Red Sails in the Sunset ( song ) - wikipedia Red Sails in the Sunset ( song ) `` Red Sails in the Sunset '' is a popular song. Published in 1935, its music was written by Hugh Williams ( pseudonym for Wilhelm Grosz ) with lyrics by prolific songwriter Jimmy Kennedy. The song was inspired by the `` red sails '' of Kitty of Coleraine, a yacht Kennedy often saw off the northern coast of Ireland and by his adopted town Portstewart, a seaside resort in County Londonderry. The title of the song provides the inspiration for the Red Sails Festival held annually in Portstewart, Northern Ireland. Kennedy wrote the song while staying in Portstewart. The song was used in the Broadway production of Provincetown Follies which ran from November 3 until December 19, 1935 at the Provincetown Playhouse. Popular versions in 1935 were by Bing Crosby, Guy Lombardo, Mantovani and Jack Jackson. Another early version was recorded by Al Bowlly with Ray Noble and his Orchestra on September 18, 1935. Louis Armstrong also had a hit with the song in 1936. The song was revived by Nat King Cole in 1951. This version was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 1468. It first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on July 13, 1951 and lasted 2 weeks on the chart, peaking at # 24. Another version was released in 1954 on MGM 11977 by Sam `` The Man '' Taylor and His Orchestra, with Sam on tenor saxophone. An instrumental version of the song became the signature tune of the Philippine radio drama series Dear Kuya Cesar, broadcast on DZMM radio ( ABS - CBN ) in the sixties and hosted by Cesar Lacbu Nucum, a.k.a. Kuya Cesar. The song was also the signature tune of Suzette Tarri, a British actress and comedian popular on stage and radio in the 1930s and 1940s. Recorded versions Bing Crosby recorded November 12, 1935 for Decca Records with Victor Young and His Orchestra. Jack Jackson ( 1935 ) Guy Lombardo ( recorded October 11, 1935 for Decca Records 585 ) Leslie ( Hutch ) Hutchinson ( Parlophone R 233 September 1935 ) Anona Winn ( featured with enormous success per sheet music 1935 ) Henry `` Red '' Allen 11 / 8 / 1935 Vocalion 3097 Al Bowlly acc. by orchestra directed by Ray Noble 1935 Vera Lynn ( 1935 ) Mantovani ( 1935 ) Tony Martin ( EP ABC - Paramount 90842 / 25 cm 10 '' ABC - Paramount 1501 ) Louis Armstrong ( 1936 ) Albert Ammons ( 1946 ) Nat King Cole ( 1951 ) Patti Page ( 1955 in `` The Patti Page Show '' ) Vaughn Monroe ( 1957 ) Rou Yun ( 柔 雲 ) ( 1956 in Mandarin Chinese under title name of 夕陽 紅 帆 & Chinese lyrics by Szeto Ming 司徒 明 ) Tab Hunter ( 1957 ) Big Joe Turner ( 1957 ) Paul Anka ( 1958 ) Emile Ford ( 1960 ) The Platters ( 1960 ) - top 40 hit - reaching No. 36. The Jarmels ( 1961 ) The Beatles ( Star - Club, Hamburg c. 1962 ) Dinah Washington ( 1962 ) The Three Sounds ( 1962 ) Earl Grant ( 1962 ) Fats Domino ( 1963 ) ; Domino 's rendition would be the last top 40 hit of his career, reaching No. 35 Connie Francis ( 1963 ) The Searchers ( 1964, Swedish Radio Sessions 1964 - 1967 ) Stevie Wonder ( instrumental ) on his 1964 album Stevie at the Beach Takeshi Terauchi & Bunnys ( instrumental ) on their 1967 album The World Is Waiting For Terry Dean Martin c. 1968 Perry Como ( 1969 ) The Five Keys Jimmy McGriff ( 1971 ) Johnny Lee ( No. 22 country hit in 1976 ) Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers ( 1979 ) Frank Patterson Dave Brubeck ( 1999 ) Engelbert Humperdinck ( 2000 ) References Jump up ^ J.J. Kennedy The Man Who Wrote The Teddy Bears ' Picnic : How Irish - born lyricist... - 2011 146788569X `` However, before he wrote anything with Carr, Jimmy Kennedy had more very successful songs with Will Grosz, including possibly his most famous ballad, Red Sails in the Sunset. Red Sails in the Sunset sold more copies than any other UK song in 1935, with notable recordings by Lew Stone, Ambrose, Joe Loss and virtually all the other orchestras. Top vocalists included Vera Lynn, Gracie Fields, Al Bowlly and Greta Keller. In America it was voted the No. 2 song of the year by NBC 's new and influential radio network show, Your Hit Parade,. Jump up ^ `` Red Sails in the Sunset by Bing Crosby '' Jump up ^ `` Internet Broadway Database ''. ibdb.com. Retrieved September 4, 2017. