The single peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1967.

It also reached number 7 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart that same month.

In a March 1967 interview that appeared in Michael Oberman's "Top Tunes" column in the Evening Star newspaper (Washington, D.C.), Norman Ezell, guitarist for the group, explained how they came up with "Western Union."

'"[2] The song tells of a Dear John letter being communicated by telegram, a service of Western Union.

In 1967, the Strangers' recording reached number 30 in Australia.