It's a Different World (Connie Francis song)
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| "It's a Different World" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Connie Francis | ||||
| from the EP Love Is Me | ||||
| B-side | "Empty Chapel" | |||
| Released | May 1966 (1966-05) | |||
| Recorded | March 15, 1966 | |||
| Studio | RCA Victor Studio, Webster Hall | |||
| Genre | A-Side — Pop, Rock n roll B-Side — Country | |||
| Length | 2:18 | |||
| Label | MGM K13505[1] | |||
| Songwriter | Jimmie Crane | |||
| Producer | Tom Wilson | |||
| Connie Francis singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 German single release cover, MGM Records | ||||
"It's a Different World" is a song written and composed by Jimmy Crane and most notably performed by Connie Francis, who released it as a single in the middle of 1966 under MGM Records.
Release and reception
"It's a Different World" was released as a seven-inch single in May 1966 by MGM Records in the United States and other territories,[2] although in Germany the release was postponed to July, due to MGM already scheduling another single release in May there.[3] It was backed by a country-styled weeper song,[4] "Empty Chapel" on the B-side,[2] which was later included in her To Each His Own compilation album, released in 1993, mainly in South Africa. Both tracks were arranged and conducted by Benny Golson and produced by Tom Wilson.[2] The single was advertised as a "bright" single with a "new direction".[5][6]
The single received a positive critical reception upon its release. Record World gave the single four stars and in its short review of it stated that "Connie has gone into the echo chamber for this big ork rocker," and called it "A click".[7] Cashbox reviewed the single in early May and said that "Connie Francis can have one of her biggest smashes in quite a while with this top-notch MGM original dubbed 'It’s A Different World.'" The magazine added "The tune is a rhythmic, pulsating romantic handclapper about a lucky gal who's on cloud nine now that she's found Mr. Right."[4]
Chart performance
"It's a Different World" debuted at No. 34 on May 28, 1966 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100, dropping out the next week.[8] The single reached No. 42 on the Cashbox Looking Ahead,[9] and peaked at No. 43 on the Record World Looking Ahead singles chart.[10] Outside of America the single didn't sell well, unlike "Love is Me, Love is You" the single didn't chart in Canada and Australia.[11]
Track listing
- "It's a Different World" - 2:18
- "Empty Chapel" – 3:14
Charts
| Chart (1966) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100[8] | 134 |
| US Cashbox Looking Ahead[9] | 142 |
| US Record World Up-Coming Singles[10] | 143 |
References
- ↑ Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records. Krause Publications. Retrieved January 28, 2026 – via Google Books.
- 1 2 3 4 Francis, Connie (May 1966). ""It's a Different World"/"Empty Chapel" (7" vinyl single)". MGM Records. 13505.
- ↑ Francis, Connie (May 1966). ""Drr Mond war schuld daran"/"Komm zu mir, Joe" (7" vinyl single)". MGM Records. 61 126.
- 1 2 3 "Cashbox Record Reviews: The Cashbox Pick of the Week" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXVII, no. 42. May 7, 1966. p. 16.
- ↑ Billboard magazine, May 14, 1966. Page 14, MGM Records advertisement.
- ↑ "Cashbox Album Pop Picks Reviews: What the World Needs Now Is Love!" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXIX, no. 29. August 3, 1968. p. 30.
- ↑ "Record World Singles Reviews, Four Stars" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 20, no. 987. May 7, 1966. p. 6. Retrieved December 25, 2025 – via worldradiohistory.com.
- 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (1982). Joel Whitburn's Bubbling under the hot 100, 1959-1981. Menomonee Falls, Wis: Record Research. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-8982-0047-8.
- 1 2 Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffman, Frank (1994). Cash Box Pop Singles Charts, 1950–1993. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. pp. 129–130. ISBN 1563083167.
- 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2012). Hit Records 1954–1982. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-200-7.
- ↑ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.