(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls
"(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls" | ||||
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A&R Recording Studios, New York City | ||||
Genre | Soul, pop | |||
Length | 3:40 | |||
Label | Scepter | |||
Songwriter(s) | André Previn, Dory Previn | |||
Producer(s) | Burt Bacharach, Hal David | |||
Dionne Warwick singles chronology | ||||
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"(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls" is a 1967 song by André and Dory Previn, composed for the film version of the Jacqueline Susann novel Valley of the Dolls, and recorded by Dionne Warwick.
Background
Actress Barbara Parkins, who starred in the motion picture, suggested that Warwick be considered to sing the film's theme song. The song was to be given to Judy Garland, who had been fired from the film. A recording by Warwick appeared on the B-side of her (original) single of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "I Say a Little Prayer", a big hit which peaked at no. 4 on Billboard's Hot 100 in the chart dated 9 December 1967[2] and which was RIAA-certified gold in February 1968. Warwick re-recorded a
Charlie Blaum states "“Valley” had all the ingredients of a huge hit: a great singer at the top of her game, a gorgeous melody, an inviting arrangement, and most of all the haunting, soulful lyric by Dory Previn — look her up. She had a rough life; she wrote of vulnerability and uncertainty bordering on despair from a fragile place deep within".[3]
Charts
In January 1968, when the film Valley of the Dolls dominated the US box office, B-side "Valley of the Dolls" entered the Hot 100 in its own right. It reached no. 2, where in February and March it remained for four weeks, stuck behind two blockbuster singles:
Weekly charts
Chart (1967–68) | Peak position |
---|---|
28 | |
US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 2 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8] | 13 |
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[9] | 2 |
US Cash Box Top 100
|
2 |
US Record World Top 100 | 1 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[10] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Other recorded versions
- Gladys Knight & the Pips – album Silk N' Soul (1968)[11]
- Andy Williams – album Honey (1968)[12]
- Jack Jones – album Where is Love? (1968, RCA)[13]
- John Davidson - album Goin’ Places (1968)[14]
- Dorothy Ashby – album Afro-Harping (1968)[15]
- Gábor Szabó – album Bacchanal (1968, Skye Records)[16]
- The Chopsticks – album Some Day (1970)[17]
- Eruption – album Leave a Light (1979)[18]
- k.d. lang – album Drag (1997)[19]
- Marcia Hines – album Time of Our Lives (1999)[20]
- Ana Gasteyer – album I'm Hip (2014)[21]
References
- ^ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1968). Catalog of Copyright Entries 3D Ser Vol 22 Pt 5 Secs 1-2. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 669.
- ^ "www.chasblaum.net". chasblaum.com. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 251.
- ^ "Radio89 Hit Parade". WLS. 1968-03-04. Retrieved 2021-02-05.
- ^ "UK Charts > Dionne Warwick". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
- ^ "Dionne Warwick Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ "Dionne Warwick Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ "Dionne Warwick Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
- ^ "American single certifications – Dionne Warwick – Valley of the Dolls". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
- ^ "www.discogs.com". discogs.com. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
- ^ "www.discogs.com". discogs.com. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ "www.discogs.com". discogs.com. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
- ^ "www.discogs.com". discogs.com. Retrieved December 25, 2023.