A Song of Joy

1969 single by Miguel Ríos
"A Song of Joy"
Single by Miguel Ríos
B-side"El Rio"
Released1969
GenreRock, pop
Length4:45
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Orbe (Spanish lyrics)
Ross Parker (English lyrics)
Waldo de los Rios (musical adaptation)
Ludwig van Beethoven
Producer(s)Hispavox

"A Song of Joy" ("Himno de la alegría") is the title of a popular rock song by the Spanish singer and actor Miguel Ríos. It is set to the tune of the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, as arranged by Waldo de los Ríos, who specialized in arranging classical music to contemporary rhythms.[1] The same melody is used in the well-known Christian hymn, "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee."

The single was enormously popular in many countries in 1970 (see 1970 in music), reaching number 1 on music charts in Australia, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and the Easy Listening chart in the United States.[1] On the U.S. pop chart, the song peaked at number 14 and was the only Top 40 hit for Ríos.[1] In the United Kingdom, it reached number 16 on the British pop chart.[2] In Germany, the song is the most successful pop hymn ever.[3] The single sold over four million copies worldwide.[1]

The song was used for hymns and anthems. It is most popularly used for the anthem of Teleton (Chile) and its other telethons.

Chart history

Weekly charts

Chart (1969–70) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 1
Canada RPM Top Singles[5] 1
Germany 1
Indonesia (Aktuil)[6] 2
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 16
New Zealand (Listener)[8] 5
South Africa (Springbok)[9] 3
Switzerland 1
UK[10] 16
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 14
US Billboard Easy Listening 1
US Cash Box Top 100[12] 9

Year-end charts

Chart (1970) Rank
Australia [13] 17
Canada [14] 33
Switzerland [15] 1
US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[16] 122
US Billboard Easy Listening[17] 16

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications)
  2. ^ Official Charts Company info OfficialCharts.com. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  3. ^ "Ergebnis Pophymnen". RTL.de. Retrieved 2011-08-20.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - July 25, 1970" (PDF).
  6. ^ Aktuil (1970). "Aktuil Magazine 61".
  7. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – A Song of Joy". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  8. ^ Flavour of New Zealand, 21 September 1970
  9. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Official Charts Company". Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  11. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  12. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, July 11, 1970". Archived from the original on June 8, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  13. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  14. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. 17 July 2013.
  15. ^ Swiss Year-End Charts, 1970
  16. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
  17. ^ "Top 50 Adult Contemporary Hits of 1970 - 45cat".

External links

  • European 7" single release info Discogs
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
  • MusicBrainz work
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