Near You
Francis Craig and His Orchestra Lyrics

@PhyllisPascazio

The song "Near You" was number one on the charts when I was born. I'll never forget the many times my mom sang this song to me. Mom sang often, and most often, I think, to me. She could always make me smile with a song, no matter how sad or angry I might have been at the moment. "Near You" was one of my faves. Thanks, Mom. I love and miss you.

@annbutler8302

I just found this song today 10/11/2023. Today is my, would have been, Mom's 76th birthday. 🩵

@morganqorishchi8181

Unlike a lot of people in the comments section, I got introduced to this song via a fanfic. And I'm very grateful for that. I love this.

@thomaswalters4927

I had two friends that I worked with who were teens in 1947...they came to parties at my house singing this song but changing the words to "In You..." 😮

@austx290

Love this song. I requested it on the 40s channel and now i hear them play it once in a while (XM Radio).

@cassandra_bonnet

I love both his voice and the piano. I find that beautiful and harmonious

@ervinlutz8886

1947 Francis Craig Near You The biggest hit song from the year I was born

@bobemdog

I was in high school when this was a hit and I will never forget how I loved his piano styling. And I still do !!

@johnniejohnson7916

Funny I heard this song growing up but never knew the song title. One of my favorites. I was born 1960 but remember it like yesterday.

@robertheimersr4994

I'm 86 yrs i still remember this song

@jkcoyle1030

What a thrill hearing songs that you have completely forgotten but when you hear them it brings back unbelievable memories. You Tube is a dream come true.

@rememberourmusic440

♫Remember Our Music♫ is honored to LIKE this recording of music featuring Francis Craig, especially since today, September 10, 2018 is the 118th anniversary of his birth.
If you are interested in more recordings by distinguished American musicians, please check out my historical youtube channel ‘Remember our Music’ a site which daily honors a great American musician born between 1745 and 1945 including Max Kaminsky, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Cannonball Adderley, Ray Charles, B. B. King, John Coltrane, Otis Redding, plus divas of opera, gospel and comedy including Koko Taylor, Freda Payne, Sissy Houston, Jo Anne Worley and Jesse Norman, all born in the month of September!

@donaldmorrow3096

The biggest "David fells Goliath" story ever on the Billboard charts. No one from Decca, Columbia, Capitol, or RCA Victor saw this little bitty record coming. It is still the biggest "indie label" record in history. It was so massive a hit that it officially began the Nashville recording industry and the label (Bullet) began the recording career of B. B. King. Though rarely played by even the most specialized radio programmers, nobody should forget the history made by this record (and thanks to YouTube, they won't).

@helios1912

Rarely heard in this radio hit original style--thanks for posting. 1947 was a great year for my parents--they met. This record conjures up all that I think of of the postwar '40s. I picture my parents sipping on Hudepohl beer in downtown Cincinnati-hopping in my dad's '40 Olds convertible.

@williamschlenger1518

This was my mother's favorite song in 1947

@sterlingbidler

damn your mom is old af not as old as mine tho mine was born in 1457

@mojoliner7045

This was the theme song of Milton Berle's Television show, every Tuesday night in the 50's. "Uncle Miltie" owned Tuesday night tv

@rdr9999

That's true. For decades his orchestra was the house band for Nashville's historic Hemitage Hotel. A popular live perfomer from the 1920s to 1940s, Craig was actually semi-retired when he recorded his record-breaking song. Recorded music was just becoming popular after an age when live music, heard in person or over the radio, was the way most people heard new songs. Craig wanted to make recordings to preserve his legacy for his children and grandchildren.

@CarmenWade-lz5zm

Happy New And Prosper 2024!!!

@williambug8117

I remember this on the radio when I was a child.

@jamwayofaiken-augustarockb7643

Weird Journey how I got here decided to start listening a big band fell in love with Frank Sinatra music started singing it for over 3 years then I remember there was some Andrew sisters and listen to them for 3 weeks straight I fell in love with their version of this song and with every song that I learned by Frank or The Andrews Sisters I always go to look to see who wrote the song and the year it was written so that I could have it committed to memory that's how I got here listening to this really awesome piano player I really enjoyed it

@estesco1

WISH I HAD KEPT UP WITH PIANO LESSONS AS A KID, THIS SONG WOULD BE FUN TO PLAY.

@jkcoyle1030

What a great piano lead into a great vocal.

@Flo-zr3yi

Increíble que esta música de 1947, se siga escuchando en 2018. guau maravilloso !!

@davidalen2590

Love this!

@swirlyonionparks1535

I love this. I haven’t heard it in forever

@miguelosvaldofloresdomingu8911

Amazing piano on this track!

@ZellyRawr

This is the song that was popular when my mom was born <3

@barbiefinn

Same here. I, too, was born when this song was #1. Even though I'm a diehard rock'n'roll fan, This song is good with a nice bouncy tune. My grandfather, uncle and father were musicians,so they must have played this. Too bad I didn't inherit the musical gene at all. All I can do is bop around my room when I hear those old time rock'n'roll songs.

