Are You Sincere

Album: Lonely Street (1958)
Charted: 3
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Whether or not this is a rhetorical question, there is no question mark at the end. Written by Nashville-based songwriter Wayne Walker, who first recorded the song in 1957, it was then recorded by Andy Williams, who released it in January 1958 on the Cadence label. His became the most popular version of the song.
  • The French Elvis, Johnny Hallyday, put French lyrics to this song, rendering the title "Es-Tu Sincère." And although Hallyday did in fact record it himself, this French version was recorded initially in 1966 by Les Gendarmes. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2
  • Elvis Presley recorded this song in 1973, but his version wasn't released until 1979, after he had died. It appeared on the album Our Memories Of Elvis and reached #10 on the Country chart.

Comments: 2

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 5, 1958, Andy Williams performed "Are You Sincere?" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV weekday-afternoon program, 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time the song was at #26 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, the following week it would peak at #3 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Most Played by Jockeys chart, and it spent 17 weeks on the Top 100...
    Two covered versions have charted, in 1965 Trini Lopez's version reached #85 on the Top 100 chart and Elvis' recorded the song in 1973 and two years after his death in 1979 his version peaked at #10 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart...
    Between 1956 and 2007 the Iowa native had forty-six records on Billboard's Top 100 chart; eight made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "Butterfly", for three weeks on March 14th, 1957...
    Just missed having a second #1 record when his "Can't Get Used to Losing You" peaked at #2 for 4 weeks in 1963, during it's first two weeks at #2, "He's So Fine" by the Chiffons was at #1, and for weeks 3 and 4 "I Will Follow Him" by Little Peggy March occupied the top spot.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 9, 1958, Andy Williams performed "Are You Sincere?" on the ABC-TV program 'Dick Clark' s Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show'...
    Seven months earlier on February 12th the song entered Billboard's Top 100 chart at position #51, a little under four weeks later it would peak at #3 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Most Played by Jockeys chart, and it spent 17 weeks on the Top 100...
    And on the same 'Beech-Nut' show he also performed "Promise Me, Love", it would entered the Top 100 on September 1st, 1958 at position #79, five weeks later it would peak at #17 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the Top 100 for 12 weeks...
    Howard Andrew Williams passed away at the age of 84 on September 25th, 2012...
    May he R.I.P.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Mike Campbell

Mike CampbellSongwriter Interviews

Mike is lead guitarist with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and co-writer of classic songs like "Boys Of Summer," "Refugee" and "The Heart Of The Matter."

Donny Osmond

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.