Welcome to my world,
Won't you come on in
Miracles, I guess
Still happen now and then

Step into my heart
Leave your cares behind
Welcome to my world
Built with you in mind

Bridge: Knock and the door will open
Seek and you will find
Ask and you'll be given
The key to this world of mine

I'll be waiting there
With my arms unfurled
Waiting just for you
Welcome to my world

This Ray Winkler and John Hathcock composition was a #2 hit for Jim Reeves in 1964,* and ever since, it’s been a country standard. Although, except for the Light Crust Doughboys, everyone else seems to keep the lush strings and chorus of the original Nashville sound arrangement. It’s been recorded by Kitty Wells, Webb Pierce, Floyd Cramer, Andy Williams, Tammy Wynette, and Charley Pride. Eddy Arnold charted at #39 with it in 1971 and made it his theme song (When Reader’s Digest put out a 6 LP Box Set of Arnold, sure enough, it was called Welcome to My World). And who can forget the live recordings of Elvis Presley (Remember Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite)?

BMI notes that the song has surpassed the one million U.S. airplays mark (mainly on just Reeves and Arnold’s recordings), and this doesn’t even count the inevitable MIDI file that plays when you visit Web pages with the lyrics to this song.


Dean Martin recorded the song in 1965, on his (Remember Me) I'm the One Who Love You LP (Reprise 6170). His Welcome to My World LP (Reprise 6250) featured:
  1. In the Chapel in the Moonlight
  2. Release Me
  3. I Can't Help Remembering You
  4. Turn to Me
  5. Wallpaper Roses
  6. Little Ole Wine Drinker Me
  7. Green Green Grass of Home
  8. A Place in the Shade
  9. Pride
  10. Welcome to My World
Dino's album reached #20 on the Billboard charts in 1967, mainly because he was using Winkler's and Hathcock's song at the time as the theme music to his television show on NBC.
In 1977, RCA followed up on the success of Elvis on the country singles chart by releasing a compilation of country tunes. Welcome to My World (RCA APL-1-2274) featured these tracks:
    Side 1
  1. Welcome To My World
  2. Help Me Make It Through The Night
  3. Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)
  4. I Really Don't Want To Know
  5. For The Good Times
  6. Side 2
  7. Make The World Go Away
  8. Gentle On My Mind
  9. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
  10. Your Cheatin' Heart
  11. I Can't Stop Loving You

*Thus making this quite possibly the highest charting song to ever rhyme "unfurled" with "world." Actually, a quick Google search shows that plenty of songs use that rhyme, in pop, punk, and musical theatre. Songwriters from Bruce Springsteen to Steven Schwartz have used it, but as of yet, no song with this rhyme has hit #1 on the charts. Sources (that don’t have the MIDI file): Larry Davis, "Re: Writer Johnny Hatchcock Passes," 29 December 2000, <alt.music.country.classic> (26 February 2002, via Google) Robert S. Ensler, "Dean Martin on Reprise," 11 November 2001 Robert S. Ensler Presents, <http://www.robertsenslerpresents.com/> (26 February 2002) Dave Morris, "Re: Re:Welcome to My world," 19 February 1998, <rec.music.country.western> (26 February 2002, via Google) " BMI Million-Airs" Broadcast Music, Inc. Award Web Site, &t;http://www.bmi.com/awards/millionairs/> (26 February 2002) "Elvis Presley: Welcome to My World," CDUniverse, <http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?style=music&PID=1111369> (26 February 2002) The Jim Reeves Way, <http://www.Jim-reeves.com> (26 February 2002)