The song was originally recorded in 1951, for RCA Victor by Johnny Hartman, and about the same time for Crescendo Records by Al Costello with the Walter Scott Orchestra.[1][2] Several hit versions of "Wheel of Fortune" were released in 1952. The first chart hit was by the Eddie Wilcox Orchestra featuring Sunny Gale, whose version reached number 2 on the R&B chart and number 13 on the pop chart. The most successful version was by Kay Starr, whose recording reached number 1 in the US pop chart in March 1952, staying there for ten weeks. Other hit versions in 1952 came from Dinah Washington (number 3, R&B), Bobby Wayne (number 6, pop), The Cardinals (number 6, R&B), and The Bell Sisters (number 10, pop).[3][4]
The song was also used as the theme to the television series Wheel of Fortune.
Kay Starr[8] (released by Capitol Records as catalog numbers 1677, with the flip side "Angry", and 1964, with the flip side "I Wanna Love You";[16] first reached the Billboard Best Seller chart on February 8, 1952 and lasted 22 weeks on the chart, peaking at number one).[19]
Jimmy Thomason (recorded February 1952, released by King Records as catalog number 1051, with the flip side "Kiamish Choctaw Rose")[20]
Bobby Wayne with Joe Reisman's orchestra (released by Mercury Records as catalog number 5779, with the flip side "If I Heard the Heart of a Clown";[22] first reached the Billboard Best Seller chart on February 15, 1952, and lasted 10 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 13).[19]
Eddie Wilcox & Sunny Gale (released by Derby Records as catalog number 787, with the flip side "You Showed Me the Way";[23] first reached the Billboard Best Seller chart on February 1, 1952 and lasted 6 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 14)[19]