"Melancholy Me" is a song written by Joe Thomas and Howard Biggs that was a hit in 1954 for Ella Fitzgerald, who recorded it for Decca with the orchestra directed by Sy Oliver.
Release and critical reception
In its issues from 6, 13, 20 February, and 6 March 1954, the Billboard magazine listed three single records of the song available for purchase: by Eddy Howard (on Mercury), by Ella Fitzgerald (on Decca) and by the Smith Brothers (on Label X). Eddy Howard 's version was rated "excellent" by Variety, Ella Fitzgerald's version — "excellent" by Variety and 79 ("good") by Billboard.
In its issue from 27 February, Billboard reported: "The Howard recording of this tune has definitely stepped out ahead of the several competing versions on the market. [...] The Ella Fitzgerald and Smith Brothers versions have been reported as good sellers in some territories also, but in almost all considerably behind Howard."
Chart performance Howard's single charted for several weeks on Billboards Most Played by Disk Jockeys chart.
Charts Eddy Howard version Chart (1954) Peakposition US Billboard Most Played by Disk Jockeys 16
References