Tell Laura I Love Her

Album: Tell Laura I Love Her (1960)
Charted: 7
Play Video
  • Laura and Tommy were lovers
    He wanted to give her everything
    Flowers, presents and most of all, a wedding ring
    He saw a sign for a stock car race
    A thousand dollar prize it read
    He couldn't get Laura on the phone
    So to her mother Tommy said

    Tell Laura I love her, tell Laura I need her
    Tell Laura I may be late
    I've something to do, that cannot wait

    He drove his car to the racing grounds
    He was the youngest driver there
    The crowed roared as they started the race
    'Round the track they drove at a deadly pace
    No one knows what happened that day
    How his car overturned in flames
    But as they pulled him from the twisted wreck
    With his dying breath, they heard him say

    Tell Laura I love her, tell Laura I need her
    Tell Laura not to cry
    My love for her will never die

    And in the chapel where Laura prays
    For Tommy who passed away
    It was just for Laura he lived and died
    Alone in the chapel she can hear him cry

    Tell Laura I love her, tell Laura I need her
    Tell Laura not to cry
    My love for her will never die
    Tell Laura I love her Writer/s: Ben Raleigh, Jeff Barry
    Publisher: MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

  • Ken from PhiladelphiaThere is a great, passing reference to this song in the John Cussack movie “High Fidelity”. Cussack’s character is a music- obsessed, generally-unsuccessful, vinyl record store owner who spends his days in his usually-empty shop talking music and making lists with his two also-musically-obsessed employees played by Jack Black and Todd Louiso, each trying to prove that his musical knowledge and tastes is better than the other two. Black’s character, Upon learning that the father of Cussack’s character’s girlfriend, Laura, has passed, solemnly begins a Top 5 list of songs to play at the funeral. To quote his character, “Number two: ‘Tell Laura I Love Her’. That would bring the house down. Laura’s mom could sing it...” Trust me. It’s very funny in the context of the movie.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 1, 1960, Ray Peterson began a six week appearance at the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada...
    At the time his "Corrina, Corrina"* was at #84 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, six weeks later it would peak at #9 {for 2 weeks} and it spent fifteen weeks on the Top 100...
    It reached #4 on the Australian Kent Music Report chart...
    Between 1959 and 1964 the Texas native charted nine times on the Top 100, two made the Top 10, besides "Corinna, Corinna", his other Top 10 record was "Tell Laura I Love Her" {#7 for 1 week earlier in 1960 on August 1st}...
    Ray T. Peterson passed away at the young age of 65 on January 25th, 2005...
    May he R.I.P.
    * In the United Kingdom the song peaked at #41 on the singles chart, it was released on the London Record's label, and on the label it was titled "Corinne, Corinna"...
    see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL1Jc1lAqOA
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 29th 1960, Ricky Valance's covered version of "Tell Laura I Love Her" peaked at #1 {for 3 weeks} on the United Kingdom's Record Retailer chart...
    As stated above the song was co-composed by Ben Raleigh; he wrote "Scooby-Doo, Where Are you?” the theme song for the TV cartoon show 'Scooby Doo' {1969 - 1975}...
    R.I.P. Mr. Raleigh {1913 - 1997} and Ricky Valance, born David Spencer, celebrated his 75th birthday five months ago on April 10th {2014}.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 7th 1960, "Tell Laura I Love Her" by Ray Peterson entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #86; and on August 1st it peaked at #7 (for 1 week) and spent 14 weeks on the Top 100 (and for 5 of those 14 weeks it was on the Top 10)...
    It reached #10 on the Australian Kent Music Report chart...
    Between 1959 and 1964 he had nine Top 100 records; with two making the Top 10 (his other Top 10 record was "Corinna, Corinna", it peaked at #9)...
    R.I.P. Mr. Peterson (1939 - 2005).
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 2nd 1974, Johnny T. Angel's covered version of "Tell Laura I Love You" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart for a four week stay, peaking at #94...
    It was his only record to make the Top 100.
  • Ray Naso from Parma, OhI plugged in the song "Corrina,Corrina" also by Ray Peterson (1960) and it came back 'no searches were found' or words to that effect. I ought to send you the 2:46 video of him performing the song in California on a long ago t.v.show.It's one of my favorite songs.
  • Charlie from Dublin, IrelandBeautiful song. It's funny no one's commented yet. The follow up is really clever too. However, I must admit Tommy was pretty stupid.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Dan Reed

Dan ReedSongwriter Interviews

Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.

Sam Hollander

Sam HollanderSongwriter Interviews

The hitmaking songwriter/producer Sam Hollander with stories about songs for Weezer, Panic! At The Disco, Train, Pentatonix, and Fitz And The Tantrums.

Mac Powell of Third Day

Mac Powell of Third DaySongwriter Interviews

The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album.

How "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss" Became Rock's Top Proverb

How "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss" Became Rock's Top ProverbSong Writing

How a country weeper and a blues number made "rolling stone" the most popular phrase in rock.

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Chris Tomlin

Chris TomlinSongwriter Interviews

The king of Christian worship music explains talks about writing songs for troubled times.