"The Nearest Thing To Heaven" | ||||
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Single by Bunny Walters | ||||
B-side | "Songs We Sang Together" | |||
Released | 1974 | |||
Format | 45 RPM single | |||
Genre | pop | |||
Label | Impact IR 1084 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Tony Macaulay, Gary Sulsh, Stuart Leathwood | |||
Producer(s) | Alan Galbraith | |||
Bunny Walters singles chronology | ||||
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The Nearest Thing To Heaven was a sizable hit for Bunny Walters in 1974. It reached #10 in the New Zealand charts. It was also his last hit.
The song was composed by Tony Macaulay, Gary Sulsh, and Stuart Leathwood. The song was originally recorded by Ben Thomas, released in the UK on Bell Records BELL 1272 in 1972. The version recorded by Bunny Walters was released in 1974 on Impact IR 1084. The B side contained "Songs We Sang Together" which was also composed by Tony Macaulay. This version that Walters recorded was produced by Alan Galbraith, and was the one that became the hit. This single followed his previous release, the Bernie Allen arranged "Helena", which even though a gold disc entry, wasn't a hit.
The September 7, 1974 issue of Billboard recorded the song at #10, just behind George McCrae's "Rock Your Baby" at #9 and with Paper Lace's "The Night Chicago Died" at #1. That was the highest position it got to. The song stayed in the charts for 9 weeks. Walters didn't have any more chart hits after that.