@ricardosalesdemello4130

Ahhh!!!! Mais essa música é linda!!!! amo o toque & amo ouvir todos os instrumentos musicais como violão celo & outros
É Realmente uma música linda..
... e outra deveria tocar nos Radios..
Ou ouvir em discos de vinil

@sauquoit13456

On this day in 1958 {Aug. 17th} Roger Williams performed "Near You" on TV's 'The Ed Sullivan Show' The very next day {Aug.18th} it entered Billboard's Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked at #10 & spent 17 weeks on the Top 100 It was originally recorded by its composer, Francis Craig, in 1947; on Sept. 12th it peaked at #1 {for 12 weeks} on Billboard's Best Sellers chart Four covered versions also charted in 1947; Andrew Sisters {#4}, Elliot Lawrence {#9}, Larry Green {#3}, & Alvino Rey {#9}

@SaltyMinorcan

Happy birthday Frank! ❤💖😎😊

@tatir7081

Never knew I need this song in my life until now.

@daveeaho6273

Happy new year to Frances Craig

@samdigiorgio4412

Wow this recording brings back a lot of memories . . Mom & Dad had this record and we played it a lot on an old upright Mahogony record player !

@MAGofAZ

LOVE all of this music!!!!!! Grew up with it and is why I have always loved good music, not the junk of today.Also into good quartet gospel music mainly Union Street. Give them a listen, they are new on the scene...........

@KarenTitus-fy6lm

Happy New Year, My mother!

@nogalessonora1000

So in love, my first. when Near You , became a hit. what memories. High School!!!  wasnt looking for it. but so glad it came up. ! used to play it on piano. too ! have been looking for "Again" , but no one has uploades it. !  Our Song !!!!!! 

@microt999

Near You Francis Craig

@teannacummings9785

Thank you Francis Craig and a happy new year

@remotegod255

So unlike modern pop music - took 1:09 before the vocals even enter!! Barely any "hook" to speak of! This was the Number-1 song of 1947. Great old-timey voice, southern, sounds Texan to me. That round, big bassline is so nice for the short time we hear it! And the warbling of the old piano recording is b-e-a-u-tiful. As a pianist I think the intro / interlude was particularly awesome ;)

@krickrack

I really like the piano part :)

@timdoonan2588

A satisfying orchestra and a satisfying vocalist but a splendid piano lead-in.

@meghanmalone5548

agreed

@___Mal

Agreed

@mauriciojarpa3441

Beautiful song I like it Carmen

@etellannette8490

Tim Doonan lm MN

@lindamorefield2008

Happy New Year 2023!

@davidhogan3859

I came out of hospital soon after the second world war, just in time to listen to "Near You" on AFN. I can't remember his name but the DJ used to keep quiet during the piano solos. He would chat away during that vocal.

@joybreeden366

Wonderful! Thanks.

@JodyRivera-kp6yk

Happy New Year! :)

@marielamoralesgonzalez1002

Bellísima!!!

@brittanywolfe6960

Happy New Year From my family!

@humefogg1073

- The vocalist is listed as Bob Lamm who had lost his vision when he recorded this. Francis CRAIG was a mbr. of the Nat'l Life Ins Co Founders' family and went to high school (Hume-Fogg) and college (Vanderbilt) with another musician friend, Beasley Smith, Director of Music at WSM.

@thomaswalters4927

I didn't know the Vocalist Bob Lamm was blind..😢

@Featureman

Three great pianists with the initials FC Frankie Carle, Floyd Cramer and Francis Craig.

@Go1US1Marines

Wow! Floyd Cramer. I'd completely forgotten about him. My only recollection of hearing his music was on "Last Date" in 1960. I was 11 years old, and they played it on the radio a lot. It's burned into my memory.

@frankmartinez3020

And my Dad , who passed on last July . Frank A. Curiel 12*08*47 to last summer '20 . Miss you Dad ! You left just in time .😳🤪😵😡😠🤬😷😷😷😷😷😷🤒🤕🤢🤮🤧😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

@rosemaryflores7686

Happy 2023!

@Jameslopez5682

Hello Rosemary how are you doing hope you’re having a great time with your family may God bless you and your family

@MrNeilruth

Francis Craig was getting ready to disband his orchestra....Near You was to be their final recording.  It became an overnight hit sensation, and because of that the band stayed intact for a few more years...

@Smokyieus

Good, glad the band hung on. Thanks.

@___Mal

Very cool

@juangutierrez5908

I

Happy new year and a happy holiday

@CatsPjamas1

@borden1957 Thanks so much for your interest! I have just posted "Beg Your Pardon" which I see you have already favorited. Thank you! I don't know of any other hits that Bob Lamm had. Cover records and artists competing for the biggest hit with a new song were common back to the early 1900's. A lot of folks think they originated in the '50's, but you can see this is untrue. Competing for hits with the same songs was espeically popular in the '40's, '50's and early '60's.

