Love Letters (song)

"Love Letters" is a 1945 popular song with lyrics by Edward Heyman and music by Victor Young. The song appeared, without lyrics, in the movie of the same name performed by Dick Haymes, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1945 but lost out to "It Might as Well Be Spring".

This article is about the 1945 song. For other uses, see Love letter (disambiguation).

Ketty Lester version
"Love Letters"
Single by Ketty Lester
B-side"I'm a Fool to Want You"[1]
Released1962
GenrePop
LabelEra, London
Songwriter(s)
Ketty Lester singles chronology
"Queen for a Day"
(1962)		 "Love Letters"
(1962)		 "But Not for Me"
(1962)
"Love Letters"
Single by Elvis Presley
A-side"Come What May (Elvis Presley song)"
ReleasedJune 8, 1966
RecordedMay 26, 1966
StudioRCA Studio B, Nashville
GenrePop
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Edward Heyman Victor Young
Elvis Presley singles chronology
"Frankie and Johnny (song)" "Love Letters" "Spinout (song)"

In 1961, Era Records released Ketty Lester's version of "Love Letters" b/w "I'm a Fool to Want You". Lester's recording of "Love Letters", which featured Lincoln Mayorga's sparse piano arrangement and Earl Palmer on drums, reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1962.[2]

The record also reached No. 2 on the R&B chart and No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart, selling over 1 million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA.[3] In 1991, it was ranked 176th in the RIAA-compiled list of Songs of the Century.

This version appeared on the soundtrack of the David Lynch film Blue Velvet (1986).[4]

Charts
Chart (1962) Peak
position
Australia Kent Music Report[5] 10
Ireland IRMA[6] 8
New Zealand RIANZ[7] 6
UK Singles Chart[8] 4
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[9] 5
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B[10] 2

Elvis Presley version

Elvis Presley recorded his version of Love Letters on May 26, 1966.[11] Just over a week later on June 8, 1966 RCA released the song as a single b/w Come What May.[11] Love Letters peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 22, 1966. It was on the chart for just 7 weeks.[12]

Alison Moyet version
"Love Letters"
Single by Alison Moyet
B-side"This House"
Released1987
Length2:50
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)Edward Heyman
Victor Young
Producer(s)Alison Moyet
Steve Brown
Alison Moyet singles chronology
"Sleep Like Breathing"
(1987)		 "Love Letters"
(1987)		 "It Won't Be Long"
(1991)

In 1987, Alison Moyet released her own version of the song as a non-album single. It reached No. 4 in the UK and remained in the charts for twelve weeks.[13] A music video was filmed to promote the single and featured Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.[14]

Speaking to The Quietus in 2013, Moyet revealed she recorded "Love Letters" as she knew it would be a hit: "Love Letters" and "Weak in the Presence of Beauty" – neither song I enjoy now – they're both my fault. I found them. That was when I was feeling smart, thinking that I knew what a hit was."[15] She also told the BBC in 2004: "After my versions of "Love Letters" and "That Ole Devil Called Love" did well, there was definite pressure for me to become some sort of jazz diva."[16]

Upon release, Music & Media described Moyet's version as "moody" and "sparsely-backed".[17] Zodiac Mindwarp, as guest reviewer for Smash Hits, felt the song was "very well done" but reminiscent of Simply Red.[18]

Charts
Chart (1987) Peak
position
Belgian Singles Chart (V)[19] 24
Dutch Singles Chart[20] 40
Ireland IRMA[21] 6
New Zealand RIANZ[22] 39
South African Charts[23] 11
UK Singles Chart[13] 4

Other versions

References
  1. "Ketty Lester Discography". Soulful Kinda Music. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  2. Profile, Oldies.com; accessed August 15, 2015.
  3. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 148. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  4. Rombes, Nicholas (July 18, 2012). "The Blue Velvet Project, #140". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  5. "Billboard Magazine, June 23, 1962". Billboard. 9 June 1962.
  6. "Billboard Magazine, June 16, 1962". Billboard. 16 June 1962.
  7. "Billboard Magazine, June, 1962". Billboard. 30 June 1962.
  8. "UK Official charts company".
  9. Whitburn, Joel (2000). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Billboard. p. 371.
  10. Whitburn, Joel (2006). The Billboard Book of Top 40 R & B and Hip-hop Hits. Billboard. p. 338.
  11. [tps://www.elvisthemusic.com/music/love-letters/ "Elvis The Music"].
  12. "Billboard Charts".
  13. "Alison Moyet; full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  14. Rees, Dafydd (2006-12-29). Rock Movers & Shakers - Dafydd Rees, Luke Crampton - Google Books. ISBN 9780874366617. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  15. "Features | A Quietus Interview | Changeling: Alison Moyet Interviewed". The Quietus. 2013-05-16. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  16. Bishop, Tom (2004-09-06). "Entertainment | Alison Moyet frees her voice". BBC News. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  17. "Previews: Singles". Music & Media. 5 December 1987.
  18. Mindwarp, Zodiac (18 November 1987). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits.
  19. "Alison Moyet - Love Letters". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  20. Hung, Steffen. "Alison Moyet - Love Letters". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  21. Ward, Jaclyn. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  22. Hung, Steffen. "charts.nz - Alison Moyet - Love Letters". Charts.nz. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  23. Currin, Brian. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1965 - 1989 Acts (M)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  24. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 205. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
  25. "You better move on" at Discogs
  26. Whitburn, Joel, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, Billboard Books, New York, 1992
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