She'd Rather Be with Me

"She'd Rather Be with Me" is a song written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon and released by the Turtles in 1967. The song was the follow-up to "Happy Together".

"She'd Rather Be with Me"
Single by the Turtles
from the album Happy Together
B-side"The Walking Song"
ReleasedApril 1967
Genre
Length2:17
LabelWhite Whale
Songwriter(s)Garry Bonner, Alan Gordon
Producer(s)Joe Wissert
The Turtles singles chronology
"Happy Together"
(1967)
"She'd Rather Be with Me"
(1967)
"Guide for the Married Man"
(1967)

Lyrics and music

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Allmusic critic Stewart Mason described "She'd Rather Be with Me" as a "big, brassy pop song" that was "probably the least ironically cheerful single the Turtles ever did."[3] Mason describes Howard Kaylan's lead vocal as evoking "unfeigned giddiness" and comments on the "huge production" including a full orchestra and prominent cowbell.[3]

Chart performance

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The song was a major international hit, and spent 11 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 3,[4] while reaching No. 1 on Record World's "100 Top Pops",[5] No. 1 on Canada's "RPM 100",[6] No. 1 in South Africa,[7] No. 2 on the Cash Box Top 100,[8] No. 3 in Denmark,[9] and No. 3 on the Irish Singles Chart.[10] The song also spent 15 weeks on the UK's Record Retailer chart, peaking at No. 4, making it The Turtles' biggest hit in the United Kingdom.[11] The song was a major hit in many other nations as well.

Weekly chart

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Chart (1967) Peak
position
Australia (Go-Set)[12] 21
Australia (Modern Melbourne)[13] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 13
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 18
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[16] 1
Denmark (Danmarks Radio)[9] 3
Israel Forces Broadcasting Network[17] ≥3
Ireland (IRMA)[18] 3
Netherlands (Parool Top 20)[19] 15
Netherlands (Veronica Top 40)[20] 21
New Zealand Listener[21] 8
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[7] 1
Switzerland (Pop Redaktion)[9] 10
UK (Record Retailer) 4
US Billboard Hot 100[22] 3
US Cash Box Top 100 2
US Record World 100 Top Pops 1
West Germany (Musikmarkt)[23] 23

Year-end charts

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Chart (1967) Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[24] 28
US Billboard Hot 100[25] 78
US Cash Box[26] 24

References

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  1. ^ Evans, Paul (2004). "The Turtles". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 828. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  2. ^ Segretto, Mike (2022). "1967". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. p. 158. ISBN 9781493064601.
  3. ^ a b Mason, Stewart. "She'd Rather Be with Me". Allmusic. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  4. ^ Hot 100 - She'd Rather Be With Me The Turtles Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  5. ^ "100 Top Pops", Record World, June 24, 1967. p. 23. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  6. ^ "R.P.M. 100", RPM Weekly, Volume 7, No. 17, June 24, 1967. Accessed May 19, 2016
  7. ^ a b "Billboard Hits of the World", Billboard, October 7, 1967. p. 68. Accessed May 20, 2016.
  8. ^ "Cash Box Top 100", Cash Box, July 1, 1967. p. 4. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c "Billboard Hits of the World", Billboard, September 9, 1967. p. 62. Accessed May 20, 2016.
  10. ^ "Song Title search results for 'She'd Rather Be with Me'". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  11. ^ Turtles - Full Official Chart History, Official Charts Company. Accessed May 19, 2016
  12. ^ Ed Nimmervoll, "GO-SET National Top 40", August 2, 1967. Accessed May 19, 2016
  13. ^ "Billboard Hits of the World", Billboard, August 19, 1967. p. 59. Accessed May 20, 2016.
  14. ^ "The Turtles – She'd Rather Be with Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  15. ^ "The Turtles – She'd Rather Be with Me" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  16. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 10075." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  17. ^ "Hits of the World", Billboard, October 21, 1967. p. 54. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  18. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – She'd Rather Be With Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  19. ^ The Turtles – She'd Rather Be with Me, Dutch Charts. Retrieved May 19, 2016
  20. ^ The Turtles – She'd Rather Be with Me, Media Markt Top 40. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  21. ^ "NZ Listener charts", Flavour of New Zealand. Accessed May 20, 2016
  22. ^ "The Turtles Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  23. ^ The Turtles – She'd Rather Be with Me, norwegiancharts.com. Accessed May 19, 2016
  24. ^ The RPM 100 Top Singles of 1967, RPM Weekly. p. 5. Volume 8, No. 19, January 6, 1968. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  25. ^ "Top Records of 1967 (Based on Billboard Charts)" (PDF). Billboard. December 30, 1967. p. 42. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  26. ^ "Top 100 Chart Hits of 1967" (PDF). Cash Box. December 23, 1967. p. 16. Retrieved March 30, 2018.