Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Baby It’s You

First recorded by The Shirelles (US #8/R&B #3 1961).
Other hit versions by Smith (US #5 1969), The Beatles (album 1963 |US #67/UK #7 1995).
Also recorded by The Carpenters (1970), Elvis Costello & Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit (1984, released 1995).

From the wiki: “‘Baby It’s You’ was written by Burt Bacharach, Luther Dixon (credited as Barney Williams), and Mack David (elder brother of lyricist Hal David). The song was originally titled ‘I’ll Cherish You’, but was re-written at the request of Dixon who produced the track that the Shirelles released as a single in 1961. The group’s vocals were added directly to Bacharach’s demo recording.

“Dixon’s vocal arrangements for the Shirelles’ recording proved influential in subsequent versions, including that of The Beatles who performed ‘Baby It’s You’ as part of their stage act from 1961 until 1963 before recording it on February 11, 1963 for their first album, Please Please Me. Not released as a single in 1963, ‘Baby It’s You’ was re-released as both a CD single and a vinyl single in 1995 in the UK and the US, peaking at #7 in the UK and #67 in the US.

“Smith’s version appeared on their debut album, A Group Called Smith. The single, released on Dunhill in 1969, was their first and most successful release peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“The Carpenters recorded a version of ‘Baby It’s You’ in 1970 for their album Close to You but it wasn’t released as a single. Elvis Costello’s 1984 collaboration with Nick Lowe was recorded during sessions for Goodbye Cruel World. It remained unreleased until appearing as a bonus track in 1995 on the Rykodisc re-release.”

The Beatles, “Baby It’s You” (1963):

Smith, “Baby It’s You” The Leslie Uggams Show TV performance (1969):

The Carpenters, “Baby It’s You” from Close to You (1970):

Elvis Costello & Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit, “Baby It’s You” (1984):

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