Tears on My Pillow#Charts and certification

{{Short description|1958 single by Little Anthony and the Imperials}}

{{About||the song of the same name by Johnny Nash|Tears on My Pillow (Johnny Nash song)|the album of the same name by Johnny Tillotson|Tears on My Pillow (album)}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Tears on My Pillow

| cover = US_78_tears_on_my_pillow_little_anthony.jpg

| alt =

| caption = The label for the U.S. 78 RPM single

| type = single

| artist = Little Anthony and the Imperials

| album = We Are the Imperials Featuring Little Anthony

| B-side = Two People in the World

| released = August 1958

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Doo-wop{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/features/music-features/kylie-minogue-best-albums-3499740|title= Kylie Minogue: every album ranked in order of greatness|website=NME|date=September 19, 2023|access-date= February 8, 2025|last=Levine|first=Nick}}

| length = {{Duration|m=2|s=20}}

| label = End

| writer = {{hlist|Sylvester Bradford|Al Lewis}}

| producer =

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = The Glory of Love

| next_year = 1958

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|x33hBl5HIi0|"Tears on My Pillow"}}|header=Audio video}}

}}

"Tears on My Pillow" is a doo-wop song written by Sylvester Bradford and Al Lewis in 1958. The composition was first recorded by Little Anthony and the Imperials on End Records and was that group's debut recording under that name. Their original recording of the song became a Billboard top-10 hit, peaking at {{abbr|No.|Number}} 4, No. 3 in Canada,{{cite web|url=http://hitsofalldecades.com/chart_hits/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=847&Itemid=52| title=CHUM Top 20 - October 13, 1958}} and was the Imperials' first million-seller. It was also a two-sided hit, with its flip side, "Two People in the World," also becoming a major hit. Although it remains one of the Imperials' signature songs, "Tears on My Pillow" has been extensively covered, including a No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart version by Kylie Minogue in January 1990.{{cite book

| first= David

| last= Roberts

| year= 2006

| title= British Hit Singles & Albums

| edition= 19th

| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited

| location= London

| isbn= 1-904994-10-5

| page= 510}}

The Imperials' original version

Early copies of the single were credited simply to "The Imperials," a group which had previously been known as "The Duponts" and "The Chesters." Brooklyn, New York deejay Alan Freed gave the group's lead singer, Anthony Gourdine, top billing while introducing the single over the air and the moniker of "Little Anthony and the Imperials" stuck.

"Tears on My Pillow" was a #4 hit single in the United States. Selling over a million copies, "Tears on My Pillow" was the most successful single of the Imperials' doo wop period. Its success would be matched only by the Imperials' 1964 single "Goin' Out of My Head."

The Imperials ("Little Anthony" Gourdine, Clarence Collins, Ernest Wright, Tracy Lord, and Nate Rogers - the last two of whom were later replaced by Sammy Strain) performed the song on numerous TV programs, including The Dick Clark Show {{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxjQ3M_v7xc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/uxjQ3M_v7xc |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Little Anthony "Tears on My Pillow"|date=November 30, 2012|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} and on the PBS Oldies special, Rock, Rhythm, and Doo-Wop in 1958 and 2002 respectively. They also performed the tune on the American Bandstand 40th Anniversary Special (also in 2002).{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CglTVsHgmPs|title=Little Anthony & The Imperials Medley|date=November 16, 2011|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://pro-labs.imdb.com/name/nm1996160/|title=Little Anthony and the Imperials}}

Covers

The song has been covered many times, most notably by Kylie Minogue and also by Johnny Tillotson in 1969, his version reaching No. 119 U.S. Billboard, #98 Cash Box and #94 in Canada.{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5928.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - July 7, 1969}}

The song was also performed by Sha Na Na in the movie Grease from 1978 and included on the soundtrack.

In 2003, the song was revived and included on the S Club 8 album Sundown. The group of teens also performed it on GreaseMania.

Other uses

"Tears on My Pillow" is referenced by Dean Friedman in his 1977 hit song "Ariel." It is included in the lyrics, "I met a young girl, she sang mighty fine, 'Tears on My Pillow' and 'Ave Maria'."

The song was also used in the season one seventh episode of Sliders entitled "The Weaker Sex," which originally aired as episode six. The character Rembrandt Brown (played by Cleavant Derricks) sings the song repeatedly on the street in an effort to raise money for a motel room.

