Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: George Benson

1970s, Pop

Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You

First recorded by George Benson (BEL #29/NETH #43 1985).
Hit version by Glenn Medeiros (US #12/UK #1/CAN #1/IRE #1/FRA #1 1987).

From the wiki: “‘Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You’ was written by Gerry Goffin (‘(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman‘, ‘Saving All My Love for You‘) and Michael Masser (‘The Greatest Love of All‘), and was first recorded by George Benson for his 1985 album 20/20. Released as a single only in Europe, Benson’s arrangement charted in Belgium and the Netherlands.

“In 1987, the song achieved worldwide success with a cover version by Hawaiian singer Glenn Medeiros. Medeiros had originally released his cover version on a small independent label at the age of 16, after winning a local radio talent contest in Hawaii. A visiting radio executive from KZZP in Phoenix, Arizona, heard the song and took the record back to Phoenix, where, through word of mouth, it grew to become an international hit.”

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1940s, Jazz

Beyond the Sea

First recorded (in English) by Harry James & His Orchestra with Marion Morgan (1947).
Hit versions Roger Williams (US #37 1955), Bobby Darin (US #6/R&B #15/UK #8 1959), George Benson (UK #60 1984).

From the wiki: “‘Beyond the Sea’ is the English adaptation of a romantic love song (‘La Mer’) by Charles Trenet. Trenet was most famous for his recordings from the late 1930s until the mid-1950s. In an era in which it was unusual for a singer to write their own material, Trenet wrote prolifically and declined to record any but his own songs.

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1970s, Jazz

Affirmation

Written and originally recorded by Jose Feliciano (1975).
Hit album version by George Benson (1976).

From the wiki: “In 1975, on his last RCA album, Just Wanna Rock’n’Roll, guitarist Jose Feliciano released his jazz-funk-Latin instrumental composition ‘Affirmation’, which was covered one year later by jazz guitarist George Benson on his hit album Breezin’.”

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1970s, Jazz

Breezin’

Originally recorded by Gabor Szabo (US #43 1971).
Hit version by George Benson (US #63/R&B #65 1976).

From the wiki: “‘Breezin” was written by Bobby Womack (‘It’s All Over Now‘) and first recorded by Hungarian Jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo. Szabó was famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music. He began playing guitar at the age of 14, inspired by jazz music he heard on the Voice of America broadcasts. He escaped Hungary and moved to the United States in 1956, a year of the attempted revolt against Soviet-dominated Communist rule, and attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston.

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1970s, Pop

The Greatest Love of All

Originally recorded by George Benson (US #24/R&B #2/UK #27 1977).
Other hit version by Whitney Houston (US #1/R&B #3/UK #8/AUS #1 1985).

From the wiki: “‘The Greatest Love of All’ was written by Michael Masser (‘Touch Me in the Morning’, ‘Saving All My Love for You‘) and lyricist Linda Creed (‘You Are Everthing’, ‘Betcha By Golly, Wow‘). The song was written and recorded to be the main theme of the 1977 film The Greatest, a biopic of the boxer Muhammad Ali, and was first recorded by George Benson for the film.

“Creed wrote the lyrics in the midst of her struggle with breast cancer. The words describe her feelings about coping with great challenges that one must face in life, being strong during those challenges whether you succeed or fail, and passing that strength on to children to carry with them into their adult lives. Creed eventually succumbed to the disease in April 1986 at the age of 37; at the time her song was an international hit by Houston.

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1960s, R&B

On Broadway

Originally recorded by The Cookies (1962).
Also recorded (and released first) by The Crystals (1962).
Hit versions by The Drifters (US #9/R&B #7 1963) and George Benson (US #7/R&B #2 1978).

From the wiki: “Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann were based at Aldon Music, in NYC, and the song as written by Mann-Weil was originally recorded by The Cookies (although The Crystals’ version beat them to release) and featured an upbeat lyric in which the protagonist is still on her way to Broadway and sings ‘I got to get there soon, or I’ll just die.’ For the Crystals’ recording, Phil Spector created his soon-to-be trademark cocktail of pizzicato strings, mandolins and castanets. Spector’s ‘Wall of Sound’ was inspired by, and reflects, the ‘neon lights of Broadway’. It might not even exist without ‘On Broadway’.

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