My Prayer – The Platters | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#1) and R&B (#1); 1956
Story Behind The Song By Harris Sterling
In 1956, The Platters recorded My Prayer, a song originally composed by Georges Boulanger in the 1920s with French lyrics. English lyrics were later added by Jimmy Kennedy, transforming it into a romantic ballad.
Produced by Buck Ram, the group’s version featured a lush orchestral arrangement paired with Tony Williams’ soaring lead vocal. Released in the summer of 1956, My Prayer reached #1 on both the Billboard Pop and R&B charts.
The lyric expresses devotion and longing, framed as a heartfelt appeal for enduring love. Rather than narrative detail, the song relies on emotional sincerity and melodic phrasing.
My Prayer became one of The Platters’ most successful singles and remains one of the defining pop ballads of the mid-1950s.
This content was created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Harris Sterling. © 2026 Harris Sterling. All rights reserved.
Produced by:
Buck Ram
Lyrics Written by:
Georges Boulanger
Jimmy Kennedy
Awards:
No Grammy Awards were awarded at the time of its release.
Harris Sterling
Independent music label executive Harris Sterling has worked in the music industry for most of his career.
As Executive Vice President for independent music label Madacy Entertainment, he led the strategic marketing and business development for the label, negotiating agreements with the major record labels to release custom music compilations under license with major brands, such as Ford Motor Company, Crayola, Care Bears and Elvis Presley Enterprises.
Harris also led Madacy’s strategy for the licensing of its entire music catalogue to Apple for their launch of the IPOD.
In 2011, Harris co-founded Starting Five Media, a company that specializes in recording and licensing custom renditions of popular songs as well as clearing the rights to the music composition for use by their clients in media projects.
Harris has negotiated publishing and master recording rights for many Top 40 songs for use in various media projects, TV Commercials and more.