Heartaches by the Number

The biggest hit version was recorded by Guy Mitchell on August 24, 1959. It reached the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for the weeks of December 14 and December 21, 1959.[2] The recording was released by Columbia Records as catalog number 41476. This would be Mitchell's second pop chart topper (after "Singing the Blues"); it was also his last top-40 single in the Billboard charts. Columbia first issued a mono recording by Mitchell as a 7" 45 rpm single, which became the hit. Columbia later issued a stereo version of the song, also by Mitchell; however, the mono and stereo issues are in fact two completely different recordings. The hit version has never appeared in stereo and has appeared on only a lone compact disc release (Hit Parade Records 12311, Hard to Find Jukebox Classics 1959: Pop Gold.) The video game Fallout: New Vegas does not feature his original Columbia Records version; rather it is a 1980 re-recording made for K-Tel records.

• 1959 Ray Price - recorded before the Guy Mitchell version.(Columbia 41374). Price's version reached number two and spent 40 weeks on the Billboard Hot C&W Sides chart.[1]
• 1961 George Jones - his version of the song was included on the Mercury label album George Jones Sings Country and Western Hits (MG 20624/SR 60624).
• 1961 Kitty Wells recorded a version for her LP Heartbreak U.S.A..
• 1961 Buck Owens - included in his album Buck Owens Sings Harlan Howard.
• 1962 Connie Francis for the album Country Music - Connie Style.
• 1962 Leroy Van Dyke on the Mercury album Walk on By (MG 20682/SR 60682).
• 1965 Bing Crosby - recorded for his album Bing Crosby Sings the Great Country Hits.
• 1965 Johnny Tillotson a single release on the MGM label.
• 1966 Willie Nelson included on his album Country Favorites-Willie Nelson Style.
• 1967 Waylon Jennings for the album Waylon Sings Ol' Harlan.
• 1968 Burl Ives on the Decca album The Big Country Hits.
• 1969 Jerry Lee Lewis included in the album Sings the Country Music Hall of Fame Hits, Vol. 1.
• 1969 Country Joe and the Fish - Performed at Woodstock
• 1970 Jane Morgan - included in her album Jane Morgan - In Nashville.
• 1972 Jack Reno reached #26 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.[3]
• 1979 Bill Haley and His Comets - included on Haley's final album, Everyone Can Rock and Roll (Sonet 808)
• 1983 The Kendalls for the album 20 Favorites
• 1986 Dwight Yoakam included on his debut studio album Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc..
• 2005 Martina McBride (featuring Dwight Yoakam) for her album Timeless.
• 2009 Rosanne Cash (featuring Elvis Costello) in the album The List.
• 2013 The Playtones for their album In the Mood.
• 2014 Mary Sarah in a duet version featuring Ray Price included in her album Bridges: Great American Country Duets.[4]
• 2016 Cyndi Lauper covered the song for studio album Detour.

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1959

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics