Elvira (song)
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| "Elvira" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Dallas Frazier | ||||
| from the album Elvira | ||||
| B-side | "That Ain't No Stuff" | |||
| Released | December 1965 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:30 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriter | Dallas Frazier | |||
| Producer | Marvin Hughes | |||
| Dallas Frazier singles chronology | ||||
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"Elvira" is a song written and originally recorded by Dallas Frazier. Though a minor hit for Frazier at the time of release, the song became a major pop and country hit for the Oak Ridge Boys in 1981. Not only does "Elvira" endure as one of the Oak Ridge Boys' signature songs, but it also is a standard in American popular music.
Songwriter Dallas Frazier wrote "Elvira" in 1965 and recorded it on October 4 at Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville. It was released as a single in December and was also the title track of an album. Though the song is about a woman, Frazier chose the name "Elvira" based on the name of a street in East Nashville. The song's chorus bears a resemblance to the song "Searchin'" written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and recorded famously by the Coasters.
Frazier's recording peaked at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was a top-40 hit in Canada, reaching number 27.[1]
A group called the Skunks and singer Baby Ray recorded their versions in 1967. Both versions were reviewed together in the 11 March issue of Cash Box, with the appeal of both being noted.[2][3] The single was a Billboard Spotlight Single, Hot 100 prediction for the week of 25 February.[4] A number of other artists recorded the song through the years, with varying degrees of success, including Kenny Rogers and the First Edition.[5] Rogers' version appeared on the album Something's Burning.
| "Elvira" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Rodney Crowell | ||||
| from the album Ain't Living Long Like This | ||||
| B-side | "Ashes by Now" | |||
| Released | August 1978 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 3:30 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter | Dallas Frazier | |||
| Producer | Brian Ahern | |||
| Rodney Crowell singles chronology | ||||
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In 1978, Rodney Crowell recorded his cover of "Elvira",[6] which peaked at number 95 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.[5] Baby Ray Eddlemon also recorded Elvira on Imperial Records in 1967.
