Black Velvet (song)

"Black Velvet" is a song written by Canadian songwriters Christopher Ward and David Tyson, and recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Alannah Myles. It was released in January 1990 as one of four singles from Myles' 1989 eponymous album from Atlantic Records. It became a number-one hit for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1990 and reached number one on the Album Rock Tracks chart, as well as number ten in her native Canada and number two on the UK Singles Chart. The power ballad[4] also reached number one in Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland and was a major success in several other countries. It contains blues verses with a rock chorus.

"Black Velvet"
Single by Alannah Myles
from the album Alannah Myles
B-side"If You Want To"
ReleasedJuly 26, 1989
Genre
Length4:47
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)David Tyson
Alannah Myles singles chronology
"Love Is"
(1989)		 "Black Velvet"
(1989)		 "Still Got This Thing"
(1990)
Music video
"Black Velvet" on YouTube

Myles won the 1991 Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for the song and the 1990 Juno Award for Single of the Year. Since its release, the song has received substantial airplay, receiving a "Millionaire Award" from ASCAP in 2005 for more than four million radio plays.[5]

Background and writing

The song is a paean to Elvis Presley, whose portrait was often painted on black velvet, and who used a hair dye named Black Velvet. Co-writer Christopher Ward, who was Myles' then-boyfriend, was inspired on a bus full of Elvis fans riding to Memphis attending the 10th anniversary vigil at Graceland, in 1987. Upon his return to Canada, he brought his idea to Alannah and producer David Tyson, who wrote the chords for the bridge. The song was one of three in a demo Myles presented to Atlantic Records, which eventually got her signed to the label.

Atlantic Records, much to the disappointment of Myles for whom the song had been written, gave the song to country artist Robin Lee to record. In the United States, Myles' version was released in December 1989, while Lee's version was released two months later in February 1990. This led to Myles being promoted by Atlantic on the pop and rock radio stations, and Lee on the country radio stations. Lee even filmed a videoclip of the song very similar to Myles' video.

Myles released a new version of the song on a digitally released Elvis tribute EP in August 2007 to commemorate the 30 years since his death. It was later included on her 2008 Black Velvet CD.

The song is performed in the key of E♭ minor, with a swinging tempo of 92 beats per minute in 4
4 time. Myles' lead vocals span from E♭3 to E♭5 in the song.[6][7]

One aspect of the song listeners have frequently noted is the tune's distinctive fretless bassline. While a common belief holds that the melody was played using an actual fretless bass guitar, Myles' bassist for the rest of her self-titled album, Steve Webster, acknowledged in an online discussion forum that he did not perform the bassline on "Black Velvet" himself; rather, it was Tyson who played the riff on a synthesizer, using a fretless bass sample.[8]

Reception

Critical reception

Music & Media described the song as "a blues ballad featuring some straight-from-the-heart vocals from Miles and inspired guitar playing".[9]

Commercial reception

As the second single of Myles' debut album, it was first released in her native Canada in July 1989. It peaked at number 10 in September of that year, becoming the first of four top-10 hits for Myles in her homeland. Worldwide, it was released as Myles' debut single. It was released in the United States in December 1989 and worldwide in early 1990, becoming a top-10 hit in most countries where it was released. It peaked at number one in four countries: Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States and received gold and platinum discs in several countries. This would go on to be her biggest hit in the US, leading to her being seen as a one-hit wonder there.

Music video

The music video, directed by Doug Freel, was partially shot on Myles' family ranch in Buckhorn, Ontario. Myles is seen singing on a cabin porch with her guitarist, Kurt Schefter (Raving Mojos), intercut with scenes from Myles in concert with her band. The concert scene was filmed in Kingston, Ontario, in a bar called Stages.

Usage in media

The song was featured in the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race, being performed by contestants Jujubee and Sahara Davenport in a "lipsync for your life".

Track listings

Charts

Certifications
Certifications for "Black Velvet"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[33] Platinum 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[45] Gold 25,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[46] Gold 45,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[47] Gold 250,000^
Sweden (GLF)[48] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[49] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[50] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other versions
"Black Velvet"
Single by Robin Lee
from the album Black Velvet
ReleasedFebruary 1990
GenreCountry
Length4:43 (album version)
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)David Tyson, Christopher Ward
Producer(s)Nelson Larkin[51]
Robin Lee singles chronology
"Before You Cheat on Me Once"
(1989)		 "Black Velvet"
(1990)		 "How About Goodbye"
(1990)

Country music artist Robin Lee, also signed to Atlantic at the time, covered "Black Velvet" in 1990 on her third studio album, also titled Black Velvet. Lee's version peaked at No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) chart.

