Released May 1964 Genre Rock Label Vee-Jay | Format 7" Length 2:49 | |
B-side Long, Lonely Nights (from the album Folk-Nanny) | ||
"Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)" is a popular song written by Morty Craft. Craft owned a record label, and produced the recording by the Shepherd Sisters on that label. The lyrics were written by Craft's wife, Selma.
While it was the only hit for The Shepherd Sisters (as The Sheps) in the United States (reaching #18 on the Billboard charts on November 11, 1957), in the United Kingdom it was one of a number of hits for Petula Clark (reaching #8 on the UK charts) before she became famous internationally. The Shepherd Sisters' version also charted in the UK, reaching #14, and another version, by The Southlanders, reached #17 on the UK chart.
A remake of the song by The Four Seasons charted in 1964, reaching its peak Billboard Hot 100 position at #28, on July 18. "Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)" also went to #8 on the Canadian singles chart. It was the act's last hit single on Vee Jay Records, as The Four Seasons left the label at the beginning of 1964 in a royalty dispute.
The song was also subsequently recorded by Tracey Ullman.