Let It Be Me (The Everly Brothers song)

1955 single by Gilbert Bécaud and Everly Brothers

"Let It Be Me" is a popular song originally published in French in 1955 as "Je t'appartiens" interpreted by Gilbert Bécaud. It became popular worldwide with an English version by the Everly Brothers and later with the duet by Betty Everett and Jerry Butler.

"Je t'appartiens" was recorded by Gilbert Bécaud in 1955, with music by Bécaud and lyrics in French by Pierre Delanoë. It became a hit for Bécaud and in 1956 was re recorded by Les Compagnons de la chanson.

The English language version used lyrics by Manny Curtis and was performed in 1957 by Jill Corey in the television series Climax! Corey's version, with orchestration by Jimmy Carroll, was released as a single and was moderately successful.

The Everly Brothers helped to further popularize the song with their 1959 rendition of "Let It Be Me" which reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The harmony arrangement of this version was often emulated in subsequent remakes. This was the first Everly Brothers single to be recorded in New York, and not in Nashville. The musicians that backed up the brothers on the record included Howard Collins, Barry Galbraith and Mundell Lowe on guitar, Lloyd Trotman on bass, Jerry Allison on drums and Hank Rowland on piano.

In 1964, Betty Everett and Jerry Butler released their version of the song. Their version peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and topped the Cashbox Soul/R&B charts for three weeks.

1966 – Australian pop star Johnny Young, with his backing band Kompany, released this song on an EP. It was the fourth highest selling single in Australia in 1967 on the Kent Music Report. 1967 – The Sweet Inspirations released their version as a single. The song reached Billboard's R&B chart and also became a minor Hot 100 hit. 1969 – Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry had a top forty Hot 100 hit duet with their version of the song. It also charted on Billboard's country chart.