Blue Velvet

"Blue Velvet" is a popular song written and composed in 1950 by Bernie Wayne and Lee Morris. A top 20 hit for Tony Bennett in its original 1951 version, the song has since been re-recorded many times, with a 1963 version by Bobby Vinton reaching No. 1. Inspiration and composition Songwriter Bernie Wayne was inspired to begin writing "Blue Velvet" on a 1951 visit to Richmond, Virginia where he stayed at the Jefferson Hotel. At a party at the hotel, Wayne continually caught sight of a female guest dressed in blue velvet with whom he would have a holiday romance. Tony Bennett original version and 1951 covers The song's co-writer Bernie Wayne had pitched "Blue Velvet" to Columbia Records head A&R man Mitch Miller, who as soon as he'd heard the song's opening measure: "She wore blue velvet", had suggested giving the song to Tony Bennett. (Wayne's response: "Don't you want to hear the rest of the song?", caused Miller to opine: "Quit while you're ahead!") Recorded in a July 17, 1951 session with the Percy Faith orchestra and released September 21, 1951, Bennett's version peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard chart of "Records Most Played by Disc Jockeys", while reaching No. 18 on Billboard's chart of "Best Selling Pop Singles", and No. 18 on Billboard's chart of "Most Played Juke Box Records". Bennett's version of "Blue Velvet" made its album debut on a 1959 compilation LP that was also titled Blue Velvet. The single's B-side "Solitaire" was also a Top 20 hit. "Blue Velvet" was expediently covered by Arthur Prysock—whose version although recorded a week after Bennett's evidently was the first version released, in August 1951—Bill Farrell, and Norman Kaye (a solo act who was also a member of the Mary Kaye Trio): the Cash Box Top 50 singles chart ranked Bennett's version and the three covers in tandem, with a peak position of No. 12 attained on the chart dated December 1, 1951. Cash Box also ranked Bennett's version as high as No. 11 on its chart of "The Nation's Top 10 Juke Box Tunes"."