Tell Laura I Love Her

"Tell Laura I Love Her," a teenage tragedy song written by Jeff Barry and Ben Raleigh, was an American Top Ten popular music hit for singer Ray Peterson in 1960 on RCA Victor Records, reaching #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Later that same year, the song was recorded and released by Ricky Valance in the United Kingdom, where it went all the way to the #1 spot in the UK Singles Chart.^[1]

"Tell Laura I Love Her" is the tragic story of a teenage boy named Tommy who is desperately in love with a girl named Laura. Although they are only teenagers, he wants to marry her, so he enters a racing car championship, planning to use the prize money to buy Laura a wedding ring if he wins. The last verse tells the mysterious story of how the boy's car overturned and burst into flames - no-one knows why - and the boy was killed, his last words being "Tell Laura I love her...my love for her will never die".

Recording History

Decca Records in England decided not to release Ray Peterson's 1960 recording on the grounds that it was "too tasteless and vulgar", and destroyed about twenty thousand copies that had already been pressed. ^[2]

A cover version by Ricky Valance, released by EMI on the Columbia label, was #1 on the British charts for three weeks.

In 1962, the Smash label released the album, The Tale of Patches, by Dickey Lee, with the song "Tell Laura I Love Her," on it.

A cover version by J. Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers on the album "Last Kiss" was released on the Josie Records label in 1964.

Another cover was done by singer Ricky Nelson.

John Leyton attended a singing audition with producer Joe Meek, and subsequently recorded the song, which was released on the Top Rank label. At that time, however, Top Rank was undergoing a takeover by EMI, which had already released Ricky Valance's version of the same song. The John Leyton recording was withdrawn from sale.

Johnny T. Angel's recording on Bell Records peaked at #94 on June 8, 1974 (US).

The Boppers released a version on their compact disc album Number 1 (1978). ^[3]

Lyric:

Laura and Tommy were lovers

He wanted to give her everything

Flowers, presents, but most of all, a wedding ring

He saw a sign for a stock car race

A thousand dollar prize it read

He couldn't get Laura on the phone

So to her mother, Tommy said

Tell Laura I love her

Tell Laura I need her

Tell Laura I may be late

I've something to do, that cannot wait

He drove his car to the racing grounds

He was the youngest driver there

The crowed roared as they started the race

Around the track they drove at a deadly pace

No one knows what happened that day

Or how his car overturned in flames

But as they pulled him from the twisted wreck

With his dying breath, they heard him say

Tell Laura I love her

Tell Laura I need her

Tell Laura not to cry

My love for her will never die

Now in the chapel where Laura prays

For her poor Tommy, who passed away

It was just for Laura he lived and died

Alone in the chapel she can hear him cry

Later in an album named "The Answer To Everything - Girl Answer Songs Of The '60'S ", there was a song that named "Tell Tommy I miss him" to respond this song. It was sang by Marilyn Michaels.

Lyric:

Tommy my sweet heart has gone now

He's up in the heaven somewhere

so little star high above

If you see Tommy tell him all my love

Tell Tommy I love him, tell Tommy I miss him

Tell him thro' I may cry, My love for her will never die

He drove his car in the stock car race

To win money so we could wed

He wanna so much to make me his wife

Mow my lovely Tom though he lost his life

I'm so lonely without him near

Oh, how I miss his warm embrace

I love no other, I want him to know

Oh little star please tell him so

Although he wanted to give me the world

Why did he do such a reckless thing

Little star he should realize

I was wretched and mean when he looked into my eyes

Tell Tommy I love him, tell Tommy I miss him

Tell him thro' I may cry, My love for her will never die

Preceded by "Apache" by The Shadows

UK number one single (Ricky Valance's version) 29 September 1960 (3 weeks)

Succeeded by "Only the Lonely" by Roy Orbison

Parodies

In 1977 The Swedish Band Rohde's Rockers recorded a parody, which peaked in the chorus 'köp aldrig an Folksvagn'(better buy a Volkswagen).

British comedian Billy Connolly performed a spoof of the song in 1981, which can be found on the footage of Billy Connolly Bites Yer Bum!. In his version, it is Laura herself who is killed in a road traffic accident.

The song is referenced and parodied by Frenchie in the Broadway musical "Grease".

References

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