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1986 ). Joel Whitburn 's Pop Memories 1890 - 1954. Wisconsin, USA : Record Research Inc. p. 571. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 083 - 0. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1986 ). Joel Whitburn 's Pop Memories 1890 - 1954. Wisconsin, USA : Record Research Inc. p. 33. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 083 - 0. Jump up ^ It was also recorded by Tab Hunter in 1957. A rock - and - roll reworking of the song was often sung by the Beatles during their early years of night club engagements. Vaughn Monroe also recorded this song in the late 1940s Whitburn, Joel ( 1973 ). Top Pop Records 1940 - 1955. Record Research. Jump up ^ `` A Bing Crosby Discography ''. BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved September 4, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Vera Lynn ' Red Sails in the Sunset ' '' on YouTube Jump up ^ `` ' 夕陽 紅 帆 ' by Rou Yun 柔 雲 '' on YouTube Jump up ^ Joe Turner - RED SAILS IN THE SUNSET on YouTube External links Joe Turner - RED SAILS IN THE SUNSET - 1957 on YouTube The Platters Wayne Miller Valerie Victoria Frank Pizarro Cheo Bourne Cornell Gunter Barbara Randolph Herb Reed Zola Taylor Sonny Turner Tony Williams Singles `` Only You ( And You Alone ) '' `` The Great Pretender '' `` ( You 've Got ) The Magic Touch '' `` My Prayer '' `` You 'll Never Never Know '' `` Twilight Time '' `` Smoke Gets in Your Eyes '' `` Enchanted '' `` Harbor Lights '' `` Ebb Tide '' `` Red Sails in the Sunset '' `` If I Did n't Care '' `` I 'll Never Smile Again '' `` It 's Magic '' Johnny Lee Notable singles `` Red Sails in the Sunset '' `` Country Party '' `` Lookin ' for Love '' `` One in a Million '' `` Pickin ' Up Strangers '' `` Prisoner of Hope '' `` Bet Your Heart on Me '' `` Be There for Me Baby '' `` When You Fall in Love '' `` Cherokee Fiddle '' `` Sounds Like Love '' `` Hey Bartender '' `` My Baby Do n't Slow Dance '' `` The Yellow Rose '' ( with Lane Brody ) `` You Could 've Heard a Heart Break '' `` Rollin ' Lonely '' `` Save the Last Chance '' Related articles Full Moon Records Asylum Records Warner Bros. Records Fats Domino Studio albums Rock and Rollin ' with Fats Domino ( 1955 ) Fats Domino Rock and Rollin ' ( 1956 ) Tribute albums That 's Fats : A Tribute to Fats Domino ( 1996 ) Goin ' Home : A Tribute to Fats Domino ( 2007 ) Songs `` The Fat Man '' `` Ai n't That a Shame '' `` Bo Weevil '' `` I 'm in Love Again '' `` Blueberry Hill '' `` Blue Monday '' `` I 'm Walkin ' '' `` I Want You to Know '' `` Walking to New Orleans '' `` My Girl Josephine '' `` It Keeps Rainin ' '' `` Red Sails in the Sunset '' Related Discography Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Red_Sails_in_the_Sunset_(song)&oldid=841307972 '' Categories : 1935 songs Songs with lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy Songs with music by Wilhelm Grosz Louis Armstrong songs Jimmy Velvit songs Johnny Lee ( singer ) songs Talk About Wikipedia Nederlands Norsk Norsk nynorsk Edit links This page was last edited on 15 May 2018, at 01 : 49 ( UTC ). 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Question: who wrote the song red sails in the sunset
Answer: its music was written by Hugh Williams (pseudonym for Wilhelm Grosz)