Crying in the Chapel

"Crying in the Chapel"
1953 sheet music cover featuring Darrell Glenn on the cover, Valley Publishers, Inc., New York.
Song by Darrell Glenn
Written	1953
Writer(s)	Artie Glenn

"Crying in the Chapel" is a song written by Artie Glenn for his son Darrell to sing. Darrell recorded it while still in high school in 1953, along with Artie's band the Rhythm Riders. The song was rejected by Hill and Range Songs and Acuff-Rose Music. The song was eventually published by Valley Publishers which also released the single featuring Darrell Glenn. It became a local hit and then it went nationwide. The original version of the song (Valley 105) was issued in May 1953. The song became one of the most covered of 1953. Darrell Glenn's original recording reached number one on the Cash Box charts (where all versions were amalgamated) and number six on Billboard. Darrell Glenn's original version also hit number six on the Billboard pop singles chart and number four on the Billboard country and western chart, Rex Allen's number eight, Ella Fitzgerald number 15, and Art Lund reached number 23.

A recording by June Valli with orchestra directed by Joe Reisman was made in New York City on June 11, 1953. It was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog umber 20-5368 (in USA) and by EMI on the His Master's Voice label as catalog numbers HR 10007, N 14105 and CS 14. This was the most successful pop version on the Billboard charts, reaching number four after charting for 17 weeks beginning August 1, 1953.

On October 30, 1960, Elvis Presley recorded a version of the song during the sessions for his RCA Records gospel album, His Hand in Mine. It was not included on that album, but rather was held back by RCA and finally released as an "Easter Special" single (447-0643) in April 1965, hitting number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and topping the Easy Listening chart for seven weeks, the greatest chart success for Presley over a six-year span. The single reached number one on the British charts in 1965 where it stayed for two weeks. It was later included as a bonus track on Presley's 1967 gospel album, How Great Thou Art. The single was eventually certified "Platinum" by the RIAA for sales in excess of one million units in the US.