THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

535-The Mills Brothers-You Always Hurt the One You Love.

1944-It has never charted in the UK. There was no UK chart until 1952.

Best Bit-At 1.16. Some song titles become so famous, that they actually become a cliche.

The Mills Brothers (see also best songs 960) originated from Piqua, Ohio, United States, and were active for 54 years, between 1928-1982. The four brothers who made up the quartet, and whom had been born in to a family of nine were, Donald, (1915-1999) (lead tenor) Herbert, (1912-1999) (tenor) Harry, (1913-1982) (baritone) and John Jr. (1910-1936) (guitar, double bass, and vocals.) As well as being able to harmonise together, the brothers also mimicked the sounds of musical instruments, John would imitate the tuba, Harry, the trumpet, and Donald, the trombone. John also accompanied their four-part harmony on ukulele, and then guitar. In their early days they practised imitating orchestras that they had heard on the radio. In fact it was stated on their early ‘Decca Records’ recordings, and then later on their ‘Brunswick Records’ recordings that ‘No musical instruments or mechanical devices used on this recording other than one guitar.’

The Mills Brothers recorded over 2000 songs, and sold in excess of 50 million records during their career, although in the UK, their only entry on the UK top 40 singles chart is ‘The Glow Worm,’ which reached Number 10 after it’s release in 1952. In America it was a completely different story, where they charted with 63 top 40 singles on Billboard between 1931-1968, including five Number 1’s, one of which was this song. The Mills Brothers have also released 58 official Albums, including compilations, between 1946-1981. Such was the popularity of The Mills Brothers, that they made appearances in 20 films between 1932-1965.

‘You Always Hurt the One You Love’ was co-written by Allan Roberts, (1905-1966) who wrote the lyrics, and Doris Fisher, (1915-2003) who provided the melody. The very first recording of the song was by The Mills Brothers, with the arrangement credited to Milton DeLugg (1918-2015.) Over the years ‘You Always Hurt the One You Love’ has been recorded by many different artists, with the other hit versions being by the American R&B singer Clarence “Frogman” Henry, (1937-2024) who reached Number 4 in Canada in 1961, and the American singer Connie Francis, who made Number 13 on the UK chart in 1959. Milton DeLugg was born on December 2nd, 1918, in Los Angeles, California, United States, he died of heart failure on April 6th, 2015, at the age of 96. Although he is best remembered for writing songs in the pre ‘Rock ‘N Roll’ era, and also for composing music for a number of films, and television programmes, his best known song apart from his work on ‘You Always Hurt the One You Love,’ is his production of the 1958 UK Number 5 ‘Rock ‘N Roll’ hit ‘Rave On,’ for Buddy Holly.

‘You Always Hurt the One You Love’ was co-written by Doris Fisher, who was born on May 2nd, 1915, in New York City, New York, United States, and died on January 15th, 2003, at the age of 87, and Allan Roberts, who was born on March 12th, 1905, in Brooklyn, New York, United States, and died of a heart attack on January 14th, 1966, at the age of 61 collaborated on many songs together, including ‘Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall, (1944) (see also best songs 702) and ‘That Ole Devil Called Love’ (1944.) In 1945 Fisher and Roberts were signed to a seven years contract with ‘Columbia Pictures,’ but after Fisher married in 1947, she decided to retire from music, with Roberts continuing to write with his new partner Lester Lee (1903-1956.) Doris Fisher was certainly bred to be a songwriter, being the daughter of the German songwriter, and ‘Tin Pan Alley’ music publisher Fred Fisher, (1875-1942) both of her brothers Dan Fisher, (1920-2001) and Marvin Fisher (1916-1993) were also both noted songwriters. In 1940 Doris Fisher co-wrote the song ‘Whispering Grass’ with her father Fred Fisher, the song was first made famous by the American vocal Pop group ‘The Ink Spots’ featuring Bill Kenny, and then became a UK Number 1 single in 1975, when recorded by Windsor Davies (1930-2019) and Don Estelle (1933-2003.) After leaving music, Doris Fisher became a collector of antique American furniture, and an adviser on interior design. In the early 1960’s she advised President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) on interior design for the White House. Following her death, her friend, the American pianist and singer Michael Feinstein, praised her tenacity and talent, in what at the time was a man’s world.

‘You always hurt the one you love, the one you shouldn’t hurt at all. You always take the sweetest rose, and crush it till the petals fall. You always break the kindest heart with a hasty word you can’t recall, so if I broke your heart last night, it’s because I love you most of all.’