What is "rags to riches"

n. (context idiomatic English) In a biographical context, from poverty to exceptional wealth.

"Rags to Riches" is a 1953 popular song by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The best-known version of the song, recorded by Tony Bennett with Percy Faith and his orchestra, was number one for eight weeks on the Billboard chart in 1953 and became a gold record. In the same year, a version by David Whitfield reached number three in the British charts and one by Billy Ward and his Dominoes with Jackie Wilson singing lead made number two on Billboard's R&B chart. Later recordings by Sunny & the Sunliners (#45 in 1963) and Elvis Presley (#33 in 1971) also made the Billboard charts.

A recording by Les Howard with orchestra conducted by Frank Cordell was made in London on November 14, 1953. It was released by EMI on the His Master's Voice label as catalog number B 10610.

Tony Bennett's version was used at the beginning of the film Goodfellas, just after Henry Hill closes the trunk of the car and says in voice-over, "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster." The song was also used in an episode of Columbo.

The opening line of the song was sung regularly and exuberantly by the character Carmine Ragusa on the television series Laverne & Shirley, typically when he had good news.

"Rags to Riches" provided the basis for an unusual moment late in Elvis Presley's career. Near the end of a New Year's Eve concert on December 31, 1976, Elvis announced he would sing the song—which his band evidently had not rehearsed and did not know. Playing piano, and giving chord instructions to his surprised band members, Elvis sang a surprisingly strong version, especially considering he had not recorded it since 1971, five years earlier. This rendition earned a loud ovation from the audience in Pittsburgh's Civic Arena. This was the only time Elvis sang the song in live performance. An audience member captured the moment on a recording that was later bootlegged.

In 2006, Barry Manilow included "Rags to Riches" on the album The Greatest Songs of the Fifties.

The song is featured in the 2010 video game Mafia II.

Rags to Riches is an American musical comedy drama series that was broadcast on NBC for two seasons from 1987 to 1988. Set in the 1960s, the series tells the story of Nick Foley, a self-made millionaire who adopts five orphan girls. Each episode included musical scenes of hit songs from the era sung by the girls integrated into the plot (usually with the lyrics changed so that they provided comment on the storyline).

Rags to Riches is a side-scrolling action-adventure game released in 1985 for the Commodore 64, developed by Bob Keener and published by Melody Hall Publishing Corp.

Rags to Riches (foaled February 27, 2004, in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred racehorse who in 2007 became the first filly to win the Belmont Stakes in over a century.

Rags to riches refers to any situation in which a person rises from poverty to wealth, and in some cases from absolute obscurity to heights of fame—sometimes instantly. This is a common archetype in literature and popular culture (for example, the writings of Horatio Alger, Jr.).

Rags to riches refers to a rise from poverty to wealth.

Rags to Riches may also refer to:

• Rags to Riches (computer game), a 1985 computer game for the Commodore 64
• Rags to Riches (horse), a thoroughbred race horse
• "Rags to Riches" (song), a 1953 popular song by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, popularized by Tony Bennett
• Rags to Riches (TV series), an American musical comedy drama series
• Rags to Riches (1922 film), a film directed by Wallace Worsley
• Rags to Riches (1941 film), a film directed by Joseph Kane

Rags to Riches is a 1941 American crime film directed by Joseph Kane and written by James R. Webb. The film stars Alan Baxter, Mary Carlisle, Jerome Cowan, Adrian Morris, Ralf Harolde and Paul Porcasi. The film was released on July 31, 1941, by Republic Pictures.