Idols South Africa winner Anke Pietrangeli covered the song on her album Tribute to the Great Female Vocalists in 2009.[52]

In 2015, Canadian heavy metal band Kobra and the Lotus recorded the song for their first EP, entitled Words of the Prophets.[53]

In 2021, X Factor winner Sam Bailey recorded the song as her rock debut. The song was released through independent record label Saga Entertainment on August 6, 2021. The song peaked at number one on the Amazon best sellers chart.[54][55][56]

In 2022, Infected Mushroom released a cover of the song featuring Ninet Tayeb. It was released through record label Monstercat and is to be featured on Infected Mushroom's IM25 album.[57]

Chart performance for Robin Lee version
Chart performance for "Black Velvet" by Robin Lee
Chart (1990) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[58] 21
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard) 12

See also

References
  1. Friedman, Nathaniel (April 26, 2018). "U.S. Girls Isn't Selling Out—She's Just Writing Bops". GQ. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  2. Smith, Troy L. (October 21, 2020). "Every No. 1 song of the 1990s ranked from worst to best". Cleveland.com. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  3. Breihan, Tom (September 8, 2021). "The Number Ones: Alannah Myles' "Black Velvet"". Stereogum. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  4. "50 Best Power Ballads of All Time". Q105.
  5. "Alannah Myles – About". Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  6. Tyson, David (May 7, 2007). "Alannah Myles "Black Velvet" Guitar Tab in E Minor - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  7. Tyson, David (August 31, 2000). "Alannah Myles 'Black Velvet' Sheet Music in E Minor (transposable) - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  8. "Bassist on Black Velvet..cool fretless stuff" (response from Steve Webster himself acknowledging he did not perform bass on the song), 4 Nov 2009 @TalkBass.com Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  9. "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. April 7, 1990. p. 17. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  10. "Alannah Myles – Black Velvet". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  11. "Alannah Myles – Black Velvet" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  12. "Alannah Myles – Black Velvet" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6564." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  14. "Top 3 Singles in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 25. June 23, 1990. p. 13. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  15. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 19. May 12, 1990. p. 11. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  16. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  17. "Alannah Myles – Black Velvet" (in French). Les classement single.
  18. "Alannah Myles – Black Velvet" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Black Velvet". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  20. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 20, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  21. "Alannah Myles – Black Velvet" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  22. "Alannah Myles – Black Velvet". Top 40 Singles.
  23. "Alannah Myles – Black Velvet". VG-lista.
  24. "Alannah Myles – Black Velvet". Singles Top 100.
  25. "Alannah Myles – Black Velvet". Swiss Singles Chart.
  26. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  27. "Alannah Myles Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  28. "Alannah Myles Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  29. "Mainstream Rock: Feb 17, 1990". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
  30. "Top 40/Rock: March 17, 1990" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  31. "Alannah Myles – Black Velvet". Tracklisten.
  32. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  33. "1990 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  34. 1990 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at Archived December 17, 2013, at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved July 29, 2008)
  35. "Jaaroverzichten 1990". Ultratop. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  36. 1989 Canadian Singles Chart (Retrieved February 6, 2016)
  37. "Eurochart Hot 100 of 1990" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 51. December 22, 1990. p. 60. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved January 15, 2020 – via American Radio History.
  38. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1990" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  39. "Single top 100 over 1990" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  40. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1990". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  41. "End of Year Charts 1990". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  42. 1990 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch Archived February 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved July 29, 2008)
  43. "1990 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England. March 2, 1991. p. 41.
  44. "Billboard Top 100 – 1990". Archived from the original on July 6, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  45. "Austrian single certifications – Alannah Myles – Black Velvet" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  46. "Danish single certifications – Alannah Myles – Black Velvet". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  47. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Alannah Myles; 'Black Velvet')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  48. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2011.
  49. "British single certifications – Alannah Myles – Black Velvet". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  50. "American single certifications – Alannah Myles – Black Velvet". Recording Industry Association of America.
  51. Black Velvet (CD liner notes). Robin Lee. Atlantic Records. 1990. 82085-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  52. Anke - Tribute to the Great Female Vocalists Retrieved January 10, 2014
  53. "KNAC.COM - The Loudest Dot Com on the Planet!". www.knac.com.
  54. Bedford, Corey (August 1, 2021). "Sam Bailey to release new single that pays tribute to Elvis". LeicestershireLive.
  55. "Sam Bailey - Black Velvet". YouTube. SamBaileyMusicVEVO. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  56. "Black Velvet". Saga Entertainment. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  57. "Infected Mushroom Reimagine Alannah Myles' 1989 Classic "Black Velvet" Featuring Ninet Tayeb on Monstercat". Grateful Web. August 15, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  58. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 1249." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. June 2, 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
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