Kylie Minogue version

{{Infobox song

| name = Tears on My Pillow

| cover = Kylie Minogue - Tears on My Pillow.png

| alt =

| border = yes

| type = single

| artist = Kylie Minogue

| album = Enjoy Yourself

| B-side = {{ubl|"We Know the Meaning of Love"|"Nothing to Lose"}}

| released = {{Start date|1990|1|8}}

| recorded =

| studio = PWL Studios (London, England)

| genre = Pop

| length = {{Duration|m=2|s=30}}

| label = PWL

| writer = {{hlist|Sylvester Bradford|Al Lewis}}

| producer = Stock Aitken Waterman

| prev_title = Never Too Late

| prev_year = 1989

| next_title = Better the Devil You Know

| next_year = 1990

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|4wn0Iah33Fs|"Tears on My Pillow"}}}}

}}

Australian singer Kylie Minogue released a cover of "Tears on My Pillow" as the final single from her second studio album, Enjoy Yourself, on January 8, 1990. Minogue's cover was also included on the soundtrack of the film The Delinquents, which she also starred in. The song reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for one week in January 1990, the final British chart topper by super producers Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW),{{Cite web |title=A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 53: Tears On My Pillow (and We Know The Meaning Of Love) on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ep-53-tears-on-my-pillow-and-we-know-the-meaning-of-love/id1565879477?i=1000615600030 |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-AU}} and reached No. 35 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary Chart.

=Critical reception=

Bill Coleman from Billboard wrote, "Aussie lass offers a faithful reading of the Little Anthony & the Imperials classic. Pop and AC programmers should take note."{{cite magazine|first= Bill |last= Coleman |title= Single Reviews |magazine= Billboard |date= April 14, 1990 |page= 77 |access-date= October 28, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1990/BB-1990-04-14.pdf}} A reviewer from Music & Media said the song "has been re-interpreted in a wholly predictable way."{{cite magazine|title= Previews: Singles |magazine= Music & Media |date= February 3, 1990 |page= 16 |access-date= November 3, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1990/MM-1990-02-03.pdf}} Lisa Tilston of Record Mirror praised the song as "a perfect pop song", adding that it "puts Kylie way ahead of the PWL pack by virtue of a) she can really sing and b) she'll look fantastic in the video".{{cite magazine |last=Tilston |first=Lisa |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/90s/1990/Record-Mirror-1990-01-20-OCR.pdf |title=Singles reviewed by Lisa Tilston |magazine=Record Mirror |date=20 January 1990 |page=17 |location=London |publisher=Spotlight Publications Ltd.|via=World Radio History |issn=0144-5804 |access-date=30 October 2023}} Similarly, James Hamilton of the same magazine considered "Tears on My Pillow" an "excellent faithful revival" of the original song, "flipped by the plaintively tuneful scurrying "We Know the Meaning of Love" (120bpm)".{{cite magazine |last=Hamilton |first=James |author-link=James Hamilton (DJ and journalist) |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/90s/1990/Record-Mirror-1990-01-20-OCR.pdf |title=James Hamilton's DJ directory |magazine=Record Mirror |date=20 January 1990 |page=38 |location=London |publisher=Spotlight Publications Ltd.|via=World Radio History |issn=0144-5804 |access-date=30 October 2023}} Indeed, the track's B-side, a brand new track, "We Know The Meaning of Love", has been cited as one of SAW's best flip sides, and a landmark in Minogue's musical progression ahead of the release of her more mature third album, Rhythm of Love. In 2023, Robert Moran of Australian daily tabloid newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald ranked the song as Minogue's 161st best song (out of 183), adding that he did not like it.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/every-kylie-minogue-song-ranked-170-1-20230906-p5e2dk.html |title=Every Kylie Minogue song ranked |first1=Robert |last1=Moran |first2=Annabel |last2=Ross |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 2023 |issn=0312-6315 |place=Sydney |accessdate=28 February 2024}}

=Music video=

The accompanying music video for "Tears on My Pillow" shows Kylie in a black dress with a Brigitte Bardot hairstyle singing the song. It is inter-cut with clips from the 1989 film The Delinquents.

