The melody bears similarity to the 1881 song The Spanish Cavalier.
The song was first recorded on 26 August 1931, as a "vocal chorus" sung by Helen Rowland within a foxtrot played by the Majestic Dance Orchestra.
Ted Black and His Orchestra, with vocalist Tom Brown, had the first major hit recording of the song in 1931.
[3] Pat Boone's version became a major hit in June and July 1957, spending 5 weeks at number one on the Billboard Top 100, with 34 weeks in total on the chart.
The song originally had a short instrumental introduction, but most versions begin with Boone's voice.