"Blue Velvet" is a popular song, written by Bernie Wayne and
Lee Morris, that has been recorded by several artists. It was
first a hit for Tony Bennett in 1951, when it peaked at #16 on
the Billboard Best Selling Pop Singles Chart (the predecessor
of the Billboard Hot 100). A 1955 version of the song by The
Clovers reached #14 on the Billboard Rhythm & Blues chart.
Bobby Vinton's version of the song hit number one on the
Billboard Hot 100 on September 21, 1963, and held the top spot
for three weeks. It also spent eight weeks atop the U.S. adult
contemporary chart. Vinton's version of "Blue Velvet" failed to
make the British charts when it was first released, but a
re-released version in 1990 went to #2 in the United Kingdom.
It was #7 in Australia and #9 in Korea.
The first public performance of the song was by singer Ray
Mason in 1950 at a fashion show in Boston.
The song is one of 13 other songs featured in Kenneth
Anger's groundbreaking, experimental film,
Scorpio Rising(1964).
The song is also featured several times in David Lynch's
film,
Blue Velvet(1986).
Barry Manilow included "Blue Velvet" on his 2006 album,
The Greatest Songs of the Sixties.
"Blue Velvet" was included on the Trini Lopez LP
The Love Albumissued by Reprise Records.
Jimmy Velvit released a 45rpm single of "Blue Velvet" in the
mid-1960s.
Australian singer Jason Donovan recorded the song for his
album "Let It Be Me" (2008).
Singer Thomas Truax included a version of "Blue Velvet" on
his 2009 album 'Songs From The Films Of David Lynch'.