Tears (Ken Dodd song)
Encyclopedia
"Tears" is a song written by lyricist Frank Capano and composer Billy Uhr, and was first recorded by Rudy Vallee
in 1929. It was made famous as a single
by Ken Dodd
, which was released in 1965. It became a #1 hit
in the UK Singles Chart
and the biggest selling single of 1965.
Although best known as a comedian
, Ken Dodd had been a prolific recording artist throughout the 1960s. His debut single, "Love is like a Violin" had reached #8 in 1960, but there had been a further 9 singles, none of which had made the top 20, between then and "Tears".
The single spent 24 weeks in total on the chart, with 5 at number 1. It sold over a million copies in the UK, becoming the biggest-selling single of 1965, and was the third biggest-selling single of the 1960s. In 2002 it was listed as the UK's 19th best-selling of all time, with sales of 1,521,000.
Rudy Vallée
Rudy Vallée was an American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer.-Early life:Born Hubert Prior Vallée in Island Pond, Vermont, the son of Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallée...
in 1929. It was made famous as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by Ken Dodd
Ken Dodd
Kenneth Arthur Dodd OBE is a British comedian and singer songwriter, famous for his frizzy hair or “fluff dom” and buck teeth or “denchers”, his favourite cleaner, the feather duster and his greeting "How tickled I am!", as well as his send-off “Lots and Lots of Happiness!”...
, which was released in 1965. It became a #1 hit
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and the biggest selling single of 1965.
Although best known as a comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, Ken Dodd had been a prolific recording artist throughout the 1960s. His debut single, "Love is like a Violin" had reached #8 in 1960, but there had been a further 9 singles, none of which had made the top 20, between then and "Tears".
The single spent 24 weeks in total on the chart, with 5 at number 1. It sold over a million copies in the UK, becoming the biggest-selling single of 1965, and was the third biggest-selling single of the 1960s. In 2002 it was listed as the UK's 19th best-selling of all time, with sales of 1,521,000.