I Believe

Words and Music by Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl and Al Stillman

With Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of

Hugo Winterhalter for Take 1 ( not released )

Mitchell Ayres for Take 2 ( released )

Recorded at Manhattan Center, New York City

Produced by Charles Grean

Final Recording Time 3:22

Recorded September 24, 1953 ~ Matrix No. E3VB-1984 Take 1

Remake November 23, 1953 ~ Matrix No. E3VB-1984 Take 2

RCA-45RPM 47-5571 ( 1953 )

Single Flip Side: "Onward Christian Soldiers"

RCA Gold Standard Series 78/45-RPM-420/447-0113-A

Single Flip Side: "Onward Christian Soldiers"

Original Album issue: RCA-LP10 "I Believe & Songs of All Faiths" LPM-3188 MONO 1953

Album reissue: RCA-LP12 "I Believe" LPM-1172 MONO 1956

The team of writer's and composers working on Jane Froman's TV Show 'USA Canteen' in 1952 was asked to come up with a song Miss Froman could popularize. Because the show's mail indicated that people were very concerned about the Korean War, writer Erwin Drake recalled: "We thought we might be able to write a kind of song that would give the average person hope." And what a song it was. "I Believe" became a million-seller for Frankie Laine. And practically every singer has performed it. Perry's version is almost like a hymn; he sings it with fervour and with a soaring, open-voiced sound that is beautiful to hear.

( notes from "The Incomparable Como" Readers Digest UK compilation 1975 )

1953 Popular songs: "I’m Walking Behind You" by English songwriter Billy Reid; "I Believe" by Erwin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, and Al Stillman; "Ricochet" by Larry Coleman, Joe Darion, and Norman Gimbel; "Rags to Riches" by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross; "Ruby" by Heinz Roemheld, lyrics by Mitchell Parish (for the film Ruby Gentry); "Oh! My Pa-pa" by Paul Burkhard (for the Swiss film Fireworks), English lyrics by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons; "Eternally" ("The Terry Theme") by Charles Chaplin (for his film Limelight), lyrics by Geoffrey Parsons; "You, You, You" by Lotar Olias, lyrics by Robert Mellin; "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo" by Bronislau Kaper, lyrics by Helen Deutsch (for the film Lili); "That’s Amore" by Harry Warren, lyrics by Jack Brooks (for the film The Caddy); "That Doggie in the Window" by Bob Merrill.