It was first recorded by the Sonny Land Trio and released by them in 1957, and was a crossover hit that year for Bobby Helms. "My Special Angel", which Helms recorded at Bradley Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, in July 1957,[1] peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart[2] and spent four weeks at number one on the US country music chart.[3] The single made the rhythm and blues chart, as well, topping out at number eight.[4] Backing vocals were sung by the Anita Kerr Singers.
The song was the lead off track on the 1957 album Sings To My Special Angel (Decca DL 8638). It appeared on the 1959 compilation album The Original Hit Performances! The Late Fifties (Decca DL 4005), and on the 1976 oldies compilation American Graffiti Vol. III (MCA2-8008). Also in 1976, the song was included in a 3-LP box set compilation from Candlelite Music, Country Music Cavalcade: Nashville Graffitti.
In the United Kingdom, a version recorded by Welsh singer Malcolm Vaughan spent 14 weeks on the charts, peaking at number three in 1957.[10]
The song was revived in 1968 by the Vogues, with their version reaching number seven on the Hot 100 chart[11] and faring even better on the Easy Listening chart, where it spent two weeks at number one in October 1968.
