You're a Lady

"You're a Lady" is a 1972 song by British singer-songwriter Peter Skellern. Skellern's recording of the song was his first and biggest hit, reaching number three in the UK Singles Chart and number 50 in the United States Billboard Hot 100.[2]

"You're a Lady"
Single by Peter Skellern
from the album You're a Lady
B-side"Manifesto"
Released11 August 1972[1]
Recorded1972
Length4:39
LabelDecca
Songwriter(s)Peter Skellern
Not to be confused with You're a Woman or You're a Lady Now.

Skellern wrote "You're a Lady" in the summerhouse at his home in Shaftesbury, Dorset. He kept his piano there so as not to bother anyone with his practice.[3] The song has been described as "a breathless love song".[3] Skellern's vocals and piano accompaniment are supplemented by the Congregation, a choral pop ensemble who had already had their own top ten UK hit with "Softly Whispering I Love You",[4] and by the Hanwell Band, heard unaccompanied in the introductory bars. Skellern once played with the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain as a child, and he sought to recapture his "speechless amazement" at their sound by using the brass band on the record.[3] The euphonium, played by John Luckett, is prominently featured.[5] Skellern wanted the song to evoke the North of England, saying "I wanted people to see the wet cobblestones and the Lowry paintings when they heard "You're a Lady"".[6]

The single was placed on Radio Luxembourg on a pay-for-play basis, but was then picked up by Terry Wogan on his BBC Radio 2 programme. The single went on to sell over 800,000 copies[7] and the song was also the first track on Skellern's 1972 album of the same name.[8] The song's great success and the demands that came with it led Skellern to a six-month period, a couple of years later, where he "got drunk every day".[6]

Skellern performed the song live on many occasions prior to his retirement in 2001.[9] It became a constant feature of his double act with Richard Stilgoe, and renditions of the song feature on their albums Who Plays Wins (1985)[10] and A Quiet Night Out (2000).[11]

Charts
Chart (1972/73) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] 2
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company) 3
United States (Billboard 100) 50

Cover versions

A French version of the song was released by folk singer Hugues Aufray with the title "Vous ma lady", and the following year the same version was released as a duet by Brigitte Bardot and Laurent Vergez.[13]

Other performers who have covered the song include:

References
  1. The Complete Decca Recordings (liner). Peter Skellern. Mint Audio. 2019.CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. "Peter Skellern | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
  3. Thomas, Deborah (10 October 1972). "Peter Skellern: A Serious Pianist". Daily Mirror: 21. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  4. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 505. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  5. "Death of Peter Skellern". 4BarsRest. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  6. "NZ Live - Peter Skellern". RNZ. 20 March 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2021. Peter Skellern plays from Roundhead Studios in Auckland on Afternoons with Jim Mora.
  7. "Peter Skellern Tribute with Sir Tim Rice - BBC Radio 2". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  8. "Peter Skellern – You're A Lady". discogs. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  9. "Nativity Music by Peter Skellern". The Aeolian Singers. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  10. "Stilgoe & Skellern – Who Plays Wins". discogs. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  11. "Stilgoe & Skellern – A Quiet Night Out". discogs. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  12. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 276. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. Brigitte Bardot complete discography on Brigitte Bardot, Initiales B.B., 3 CD box set, released in 1993 by Phonogram France and Philips, p. 30.
  14. Dafydd Rees; Luke Crampton (1991). Rock Movers & Shakers. ABC-CLIO. p. 374. ISBN 978-0-87436-661-7.
  15. "Telly Savalas – Telly". discogs. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  16. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desde_que_t%C3%BA_te_has_ido_(%C3%A1lbum_de_Mocedades). Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. "Peter Hofmann – Rock Classics 2". discogs. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  18. "Bart Peeters schrijft Valentijnslied voor Radio 2". radio2.be (in Dutch). 17 January 2019.
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