The song was first recorded by Sedaka and appeared as a track on his 1975 studio album, The Hungry Years.

The following year the song was made popular when covered by the pop music duo Captain & Tennille, who took their version to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1976, "Lonely Night (Angel Face)" was a hit single for Captain & Tennille, who had recorded another Sedaka song "Love Will Keep Us Together" a year earlier.

Their version of "Lonely Night (Angel Face)" first hit the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on January 24, 1976, entering at number 69.

It hit the pole position on April 17, 1976, and stayed atop the chart for two weeks before bowing out to "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen.