City Lights (Ray Price song)
"City Lights" is an American country music song written by Bill Anderson on August 27, 1957. He recorded it on a small Texas label called TNT Records in early 1958 to little acclaim. In June 1958, Ray Price recorded it and his version hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs singles chart in August 1958. Mickey Gilley's version also hit number 1 in June 1975.
"City Lights" | ||||
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Single by Ray Price | ||||
B-side | "Invitation to the Blues" | |||
Released | June 1958 (U.S.) | |||
Format | 7" | |||
Recorded | May 29, 1958 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 2:59 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bill Anderson | |||
Ray Price singles chronology | ||||
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"City Lights" | ||||
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Single by Mickey Gilley | ||||
from the album City Lights | ||||
B-side | "Fraulein" | |||
Released | November 1974 (U.S.) | |||
Format | 7" | |||
Recorded | 1974 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 2:48 | |||
Label | Playboy 6015 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bill Anderson | |||
Producer(s) | Eddie Kilroy | |||
Mickey Gilley singles chronology | ||||
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About the song
"City Lights" was one of Anderson's earliest major successes. Released in June 1958, Price's version of "City Lights" stalled at #2 on the Billboard magazine Most Played C&W by Disc Jockeys chart later that summer. When Billboard introduced its all-encompassing chart for country music (called "Hot C&W Sides") on October 20, "City Lights" was the new chart's first #1 song. It remained atop the chart for 13 weeks, its last week being January 12, 1959. The song spent a total of 34 weeks on the chart.
Cover versions
- Dave Rich recorded this song in May 1958 and was the first to have it played on the Nashville radio stations.
- Ivory Joe Hunter recorded it in 1959 during his shift to country music late in his career and his version peaked at #92 on the US Billboard charts.
- Debbie Reynolds recorded it in 1960 and her version peaked at #55 on pop charts.
- Jerry Lee Lewis recorded it his 1965 album, Country Songs for City Folks,[1]
- Mickey Gilley recorded a piano-backed honky-tonk rendition on his 1975 album, City Lights, and his version hit number 1 on the country charts in February 1975.
- Mel Tillis's 1989 version peaked at number 67 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.[2]
- Others who have recorded the song are: Connie Smith, Rick Trevino, Conway Twitty, Johnny Bush and Dottie West.
References
- Jerry Lee Lewis, Country Songs for City Folks Retrieved June 15, 2012.
- Whitburn, Joel (2013). Hot Country Songs 1944–2012. Record Research, Inc. p. 337. ISBN 978-0-89820-203-8.