=Live performances=

Minogue performed the song on the following concert tours:

Disco in Dream/The Hitman Roadshow
Enjoy Yourself Tour (performed as an a cappella)
Rhythm of Love Tour
Let's Get to It Tour
Anti Tour
Kylie Summer 2015 Tour (performed as an a cappella)

The song was also performed on:

The Kylie Show 2007 TV special

=Track listings=

CD single

"Tears on My Pillow" - 2:33
"We Know the Meaning of Love" (Extended) - 5:50
"Tears on My Pillow" (More Tears Mix) - 4:14

7-inch vinyl single

"Tears on My Pillow" - 2:28
"We Know the Meaning of Love" - 3:25

12-inch vinyl single

"Tears on My Pillow" (More Tears Mix) - 4:14
"We Know the Meaning of Love" (Extended) - 5:50

US and Canadian cassette

"Tears on My Pillow" - 2:33
"Nothing to Lose" - 3:20

=Charts=

==Weekly charts==

scope="row"\|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine\|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles\|magazine=Music & Media\|volume=7\|issue=5\|page=IV\|date=February 3, 1990\|oclc=29800226}} \|2
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1989–1990) !Peak position
{{single chart\|Australia\|20\|artist=Kylie Minogue\|song=Tears on My Pillow\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2018}}
{{single chart\|Flanders\|9\|artist=Kylie Minogue\|song=Tears on My Pillow\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2018}}
{{single chart\|Canadaadultcontemporary\|35\|artist=Kylie Minogue\|song=Tears on My Pillow\|chartid=1240\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2018}}
{{single chart\|Finland\|5\|artist=Kylie Minogue\|song=Tears on My Pillow\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2018}}
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|2\|song=Tears on My Pillow\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2018}}
scope="row"\|Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg){{cite web \|url= http://www.umdmusic.com/default.asp?Lang=English&Chart=F&ChDay=&ChMonth=&ChYear=&ChBand=Kylie+Minogue&ChSong= \|title=Radio Luxembourg Singles \|publisher=umdmusic.com\|access-date=27 April 2025}} \|align="center"\|1
{{single chart\|Dutch40\|19\|year=1990\|week=11\|artist=Kylie Minogue\|song=Tears on My Pillow\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2018}}
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|20\|artist=Kylie Minogue\|song=Tears on My Pillow\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2018}}
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|33\|artist=Kylie Minogue\|song=Tears on My Pillow\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2018}}
scope="row"\|Spain (AFYVE){{cite book\|last=Salaverri\|first=Fernando\|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002\|edition=1st\|date=September 2005\|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE\|location=Spain\|isbn=84-8048-639-2}} \|14
{{single chart\|UK\|1\|artist=Kylie Minogue\|date=19900121\|song=Tears on My Pillow\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2018}}
scope="row"\|UK Dance (Music Week){{cite magazine\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1990/MW-1990-02-03.pdf \|title=Top Dance Singles \|magazine=Music Week \|date=3 February 1990 \|page=36 \|via=World Radio History \|access-date=31 August 2023}} \|align="center"\|38
{{single chart\|West Germany\|31\|artist=Kylie Minogue\|song=Tears on My Pillow\|songid=13218\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2018}}

==Year-end charts==

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"\|Chart (1990) !scope="col"\|Position
scope="row"\|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1990/MM-1990-12-22.pdf\|title=Eurochart Hot 100 of 1990\|magazine=Music & Media\|volume=7\|issue=51\|page=60\|date=December 22, 1990\|oclc=29800226\|access-date=February 12, 2019\|via=World Radio History}} \|76
scope="row"\|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine\|title=1990 Top 100 Singles\|magazine=Music Week\|publisher=Spotlight Publications\|location=London, England\|page=41\|date=March 2, 1991}} \|34

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1990)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1990/MM-1990-12-22.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 of 1990|magazine=Music & Media|volume=7|issue=51|page=60|date=December 22, 1990|oclc=29800226|access-date=February 12, 2019|via=World Radio History}}

|76

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|title=1990 Top 100 Singles|magazine=Music Week|publisher=Spotlight Publications|location=London, England|page=41|date=March 2, 1991}}

|34

=Certifications=

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Kylie Minogue|title=Tears on My Pillow|award=Silver|relyear=1990|certyear=1990|id=6486-3313-1|salesamount=260,000|salesref={{cite news|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/kylie-minogue-s-official-number-1-singles-sales-revealed-__3849/|title=Kylie Minogue's Official Number 1 Singles' Sales Revealed!|last=Myers|first=Justin|publisher=Official Charts Company|date=March 15, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701004354/http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/kylie-minogue-s-official-number-1-singles-sales-revealed-__3849/|archive-date=July 1, 2017|access-date=October 11, 2011}}|access-date=March 27, 2021}}