229:
in Clovis, New Mexico. Keith McCormack, who was the singer for the band, caught a cold and became too hoarse to sing at the recording session, so they recorded instead two instrumentals. Petty took their master recording of the song to
Warwick Records who then signed them. How "Tell the World" became "Wheels" is believed to the result of an error; according to one story, "Tell the World" was backed by Petty's composition entitled "Wheels", but the labels for the two sides were switched by accident by Warwick Records when the record was pressed, and "Tell the World" became "Wheels". However, Torres said that Petty switched the labelling of the song deliberately, and when the song became a hit, Petty claimed composition credit for a song he did not write on the basis of what was given on the label. In 1964, the parties agreed to share the credit, subsequently the
228:
The tune is believed to have been originally composed as "Tell the World," although who wrote the song is disputed. One story suggests that it was written by
Stephens and Torres of the String-A-Longs, who were called the Leen Teens in their early days. The song was recorded at Norman Petty's studio
248:
The String-A-Longs version sold 7 million copies, while all versions of the song sold 16 million combined. The band, however, was not properly compensated for their work as
Warwick Records declared bankruptcy when the band tried to get a settlement from Warwick. The band was owed $ 700,000, the
236:
Another version of the origin of "Wheels" credited Norman Petty as the writer of the hit instrumental rather than
Stephens and Torres. The String-A-Longs had composed a boogie instrumental titled "Wheels", while Petty's instrumental was initially called "Tell the World". The labels were then
237:
reversed, and it listed Torres and
Stephens as the writers of Petty's instrumental, while Petty was credited as the writer on the flip-side. It seems that Petty was able to claim a credit for writing "Wheels" (some releases credited
244:
It was originally released as "Wheels"/"Tell the World", but when both sides of the single started to take off, Warwick Record split the single into two: "Wheels"/"Am I Asking Too Much", and "Tell the World"/"For My Angel".
589:
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with French lyrics under the title "Dans le cœur de ma blonde". It topped the French and
Belgian charts for many weeks in July and August 1961.
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and Petty as the writers, and some listed him as the only writer) but the confusion has never really been resolved.
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Orchestra as "Wheels Cha Cha", and reached No. 21. It is remembered also as the music to the
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968:"Up Close with Keith McCormack and Aubrey deCordova of the Legendary String-A-Longs"
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The song has been covered by many artists, including charting versions by the
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had a number-one hit single in the
Netherlands with their version in 1961.
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63:
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In the UK a few months later the same year, the tune was recorded by the
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Fourteen Unsung
Pioneers of Early Rock and Roll Who Didn't Get Their Due
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484:(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 536.
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779:
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released a vocal version with lyrics by Johnny
Flamingo in 1963.
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Orchestra. Various other versions topped the charts in France (
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The song became popular in France where it was recorded by
513:(2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.
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copyright agency recorded all three as the composers.
193:. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a
658:
Plainview Daily Herald, June 25, 1995 issue, page 3A
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998:
813:
583:
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940:"Zanger Johnny Lion van 'Sophietje' overleden
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416:for 3 weeks. In the US, it reached No. 28.
904:"Marcel Amont – Dans le cœur de ma blonde"
786:"The String-A-Long: Artist Chart History"
531:
1032:Song recordings produced by Norman Petty
568:"Artists' Biography: The String-A-Longs"
504:
617:
479:
999:
857:
552:, Black Cat Rockabilly, archived from
587:
588:Logan, Nicki Bruce (July 24, 2010).
249:equivalent of $ 7 million in 2004.
189:. The track reached number 8 in the
385:, later used when bodybuilder
13:
14:
1053:
991:The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits
372:
16:1960 single by The String-A-Longs
590:"String-A-Longs are coming home"
574:. February 13, 1961. p. 40.
482:British Hit Singles & Albums
170:, issued in 1960. Their biggest
105:Richard Stephens, Jimmy Torres,
1037:Number-one singles in Argentina
960:
932:
914:
896:
878:
861:Once A Saint: An Actor's Memoir
851:
833:
795:
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821:Offiziellecharts.de – Wheels"
803:"Billboard Music Week Hot 100"
652:
638:
611:
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453:
443:also recorded their versions.
408:'s version was a No. 1 hit in
1:
1042:Number-one singles in Germany
1017:Songs written by Norman Petty
809:. March 13, 1961. p. 30.
687:"The String-a-longs - Wheels"
669:"The String A Longs - Wheels"
618:Stewart, Dick (8 June 2020).
