Continuing with our look at some of the top hits from the spring and early summer of 1970, today’s classic 1970 song of the day is “Hey There Lonely Girl” by Eddie Holman. The single was released the last week of December of 1969 and hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 21, 1970.
“Hey There Lonely Girl” started life as “Hey There Lonely Boy,” which was a hit for Ruby and the Romantics in 1963. They took the song to #27 on the Hot 100 and #5 on what Billboard then called the Middle-Road Singles chart.
Ruby’s version was a little more straight with a typically orchestrated early-60s pop arrangement, along with the Romantics’ doo-wop-flavored background vocals. Eddie Holman switched it from 4/4 to 12/8, slowed it down just a tinch, dialed back the strings and background vocals, and added a whole lot of soul. Eddie also sang around the melody a bit, adding a fair number of vocal flourishes in his smooth high tenor voice. He also added that hard stop at the end of each chorus and the middle of each verse which added just the right amount of tension.
“Hey There Lonely Girl” is that rare instance where a remake is so dynamic that it completely erases any memory of the original. Chances are you, dear reader, didn’t even know the version by Ruby and the Romantics existed. I’d bet good money, however, that you know Mr. Holman’s cover virtually note for note—as you should. It’s a defining moment in late ’60s/early ’70s soul, a true classic.
The song was written by Leon Carr and Earl Shuman. According to Wikipedia, which is seldom wrong, Mr. Carr started his career writing advertising jingles, including some you’ll remember if you’re of a certain age, including “Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut…” for Mounds candy bars and “See the U.S.A. In Your Chevrolet” for some obscure Detroit carmaker. He and Mr. Shuman, together and separately, wrote tunes that were recorded by the likes of Brook Benton, Teresa Brewer, Vikki Carr, Vic Damone, Tom Jones, Dean Martin, Johnny Mathis, Patti Page, Gene Pitney, Louis Prima, Nina Simone, and Bobby Vinton.
“Hey There Lonely Girl” was the first and last big hit for Eddie Holman. He released his first record, “What You Don’t Know Won’t Hurt You” in 1962 and had several minor hits before hitting it big with “Hey There Lonely Girl.” He had a few more minor hits after that, then, in the early ’80s, became a born-again Christian and turned his talents to performing and recording gospel music. Eddie Holman is still alive today, still living in Philadelphia. spending his retirement as a community volunteer with the Philadelphia School System. He’s 77 years old.
