earth angel earth angel occasionally referred earth angel song american group produced released debut single october formed year prior recorded song demo garage song origins lie multiple different sources songs page song authorship subject bitter legal dispute williams years following release song going overdubbed additional instrumentation original demo version unexpected hit quickly song grew southern_california spread united_states winter earth angel independent label release appear billboard national pop charts peaked big hit magazine charts remained number weeks cover version white vocal group peaked higher pop charts reaching number cover versions followed including recordings elvis_presley hit eventually sold excess million copies original recording song remained enduring hit single 1950s considered definitive songs recordings chosen added deeming culturally historically aesthetically important background composed lead vocalist bass tenor formed los_angeles california group named cigarette advertising mascot williams previously members began writing earth angel mentor high graduate previously hit single dream girl ballad credited song echoes earth angel melodic refrain dream girl dream girl hook adapted background chant earth angel hook borrowed hit hired year record demo went wedding later recorded page later noted group lifted bridge song earth angel song contains elements flames recording know piano introduction chord closely based standard blue moon williams reportedly wrote song wife duncan wrote melody disliked original earth angel recorded literal garage demo recorded home garage los_angeles home relative williams previously played bass bands home located west 30th street garage primary recording space artists record demos recorded single track tape recorder owned big band veteran performs bass guitar track drums vocals neighbor pet dog stopped takes dog door shut remembered williams williams performs piano track unconfirmed unknown drummer song composed key flat major set time signature common time tempo beats minute duncan vocal range spans seconds intro cut recording accident commercial performance unfinished demo earth angel began immediate success williams carried rough dub hollywood night record shop local record store gauge shop owner opinion broadcast late night rhythm blues broadcast store disc jockey sitting played sides single morning requests began coming song result williams abandoned idea additional instrumentation began immediate manufacturing single issue soon possible convinced hey hit pressed disc soon began record favor earth angel demand earth angel nearly producer ran label paper leading single pressed multiple colored labels appearance billboard territorial hit los_angeles second best selling single los_angeles second week october climbed number city november began grow popularity new_york philadelphia cincinnati cleveland buffalo pittsburgh nashville earth angel independent label release appear billboard national pop charts billboard called record best buy charts canada gave award week hit number new_york november christmas day song placing best sellers stores chart pop debuted number january single advanced overall best sellers stores chart resulting addition chart reached number played chart seven weeks chart peaked number overall best sellers stores chart february hit number major charts remained number hit weeks love time rare achievement song chart pop chart group pop presented gold record celebrate record selling million copies reported nearly copies earth angel sold southern_california popularity song flying single saw revived sales summer switched label reissued earth angel september string accompaniment following july billboard reported single breaking certain markets remarking wax breaks summer appearance late december billboard confirmed single enduring popularity original version earth angel example known heavy traffic item areas williams told billboard single passed mark reported selling single period renamed year reported thousands copies earth angel attempted sold unidentified song continued sell multiple decades release example selling thousands copies week world according new_york_times recording earth angel sold million copies exact figures uncertain wrote single sold million records remaining popular records time legal issues group members later engaged dispute royalties mid january reportedly receive advances problems began arise hired white big band era veteran manage group later partial credit song success despite fact began managing group release april signed ram directed group mercury power representative vocal group signed previously confirmed trades recording contract spanned years court decision found contract invalid members group minors time signing sued claiming damages result signing claiming mercury induced group break contract taking publishing rights earth angel supposed writer sued group week receiving credit writing song sued awarded rights song ground written cover versions popular culture earth angel repeatedly covered popular culture common occurrence time number cover versions released record immediate success white artists covered song including notable performed vocal group canada named signed version peaked number pop charts higher original version reached british charts feat original unable achieve elvis_presley recorded informal cover army stint germany flying widely considered songs sampled song permission cover versions include new edition addition cover versions song employed film television soundtracks film earth angel named song song television series happy days featured prominently film future performed kid musical musical singing group seasons australian group human nature covered song album legacy matched success debut single song continued popularity acclaim song lead vocalist remarked tired singing long people tired hearing song staple radio late 20th century earth angel called simple elegant recording judged finest examples despite higher success cover original amateur recording considered definitive author encyclopedia great popular song recordings writes track possesses virtually qualities lovers melodic beauty earnest lead vocal stripped bone simplicity romantic innocence new_york_times wrote song evokes timeless vision young love los_angeles_times concurred calling nostalgic post world war youth culture author music historian remarked ultra romantic ballads hit nerve teens time stood sincerity delivery rolling_stone placed number list greatest songs time called pivotal record early development rock roll unaffected vocals black high defined street corner listener poll new_york radio station placed earth angel night list enduring songs billboard reported consider earth angel rock roll hits new_york_times stated rhythmic plea young woman captured spirit emerging rock generation recordings chosen added deeming culturally historically aesthetically important july british pop group played song concert new_jersey star future guitar tribute film charts
Earth Angel