Black Velvet (song)

"Black Velvet" is a song written by Canadian songwriters Christopher Ward and David Tyson and performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Alannah Myles. It was released in July 1989 as the second single from Myles' first studio album, Alannah Myles (1989), by Atlantic Records. It became a number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, as well as number 10 in Myles' native Canada and number two on the UK Singles Chart. The power ballad^[5] 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. The accompanying music video was directed by Doug Freel and partially shot on Myles' family ranch.

"Black Velvet"
Single by Alannah Myles
from the album Alannah Myles
B-side	"If You Want To"
Released	July 1989
Genre	Country rock[1][2] blues rock[3][4]
Length	4:47 (album version) 4:02 (single version)
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	David Tyson Christopher Ward
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.^[6]

Background and writing

The song is a paean to Elvis Presley. His voice was distinctive for the time and could be described as "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 Myles 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.^[7]

Atlantic Records also 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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[8][9]

Reception

Critical reception

Music & Media described the song as "a blues ballad featuring some straight-from-the-heart vocals from Myles and inspired guitar playing".^[10]

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 for "Black Velvet", 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.

Track listings

• CD maxi

1. "Black Velvet" – 4:40
2. "If You Want To" – 4:11
3. "Who Loves You" – 3:36

• 7-inch single

1. "Black Velvet" – 4:02
2. "If You Want To" – 4:11

• 12-inch maxi

1. "Black Velvet" – 4:40
2. "If You Want To" – 4:11
3. "Who Loves You" – 3:36

Charts

Weekly charts 1990 weekly chart performance for "Black Velvet" Chart (1989–1990) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[11] 3 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] 2 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 2 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[14] 10 Denmark (IFPI)[15] 3 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[16] 2 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[17] 4 France (SNEP)[18] 24 Ireland (IRMA)[19] 4 Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)[20] 2 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] 3 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[22] 3 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] 2 Norway (VG-lista)[24] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 1 UK Singles (OCC)[27] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[28] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[29] 7 US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)[30] 1 US Top 40/Rock (Billboard)[31] 1 West Germany (GfK)[32] 2 2010 weekly chart performance for "Black Velvet" Chart (2010) Peak position Denmark (Tracklisten)[33] 29 2022 weekly chart performance for "Black Velvet" Chart (2022) Peak position Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[34] 90 2024 weekly chart performance for "Black Velvet" Chart (2024) Peak position Estonia Airplay (TopHit)[35] 71

Year-end charts 1989 year-end chart performance for "Black Velvet" Chart (1989) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[36] 81 1990 year-end chart performance for "Black Velvet" Chart (1990) Position Australia (ARIA)[37] 13 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[38] 6 Belgium (Ultratop)[39] 21 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[40] 9 Germany (Media Control)[41] 11 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[42] 13 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[43] 15 New Zealand (RIANZ)[44] 10 Sweden (Topplistan)[45] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[46] 10 UK Singles (OCC)[47] 18 US Billboard Hot 100[48] 18 US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)[49] 5 2024 year-end chart performance for "Black Velvet" Chart (2024) Position Estonia Airplay (TopHit)[50] 165

Certifications

Certifications for "Black Velvet"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[37]	Platinum	70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[51]	Gold	25,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[52]	Platinum	90,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[53]	Gold	250,000^
Sweden (GLF)[54]	Platinum	50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[55]	Platinum	600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[56]	Gold	500,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Black Velvet"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Canada	July 1989	7-inch vinyl	Atlantic	[57]
United States	December 1989	7-inch vinyl cassette
United Kingdom	February 26, 1990	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl CD cassette		[58]
Japan	April 25, 1990	Mini-CD		[59]

Other versions

"Black Velvet"
Single by Robin Lee
from the album Black Velvet
Released	February 1990
Genre	Country
Length	4:43 (album version)
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	David Tyson, Christopher Ward
Producer(s)	Nelson Larkin[60]
Robin Lee singles chronology
"Before You Cheat on Me Once" (1989) "Black Velvet" (1990) "How About Goodbye" (1990)

American 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.^[61]

In 2015, Canadian heavy metal band Kobra and the Lotus recorded the song for their first EP, entitled Words of the Prophets.^[62]

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.^[63][64][65]

In 2022, the Israeli psychedelic trance duo, Infected Mushroom, released a cover of the song featuring Ninet Tayeb. It was released through record label Monstercat and is featured on Infected Mushroom's IM25 album.^[66]

Chart performance for Robin Lee version

Chart performance for "Black Velvet" by Robin Lee

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[67]	21
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)	12

In popular culture

The song was featured in Grand Theft Auto V as a song on "Los Santos Rock Radio."^[5]

The song has been used twice as a lip-sync song within the Drag Race franchise; once on Season 2, Episode 6 of the U.S. franchise between contestants Jujubee and Sahara Davenport and then again on Season 4, Episode 6 of the Canadian franchise between contestants Nearah Nuff and Aurora Matrix.

See also

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1990
• List of European number-one airplay songs of the 1990s