side of "Cry", a hit on it's own, written by Johnnie Ray, recorded October 15, 1951 in New York City with The Four Lads, originally released on Okeh Records. Produced by Mitch Miller. The Little White Cloud That Cried was also recorded by Wayne Newton in 1964 and Chris Isaak in 1995.

Another million seller from The Cry Guy. Originally recorded on November 29, 1951, this is the version that was released on record, from a take recorded December 13, 1951 in New York City with The Four Lads. Produced by Mitch Miller. Please Mr. Sun

Johnnie Ray received a gold plaque award from Columbia Records for record sales on this one, "Here Am I, Broken Hearted", often misspelled as "Here I Am...". It was recorded in New York on December 13, 1951 with The Four Lads on back-up vocals and Mundell Lowe on guitar. Produced, as always, by Mitch Miller.

Million seller status again for The Nabob Of Sob and #1 in Australia January 1957, #1 in The U.K. November 1956: Written by Johnny Bragg & Robert S. Riley, recorded June 29, 1956, during the same session as "Look Homeward Angel" in New York City. Whistle solo by Jerry Duane, band lead by Ray Conniff, produced by Mitch Miller. Listen to Just Walking In The Rain, or click here for lyrics to "Just Walking In The Rain".

In January, 1957, Johnnie hit top ten in America and #12 in The U.K. with a song written by Columbia Records' label mate Marty Robbins: "You Don't Owe Me A Thing". For you lyric lovers you can click here for lyrics to "You Don't Owe Me A Thing". Orchestra lead by Ray Conniff.

Original 78 rpm Label

On October 16 and December 5, 1952, Johnnie Ray recorded four duets in Hollywood, California with Doris Day, an idea from producer Mitch Miller. "Ma Says, Pa Says" was the first of these duets, recorded on October 16. Paul Weston was the bandleader on this recording and Buddy Cole played piano. Doris Day is an Animal Rights Campaigner and has her own website at dorisday.com. Her son recently mentioned Johnnie Ray in an interview (July 2000) saying "I think maybe my Mom record "a" song with Johnnie Ray..." Duh.

"Let's Walk That-A-Way" was recorded with Doris Day during the December session of the Ray/Day duets. Paul Weston was also the bandleader on this recording and Buddy Cole played piano. The second week of June, 1953, both "Let's Walk That-A-Way" AND "Candy Lips" by Johnnie & Doris where on the Cashbox Top 40 chart, "Let's Walk..." at #31 and "Lips" at #33, up from #40 the previous week.

"Candy Lips" was another duet with Doris Day, recorded in December, written by Fred Rose and was the highest new-debut song on The Cashbox Chart June 6th, 1953 at #21. Same personel on the recording as "Let's Walk That-A-Way".

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From the 20th Century Fox motion picture "There's No Business Like Show Business", the classic "Alexander's Ragtime Band" was a hit from the soundtrack. Johnnie performed a different version in the movie.

"Such A Night" was released on Columbia in early 1954, #1 on Philips in The U.K. May, 1954, was written by Lincoln Chase, a piano-playing recording artist on Decca, RCA, Liberty, Swan & Paramount Records 1952 through to 1973, Chase also wrote "Jim Dandy"- a hit for LaVern Baker, he was also Shirley Ellis' ("The Name Game") Manager, Producer & song writing partner. "Such A Night" was originally a hit for The Drifters (Atlantic), it was later recorded by Elvis Presley (RCA), Dennis Lotis (Decca), Jane Turzey (Brunswick) and Bunny Paul (Columbia). The song was banned on the BBC at the height of it's popularity (after only 12 spins on air), including a ban on parodies by Johnnie Ray Impersonators! The BBC felt that there were too many "Ooh's" and "Ah's" for the sensitive ears of it's listeners.

"Somebody Stole My Gal", recorded on October 13, 1952 at radio recorders Studios in Hollywood, California, was another two-sided hit for Johnnie Ray, side "B" was "Glad Rag Doll". The "A" side (Somebody Stole My Gal) peaked at #6 in The U.K. April, 1953 and remained on the charts for four months, it was the Top Debut in America on April 18th, 1953 at #24 on The Cashbox Chart. Buddy Cole played piano on both songs. "Somebody Stole My Gal" was written in 1918 by Leo Wood.

On March 17, 1957, with Ray Conniff leading the band, Johnnie Ray recorded "Build Your Love (On A Strong Foundation)" during the same session as "Yes Tonight, Josephine" and "Street Of Memories".

The "B" side of the Top 10 Hit "You Don't Owe Me A Thing" was "Look Homeward Angel", it made the Top 40 in America in January, 1957 and Top 10 in The U.K. in February of that year, another double-sided hit for Johnnie Ray. Orchestra lead by Ray Conniff.

Original 78rpm label

"Paths Of Paradise" was written by Johnnie and performed by him on the CBS Made-For-TV Movie "The Big Shot" on January 30th, 1955. Columbia Records recorded two different versions by Johnnie Ray. The single made the Top 20 in The U.K. in May 1955.


	Written by Johnnie Ray, "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" was #1 for the entire month of October, 1959 in Australia but only peaked at #75 in America during September, 1959. The song peaked at #26 at the end of 1959 in The U.K. where it remained on the chart through to February 1960. Most recently this song was sampled by Portishead in their song "Biscuit". Originally recorded by Johnnie in 1952 as a ballad, unreleased until 1999.

Yet another two-sided hit in 1955: "I've Got So Many Million Years" and this one, a Top 10 Hit in The U.K. in October of that year, "Song Of The Dreamer". Both songs were recorded on June 13, 1955 at Columbia Records in New York City, produced, as usual, by Mitch Miller.

Rare advance issue sent to Radio only

Click on the sheet music cover for "Talk Of The Town" to hear a sample of this release from the Columbia e.p. "Spotlite". The song was recorded at Radio Recorders Studios in Hollywood, California, on an afternoon in October 14, 1952 with Buddy Cole on piano. Produced by Mitch Miller. The song was later recorded by Perry Como in 1955 for his frst full length LP.

"Up Until Now" was written by Otis Blackwell (he wrote Don't Be Cruel, All Shook Up, Return To Sender, and Great Balls Of Fire) and recorded by Johnnie Ray on June 15, 1958, at Columbia Record's Studio at 207 East 30th Street in New York, produced by Mitch miller, this was the second (and slower) version recorded, the actual release. You can hear a sample of the first (fast) version here, unreleased until 1990.


	Recorded late in the evening on August 26, 1954 at Columbia Records in New York, "If You Believe" was an Irving Berlin composition, the band on this Johnnie Ray recording was lead by Percy Faith. Johnnie Ray recorded the song again on November 23, 1954 with Lionel Newman and the 20th Century Fox Orchestra for the Fox Motion Picture "There's No Business Like Show Business".


	Johnnie Ray's first Decca release, recorded on December 5, 1962 in Nashville, Tennessee, "Lookout Chatanooga" was also released on Festival Records in Australia, this is the Australian Sheet Music cover. Bob Moore played bass and the late Floyd Cramer played piano, backing vocals were by The Anita Kerr Singers, an impressive line-up.