"Heartbeat"
Single by Buddy Holly
B-side"Well... All Right"
ReleasedNovember 5, 1958
RecordedAugust 1958
GenreRock and roll, pop rock
Length2:11
LabelCoral Records
Songwriter(s)Bob Montgomery, Norman Petty
Producer(s)Norman Petty
Buddy Holly singles chronology
"Early in the Morning"
(1958) 		"Heartbeat"
(1958) 		"It Doesn't Matter Anymore"
(1958)

"Heartbeat" is a rockabilly song originally recorded by Bob Montgomery and credited to Norman Petty. It was recorded most famously by Buddy Holly in 1958. The B-side of the single was "Well... All Right" (Buddy Holly, Norman Petty, Jerry Allison, Joe Mauldin). "Heartbeat" reached the UK top 10 twice: once in 1975 for Showaddywaddy at number seven and again in 1992 for Nick Berry, recorded as the theme to the television series Heartbeat, which reached number two.

Hit versions

"Heartbeat" was the second to last of Holly's singles to be released during his lifetime. It was a minor hit in the United States, reaching number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Holly's single had more chart impact in the UK, reaching number 30 in January 1959 and again upon its reissue in April 1960. In the interim between the two UK chartings of the Holly original, a remake by the Dale Sisters (catalogue number HMV POP 710) reached number 33 in the UK.[1][2]

"Heartbeat" subsequently reached the UK top 10 twice. Firstly in 1975 for Showaddywaddy, number 7 that September,[3] and again in 1992 when Nick Berry's version, recorded as the theme to the television series Heartbeat, in which he starred, reached number 2 that June.[4] Tommy Allsup played the lead guitar part on the recording.

Charts

Buddy Holly version

Chart (1959) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[5] 30
US Billboard Hot 100[6] 82

Showaddywaddy version

Chart (1975) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 5
UK Singles (OCC)[3] 7
West Germany (Official German Charts)[8] 21

Nick Berry version

Cover versions of "Heartbeat"

Versions of "Heartbeat" have appeared on albums by:

Cover versions of "Well... All Right"

The B-side of the single, "Well... All Right", was covered by:

See also

References

  1. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records. p. 138. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ^ "The Dale Sisters Discography – UK". 45cat. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
  3. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  5. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  6. ^ "Buddy Holly Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Heartbeat". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  8. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Showaddywaddy – Heartbeat" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 13, 2021. To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON Showaddywaddy"
  9. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 27. July 4, 1992. p. 18. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  10. ^ "Year End Charts: Top Singles". Music Week. January 16, 1993. p. 8.
  11. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 739.
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