Soldier Boy (song)

"Soldier Boy"
Single by The Shirelles
from the album Baby It's You
B-side	"Love Is a Swingin' Thing"
Released	March 1962
Format	7" single
Recorded	Bell Sound Studios, New York
Genre	R&B
Length	2:42
Label	Scepter(Florence Greenberg-Owner)
Writer(s)	Luther Dixon, Florence Greenberg
The Shirelles singles chronology
"Baby It's You" (1962) "Soldier Boy" (1962) "Welcome Home, Baby" (1962)

"Soldier Boy" is a song written by Luther Dixon and Florence Greenberg. The song was released as a single by The Shirelles in 1962 and met with great success, topping the US Billboard Hot 100. The song's lyrics are a profession of the singer's love for the titular soldier boy in which she promises to remain true to him while he's away.

In popular culture

• The recording was used in the film The Wanderers (1979).
• The recording was used in the film Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
• Actress Brittany Murphy sings the song in the 2001 movie Riding in Cars with Boys.
• The recording was used in the television series 11.22.63 (2016) episode 7 Soldier Boy

Charts

Chart (1962)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100	1
US R&B	3
UK Singles Chart	23

Cover versions

• "Soldier Boy" was covered by American country music artist Donna Fargo in 1991. Her version peaked at number 71 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.^[1]
• It was covered by Diane Renay in 1964.
• "Soldier Boy" was covered too by the Mexican children's group La Onda Vaselina in 1989, titled "Yo te esperaré" and adapted by the composer and mexican singer Julissa.

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Hot Country Songs 1944–2012. Record Research, Inc. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-89820-203-8.