Wheel of Fortune (1951 song)
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"Wheel of Fortune" is a popular song written by Bennie Benjamin and George David Weiss and published in 1951. It is best remembered in the 1952 hit version by Kay Starr.
"Wheel of Fortune" | ||||
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Single by Kay Starr | ||||
from the album The Hits of Kay Starr | ||||
B-side | "I Wanna Love You" | |||
Released | February 11, 1952 | |||
Recorded | 1952 | |||
Genre | Traditional pop | |||
Length | 3:04 | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bennie Benjamin, George David Weiss | |||
Kay Starr singles chronology | ||||
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The song was originally recorded in 1951, for RCA Victor by Johnny Hartman, and about the same time for Crescendo Records by Al Costello with the Walter Scott Orchestra.[1][2] Several hit versions of "Wheel of Fortune" were released in 1952. The first chart hit was by the Eddie Wilcox Orchestra featuring Sunny Gale, whose version reached number 2 on the R&B chart and number 13 on the pop chart. The most successful version was by Kay Starr, whose recording reached number 1 in the US pop chart in March 1952, staying there for ten weeks. Other hit versions in 1952 came from Dinah Washington (number 3, R&B), Bobby Wayne (number 6, pop), The Cardinals (number 6, R&B), and The Bell Sisters (number 10, pop).[3][4]
The song was also used as the theme to the television series Wheel of Fortune.