I Wonder Why
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| "I Wonder Why" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Dion and the Belmonts | ||||
| from the album Presenting Dion and the Belmonts | ||||
| A-side | "I Wonder Why" | |||
| B-side | "Teen Angel" | |||
| Released | May 5, 1958 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:20 | |||
| Label | Laurie | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Melvin Anderson, Ricardo Weeks | |||
| Dion and the Belmonts singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"I Wonder Why" is a doo-wop song, written by Melvin Anderson with lyrics by Ricardo Weeks. The song was first recorded by Dion and the Belmonts.
Background[edit]
It is sung from the point of view of a man telling his girlfriend that he loves her but does not know why. The song is noted for Carlo Mastrangelo bass part.
Chart performance[edit]
"I Wonder Why" was released as Laurie Records' first single, (number 3013), and was the group's first national pop chart hit, in 1958. The song went to number 22 on the Hot 100.[2]
Popular culture[edit]
- The song was used in the film A Bronx Tale
- The song was in the pilot episode of the television series The Sopranos.
- John Carpenter's adaptation of Stephen King's Christine.
- A cover was sung by Nicolas Cage in Peggy Sue Got Married.
- The Rock-afire Explosion parodied the song for use in ShowBiz Pizza Place restaurants.
Cover versions[edit]
- The Chiffons covered the song on their 1963 album One Fine Day.
- A cover was also sung by Showaddywaddy in 1978, reaching number 2 in the UK Singles Chart.[3]
- Australian band Ol' 55 covered the song on their album, Take It Greasy (1976).
References[edit]
- ^ McGee, David (2004). "Dion". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 239–241. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 241.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 497. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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