446:
412:for 14 weeks in 1961, and in
223:
212:), Belgium, the Netherlands (
892:. July 24, 1961. p. 20.
864:. Little, Brown Book Group.
770:The String-A-Longs – Wheels"
753:The String-A-Longs – Wheels"
722:The String-A-Longs – Wheels"
705:The String-A-Longs – Wheels"
174:, it peaked at No. 3 on the
7:
845:The Official Charts Company
389:flexed his muscles and won
10:
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926:Offizielle Deutsche Charts
739:"Songs from the Year 1961"
461:"Billboard Top 100 - 1961"
505:Murrells, Joseph (1978).
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166:" is the debut single by
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57:
49:
37:
26:
21:
828:GfK Entertainment charts
509:The Book of Golden Discs
790:Official Charts Company
480:Roberts, David (2006).
922:"Billy Vaughn: Wheels"
361:Official German Charts
185:of 1961 according to
181:and was the number 8
858:Ogilvy, Ian (2016).
216:) and West Germany (
1027:1960s instrumentals
886:"Hits of the World"
556:on February 9, 2019
1007:1960 debut singles
648:, 2007, p. 46
549:The String-a-Longs
421:The Jumping Jewels
392:Opportunity Knocks
383:Naked Ballon Dance
214:The Jumping Jewels
168:the String-A-Longs
130:singles chronology
128:The String-A-Longs
32:The String-A-Longs
600:on April 26, 2021
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596:. Archived from
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419:The Dutch group
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191:UK Singles Chart
150:"Brass Buttons"
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45:"Tell the World"
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993:. 7th edn, 2000
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239:Johnny Flamingo
231:Broadcast Music
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774:Single Top 100
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441:Jorgen Ingmann
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373:Other versions
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359:West Germany (
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320:Single Top 100
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204:Orchestra and
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987:Joel Whitburn
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724:(in French).
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427:Johnny Duncan
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318:Netherlands (
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260:Chart (1961)
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100:Songwriter(s)
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1012:1961 singles
990:
972:. Retrieved
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772:(in Dutch).
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707:(in Dutch).
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663:
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602:. Retrieved
598:the original
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571:
562:
554:the original
548:
508:
500:
481:
475:
464:. Retrieved
455:
433:The Ventures
431:
425:
418:
406:Billy Vaughn
404:
400:Marcel Amont
397:
390:
387:Tony Holland
376:
347:
247:
243:
235:
227:
218:Billy Vaughn
210:Marcel Amont
206:Billy Vaughn
199:
186:
176:
163:
161:
142:
121:Norman Petty
107:Norman Petty
64:Instrumental
824:(in German)
726:Ultratop 50
709:Ultratop 50
646:La Herencia
284:Ultratop 50
272:Ultratop 50
115:Producer(s)
1022:1960 songs
1001:Categories
974:2012-03-14
955:(in Dutch)
841:"Joe Loss"
604:2021-04-26
466:2008-06-20
447:References
437:Hot Butter
331:UK Singles
286:Wallonia)
274:Flanders)
224:Background
172:hit single
890:Billboard
807:Billboard
572:Billboard
414:Argentina
348:Billboard
282:Belgium (
270:Belgium (
265:position
195:gold disc
187:Billboard
177:Billboard
908:Ultratop
757:VG-lista
379:Joe Loss
308:VG-lista
306:Norway (
294:Canada (
202:Joe Loss
50:Released
22:"Wheels"
693:. 1960.
691:Discogs
673:Discogs
410:Germany
350:Hot 100
179:Hot 100
152:(1961)
147:(1960)
92:Warwick
948:nos.nl
868:
628:
521:
488:
253:Charts
183:single
164:Wheels
143:Wheels
70:Length
40:B-side
28:Single
830:.
87:Label
59:Genre
866:ISBN
728:.
711:.
626:ISBN
519:ISBN
486:ISBN
439:and
296:CHUM
263:Peak
53:1960
792:.
776:.
759:.
515:140
345:US
335:OCC
220:).
30:by
1003::
989:,
946:.
924:.
906:.
888:.
843:.
826:.
805:.
788:.
755:.
689:.
671:.
624:.
592:.
580:^
570:.
533:^
517:.
435:,
395:.
366:1
363:)
354:3
340:8
337:)
325:1
322:)
313:4
310:)
301:2
298:)
289:1
277:1
197:.
145:"
79:55
977:.
942:"
928:.
910:.
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847:.
819:"
768:"
751:"
741:.
720:"
703:"
675:.
634:.
607:.
527:.
494:.
469:.
333:(
162:"
141:"
77::
75:1
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