Melancholy Me

{{Infobox song | name = Melancholy Me | cover =  | alt = | type = single | artist = Ella Fitzgerald | album = | B-side = "Somebody Bad Stole de Wedding Bell" | released = {{Start date|1954||}} | recorded = | studio = | genre =  | length = | label = Decca | writer = {{hlist|Joe Thomas|Howard Biggs}} | producer = | prev_title =  | prev_year = | next_title = | next_year = | misc = {{External music video | 1 = {{YouTube|jk_7zaHrWJg|"Melancholy Me"|link=no}} | type = single | header = Audio }} }}

"'''Melancholy Me'''" is a song written by Joe Thomas and Howard Biggs that was a hit in 1954 for Ella Fitzgerald, who recorded it for Decca with the orchestra directed by Sy Oliver.

== Release and critical reception == {{Music ratings | title = Ella Fitzgerald version | rev1 = ''Billboard'' | rev1score = 79/100<ref name="Billboard 6 March 1954" /> }} {{Music ratings | title = Smith Brothers version | rev1 = ''Billboard'' | rev1score = positive<ref name="Billboard 13 February 1954">{{cite web | title=New records to watch | date=13 February 1954 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yx4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Melancholy+Me%22&pg=PA48 | page=48|magazine=Billboard}}</ref>}} In its issues from 6, 13, 20 February, and 6 March 1954, the ''Billboard'' magazine listed three single records of the song available for purchase: by Eddy Howard (on Mercury), by Ella Fitzgerald (on Decca) and by the Smith Brothers (on Label X).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vR4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Melancholy+Me%22&pg=PA20|title=Cough drops plug record|date=6 February 1954|page=20|magazine=Billboard}}</ref><ref name="Billboard 6 March 1954">{{cite web | title=BMI check list of new record ratings by the trade press | date=6 March 1954 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zh4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Melancholy+Me%22&pg=PA104 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref><ref name="Billboard 20 February 1954">{{cite web | title='Melancholy' draws action by diskers | date=20 February 1954 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zh4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Melancholy+Me%22&pg=PA104 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> Eddy Howard 's version was rated "excellent" by ''Variety'', Ella Fitzgerald's version — "excellent" by ''Variety'' and 79 ("good") by ''Billboard''.<ref name="Billboard 6 March 1954" />

In its issue from 27 February, ''Billboard'' reported: "The Howard recording of this tune has definitely stepped out ahead of the several competing versions on the market. [...] The Ella Fitzgerald and Smith Brothers versions have been reported as good sellers in some territories also, but in almost all considerably behind Howard."<ref name="Billboard 27 February 1954">{{cite web | title=This week's best buys| date=27 February 1954 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ChsEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Melancholy+Me%22&pg=PA31 | page=31|magazine=Billboard}}</ref>

== Chart performance == Howard's single charted for several weeks on ''Billboard''{{'}}s Most Played by Disk Jockeys chart.<ref name="Billboard 3 April 1954">{{cite web | title=Most Played by Disk Jockeys | date=3 April 1954 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mh8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Melancholy+Me%22&pg=PA20 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref><ref name="Billboard 24 April 1954">{{cite web | title=Most Played by Disk Jockeys | date=24 April 1954 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ph8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Melancholy+Me%22&pg=PA38 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref>

== Charts == '''Eddy Howard version''' {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"| Chart (1954) !scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' Most Played by Disk Jockeys<ref name="Billboard 24 April 1954" /> | 16 |}

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:1954 songs Category:Ella Fitzgerald songs Category:Decca Records singles Category:1954 singles Category:Eddy Howard songs Category:Mercury Records singles