A Wonderful Time Up There

The song known as both "Gospel Boogie" and "A Wonderful Time Up There" was written by Lee Roy Abernathy, and first recorded by him in 1947 under the former name. This release, for the label White Church Record, credits the performance with variant spelling to "Leroy Abernathy Homeland Harmony Quartet".

"A Wonderful Time Up There"
Single by Pat Boone
from the album Pat Boone Sings
B-side	"It's Too Soon to Know"
Released	January 9, 1958 (U.S.) March 1958 (U.K.)
Genre	Pop
Length	2:04
Label	Dot (U.S.) London (U.K.)
Songwriter(s)	Lee Roy Abernathy
Producer(s)	Randy Wood
Pat Boone singles chronology
"April Love" (1957) "A Wonderful Time Up There" (1958) "Sugar Moon" (1958)

Pat Boone recording

• In 1958, the song was recorded under the title "A Wonderful Time Up There" by Pat Boone featuring Billy Vaughn and His Orchestra and Chorus. It reached #2 in the U.K. and #4 in the U.S.[1], and was featured on the 1959 album, Pat Boone Sings.[2] The recording was produced by Randy Wood.[3] and ranked #24 on Billboard magazine's Top 50 songs of 1958.[4]

• The B-side to Boone's version, "It's Too Soon to Know", reached #4 in the U.S. and #7 in the U.K. in 1958.[5]

Other versions

• The Blackwood Brothers Quartet released a version of the song as a single in 1958, but it did not chart.[6]
• Sammy Masters released a version of the song on his 1958 EP.[7]
• Tom Netherton released a version of the song on his 1975 album My Favorite Hymns.[8]
• Wally Fowler released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1977 single "A New Star in Heaven".[9]
• Johnny Cash released a version of the song entitled "Gospel Boogie (A Wonderful Time Up There)" on his 1979 album A Believer Sings the Truth.[10]
• Alvin Stardust released a version of the song as a single in 1981 which reached #56 in the U.K.[11]
• Little Roy Lewis released a version of the song on his 1981 album Super Pickin'.[12]
• Gold City released a version of the song on their 1995 album Lord Do It Again.[13]
• Bill and Gloria Gaither and Homecoming Friends released a live version of the song on their 2010 album Atlanta Homecoming/All Day Singin’ at the Dome.[14]
• Sister Rosetta Tharpe released a version of the song entitled "Everybody's Gonna Have Wonderful Time (Gospel Boogie)" on her 2016 album I Can't Sit down - An Introduction to the Godmother of Rock'n'Roll'.[15]

References

1. "Pat Boone, "A Wonderful Time Up There" Chart Positions". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
2. "Pat Boone, Pat Boone Sings". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
3. "Pat Boone, "A Wonderful Time Up There" Single Release". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
4. "Billboard Top 100 Songs of 1958 - Year End Charts". Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
5. "Pat Boone, "It's Too Soon to Know" Chart Positions". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
6. "The Blackwood Brothers Quartet, "A Wonderful Time Up There" Single Release". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
7. "Sammy Masters, EP Release". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
8. "Tom Netherton, My Favorite Hymns". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
9. "Wally Fowler, "A New Star in Heaven" Single Release". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
10. "Johnny Cash, A Believer Sings the Truth". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
11. "Alvin Stardust, "A Wonderful Time Up There" Chart Position". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
12. "Little Roy Lewis, Super Pickin". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
13. "Gold City, Lord Do It Again". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
14. "Bill and Gloria Gaither and Homecoming Friends, Atlanta Homecoming/All Day Singin' at the Dome". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
15. "Sister Rosetta Tharpe, I Can't Sit down - An Introduction to the Godmother of Rock'n'Roll". Retrieved March 17, 2018.