Mountain of Love

"Mountain of Love"
Single by Harold Dorman
B-side "To Be with You"
Released 1960
Format Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Recorded 1959
Genre Rock and roll
Length 2:30
Label Rita
Writer(s) Harold Dorman

"Mountain of Love" is a song written by Harold Dorman.[1] Dorman released his version as a single in 1960. It was originally recorded in late 1959 at the Royal Recording Studios in Memphis before the backing vocals (and strings, much later) were overdubbed. It performed well, spending 19 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart,[2] peaking at #21 in May 1960,[3] while reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot R&B Sides chart,[4] and #25 on Canada's "CHUM Hit Parade".[5] The song was his only top forty hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the highest charting single of his career.[2]

Cover versions

"Mountain of Love"
Single by Johnny Rivers
from the album In Action
B-side "Moody River"
Released 1964 (1964)
Length 2:29
Label Imperial
Writer(s) Harold Dorman
Producer(s) Lou Adler

In 1960, Kenny Lynch released a cover of the song, which reached #33 on the United Kingdom's Record Retailer chart.[6]

In 1964, Johnny Rivers released his remake using members of The Wrecking Crew[7] as a single. This version also proved popular, charting at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.[8]

In 1968, singer Ronnie Dove had a minor hit when he released his version as the B-side of "Never Gonna Cry (The Way I'll Cry Tonight)" on Diamond Records.[9] Ronnie Dove's version spent 6 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, and reached #67. This recording featured A-list session musicians, such as Boots Randolph on saxophone and Glen Campbell on guitar.[10]

Other artists to record the song include The Beach Boys (on their 1965 album Beach Boys' Party!), Tommy Cash, Narvel Felts, and Jerry Lawson and Talk of the Town (on their 2007 album Jerry Lawson Talk of the Town. Bobby G. Rice took a rendition to #20 on the country music charts in 1971.[11] A cover by Molly & the Heymakers peaked at number 79 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in 1992.[12] Bruce Springsteen has covered the song live twelve times since 1975.[13]

Charley Pride version

"Mountain of Love"
Single by Charley Pride
from the album Everybody's Choice
B-side "Love Is a Shadow"
Released 1981
Genre Country
Length 2:46
Label RCA
Writer(s) Harold Dorman
Producer(s) Norro Wilson
Charley Pride singles chronology
"Never Been So Loved (In All My Life)"
(1981)		 "Mountain of Love"
(1981)		 "I Don't Think She's in Love Anymore"
(1982)

In December 1981, Charley Pride released a cover version, which topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in March 1982.[14] Charley Pride's version of "Mountain of Love" was his twenty-sixth number one on the country chart.

Chart performance

Chart (1981-1982) Peak
position
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 1
New Zealand Singles Chart 41
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[15] 1
Preceded by
"Blue Moon with Heartache"
by Rosanne Cash		 Billboard Hot Country Singles
number-one single
March 20, 1982 		Succeeded by
"She Left Love All Over Me"
by Razzy Bailey
Preceded by
"Shine"
by Waylon Jennings		 RPM Country Tracks
number-one single
March 27, 1982 		Succeeded by
"Bobbie Sue"
by The Oak Ridge Boys

References

  1. ↑ Mountain of Love - By: Harold Dorman, MusicVF.com. Accessed August 16, 2015
  2. 1 2 Harold Dorman - Chart History - The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed August 16, 2015
  3. ↑ "The Billboard HOT 100", Billboard, May 23, 1960. p. 34. Accessed November 29, 2015
  4. ↑ "The Billboard Hot R&B Sides", Billboard, May 16, 1960. p. 44. Accessed November 29, 2015
  5. ↑ CHUM Hit Parade – Week of May 16, 1960 at the Wayback Machine (archived November 7, 2006). Chart No. 159. CHUM. Accessed November 29, 2015.
  6. ↑ Mountain of Love - By: Kenny Lynch, MusicVF.com. Accessed August 16, 2015
  7. ↑ Hartman, Kent (2012). The Wrecking Crew. St. Martin’s Griffin. pp. 261–263. ISBN 978-1-250-03046-7.
  8. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 531.
  9. ↑ Ronnie Dove – Never Gonna Cry (The Way I'll Cry Tonight) / Mountain Of Love, Discogs. Accessed August 16, 2015
  10. ↑ Ronnie Dove - Chart History - The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed August 16, 2015
  11. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 349. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
  12. ↑ "RPM Country Tracks". RPM. April 18, 1992. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Mountain Of Love", Brucebase
  14. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 277.
  15. ↑ "Charley Pride – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Charley Pride.
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