Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: Ink Spots

1900s, Pop

Melody of Love

First recorded by The Edison Symphony Orchestra (1903).
Hit versions by Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra (US #2 1955), David Carroll & His Orchestra (US #9 1955), The Four Aces (US #11 1955), Frank Sinatra (US #19 1955), The Ink Spots (UK #10 1955), Jim Reeves (B-side C&W #10 1970).

From the wiki: “‘Melody of Love’ was originally written by Hans Engelmann and first recorded in 1903 by the Edison Symphony Orchestra, with lyrics added in 1954 by Tom Glazer (‘On Top of Spaghetti‘).

“An instrumental version recorded by Billy Vaughn in 1955, one of several instrumental and vocal versions released that year, became the highest-charting arrangement of ‘Melody of Love’ on the Billboard charts in 1955. Arrangements by David Carroll, the Four Aces, Frank Sinatra, and, in the UK, the Ink Spots, also charted.

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1940s, Swing

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore

Written and first recorded (as the instrumental “Never No Lament”) by Duke Ellington (1940).
Hit versions by Glen Gray & His Casa Loma Orchestra (US #7 1943), Duke Ellington (US #8/R&B #1 1943), The Ink Spots (US #2/R&B #1 1943).

From the wiki: “‘Don’t Get Around Much Anymore’ is a Jazz standard by Duke Ellington. The tune was originally called ‘Never No Lament’ and was first recorded by Ellington in 1940 as a Big-band instrumental. Bob Russell’s lyrics and the new title were added in 1942. Two different recordings of ‘Don’t Get Around Much Anymore’, one by The Ink Spots and the other, an instrumental, by Ellington’s own band, reached #1 on the R&B chart in the US in 1943. Both were Top-10 Pop records, too, along with a #7 hit by Glen Gray & His Casa Loma Orchestra, with the Ink Spots’ recording charting highest on the Pop chart.”

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