@DonInOrlando

I was but a little guy when this was popular and the piano playing got me! Then, in 1958, Dot records (which might have some connection to Bullett records as they both were from the Nashville, Tenn. area) released Near You b/w Beg Your Pardon on a 45. Best I can tell, from the master tapes. The Dot 45 rpm quality is better than any other release of this song that I have heard. This one is very close but seems to have some tape rerpeat echo on it which was NOT on the 1947 78 rpm Bullett release.

@richardsoffice9176

Thank you, for your information! I want to choreograph this. Perhaps Dot did a better job mastering it. In the 40's most recordings were 'direct to disc' as it took some time, after WW2, for magnetic tape recording to become prevalent.

@KevinCahill-rh7mm

Happy New Year!!!

@pabloroberson2160

Happy new year y’all!

@sz05ry

Köszönöm a feltöltést <:o)

@MyJr35

This was the first recording to come out of Nashville ( Near You )

@UncleMikeNJ

A fixture on Nashville’s WSM, the radio station that created The Grand Ole Opry, he was one of these DJs who thought he could make a record as good as any he was playing – and, briefly, was one of those who turned out to be right.

@adhirajgallacher9863

Happy New Year! 🎉🎉🎉

@jimthompson7402

I believe this was Milton Berle's theme song in the late 1940's.

@CarlDuke

Jim Thompson For his whole career.
Berle put this on an LP called Songs My Mother Loved which is here on youtube.

@robertwilliams1891

Yes... throughout his career. Thanks for mentioning.

@borden1957

Very good choice for Near You by Francis Craig & Orchestra. Sure brings back to light forgotten or less known singers and Orchestras Do you know if Bob Lamm and other hit songs? Would you have the song - Beg your Pardon? Question. What it custom in the 40's to have may singers with the same song during the same year? It would seem that they were stepping on each others toes.

@JimmicaKennedy-zd9ni

Happy New Year!

@songanddanceman100

Always sounds on the record as if it needs just one more chorus.

@meerapatent1671

Happy new year goodness and humor

@triplanelover

catchy tune !

@christinestill5002

Unfortunely, I knew most of the lyrics. AND remember when a little brown radio was the only entertainment in the house. Dad & Truman would be all over it for baseball games in the summers. Imagine!

@Jameslopez5682

Hello Christine how are you doing hope you’re having a great time with your family may God bless you and your family

@debbiewillcut2437

Happy new year America!

@timgartner5858

Love it! Is Francis Craig also playing the piano?

@AP20XX

Tim Gartner he is only playing the piano, the one singing is bob lamm

@zetrosfantum

@@AP20XX no .. piano is Francis Creig !!

@roffy4373

Would love a heavy metal cover

@gdsm93

If only we could bring back that music into mainstream society today =D. I'd love to walk down the street and hear an old 1940's song instead of some meaningless rap song about drugs and sex.

@bobbmarly4355

Right on!

@lptilmant

drôle de découvrir ainsi les tendances musicales qui ont du ainsi influencer mes parents

@reneroberge6778

Le seul « hit » majeur de ce label en 1947 (Étiquette Bullet) par ce studio d’enregistrement lancé en 1945 par des bonzes de Nashville.

@MrFrampo56

Marlene Dietrich's version is pretty cool too.

@AlyTillotson-wj1po

"Near You" Was Added In Canada, UK, New Zealand, Norway, Japan, China, Spain, And Australia

@yourealmostfckingdone1699

That’s the new year song!

@GreysonBowen-mz2sm

1:07
Everyone Else In Canada: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

@LUX99

Please call my mother

@ozgundemirr

you are so lucky too see those good ol' times :I

@chriswilliams1124

This was number #1 for 11 weeks in the fall of 47

@neishachan9524

Happy new year to you

@francellemiller204

Happy new year

@ChadHalicki-cx3qp

How did I get off the 2023 metformin? IT'S HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

@master-kq3nw

Good song

@roberteng3068

Happy Tammy Wynette new year Everyone!

@AngelGonzalez-bj6mo

After checking twitter I knew I'd find all these comments...

@jayleenfranks6982

Happy new year to all into all a good night

@flairjohnson3714

Happy new year United States of America!

@geraldinestevens9668

The no. 1 hit sing the date my mum was born.

@sharonanker708

Happy New Year To The 40s!

@Jameslopez5682

Hello Sharon how are you doing hope you’re having a great time with your family may God bless you and your family

@briangriffin8774

Top 2 songs oat and it ain’t number 2

@aaronhartley2318

Happy new year all

@clariceduncan2171

Happy new year everyone!

@mikehoward114

Thank God Tammy wynette and George Jones recorded this.

@MaijaTaylor-bu2fr

That is the new year music in Canada added with “auld Lang syne”

@ivytunes2587

ooh yeah that’s the stuff

@MasonNitschke

omg josh i found ur comment

@miamiller4207

plz why

@margaretannie1098

This new year is brought me here

@Jameslopez5682

Hello Margaret how are you doing hope you’re having a great time with your family may God bless you and your family