{{Infobox song | name = Church Bells May Ring | type = single | artist = The Willows | album = | cover = The_Willows_Church_Bells_78.jpg | B-side = Baby Tell Me | released = {{Start date|1956|2}} | recorded = | genre = Doo-wop | length = {{Duration|m=2|s=25}} | label = Melba | writer = The Willows, Morty Craft | producer = | prev_title = So Help Me | prev_year = 1954 | next_title = This Is the End | next_year = 1956 }}
"'''Church Bells May Ring'''" is a song written by The Willows, with songwriting credits also given to Morty Craft; Craft, a veteran arranger and talent scout, owned Melba Records, the label the Willows recorded for, and as often happened in the 1950s, label executives would give themselves a songwriting credit. There is little evidence Craft wrote the song, and according to the band members, he only paid them $200, despite the fact that the song sold well.<ref>Al Leichter. "The Willows Take Off, But Only Briefly." ''Staunton (VA) News-Leader'', July 30, 1993, p. 27.</ref> The Willows were formed in New York City in 1952. Their original name was the Five Willows, and their song was originally called "Church Bells Are Ringing."<ref>Joel Whitburn. ''Top Pop Singles, 1955-1999''. Record Research, Menomonee Falls WI, 2000, p. 706.</ref> "Church Bells May Ring" reached number 11 on the U.S. R&B chart and number 67 on the U.S. pop chart in 1956.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Top 100 for the Survey Week Ending April 18, ''Billboard'', April 28, 1956, p. 48|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9h4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=church+bells+may+ring+willows&pg=PA48|website=books.google.com| date=28 April 1956 |access-date=13 July 2023}}</ref>
Neil Sedaka played chimes on the song.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Willows, "Church Bells May Ring" Single Release|url=https://www.discogs.com/Willows-Church-Bells-May-Ring-Baby-Tell-Me/release/2123658|website=Discogs.com|access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldminemag.com/obituaries-news/obituary-ralph-martin-original-member-of-the-willows|title=Obituary: Ralph Martin, original member of the Willows|website=Goldminemag.com|date=6 April 2010 |access-date=28 April 2021}}</ref>
==Other charting versions== *The Diamonds released a version of the song as a single which reached number 14 on the U.S. pop chart in 1956.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Diamonds, "Church Bells May Ring" Chart Position|url=http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=The+Church+Bells+May+Ring+by+The+Diamonds&id=42404|website=Musicvf.com|access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref> *The Willows re-released a version of the song as a single which reached number 114 on the U.S. pop chart in 1961.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Willows, "Church Bells May Ring" Chart Position|url=http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=Church+Bells+May+Ring+by+Willows&id=106018|website=Musicvf.com|access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref>
==Other versions== *The Cadets released a version of the song as the B-side to their 1956 single "Heartbreak Hotel".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Cadets, "Heartbreak Hotel" Single Release|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Cadets-Heartbreak-Hotel-Church-Bells-May-Ring/release/5758005|website=Discogs.com|access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref> *Sunny Gale released a version of the song as a single in 1960, but it did not chart.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sunny Gale, "Church Bells May Ring" Single Release|url=https://www.discogs.com/Sunny-Gale-Church-Bells-May-Ring-My-Foolish-Heart/release/3193405|website=Discogs.com|year=1960 |access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref> *The Four Seasons released a version of the song on their 1964 album ''Dawn (Go Away) and 11 Other Great Songs''.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Four Seasons, ''Dawn (Go Away) and 11 Other Great Songs''|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-4-Seasons-Dawn-Go-Away-And-11-Other-Great-Songs/release/10032804|website=Discogs.com|year=1964 |access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref> *The Shirelles released a version of the song on their 1964 album ''The Shirelles Sing the Golden Oldies''.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Shirelles, ''The Shirelles Sing the Golden Oldies''|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Shirelles-The-Shirelles-Sing-The-Golden-Oldies/release/4931890|website=Discogs.com|year=1964 |access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Church Bells May Ring}} Category:1956 songs Category:1956 singles Category:1960 singles Category:1961 singles Category:The Diamonds songs Category:The Four Seasons (band) songs Category:The Shirelles songs
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