Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Category: 1960s

1960s, Folk

Seasons in the Sun

Recorded (in English) by The Kingston Trio (1963).
Adapted from “Le Moribond” by Jacques Brel & Rod McKuen (1961).
Also recorded by Rod McKuen (1964), The Beach Boys (1973).
Hit version by Terry Jacks (US #1/UK #1/CAN #1 1974).

From the wiki: “‘Seasons in the Sun’ is the English-language adaptation of a 1961 song, ‘Le Moribond’, composed by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel with English lyrics by American singer-poet Rod McKuen (‘Jean‘). The original French-language song included sarcasm and references to the speaker’s wife’s infidelity.

“The Kingston Trio recording was the first cover version of McKuen’s translation in 1963. McKuen would include a performance of his own work on the 1964 album Rod McKuen Sings Jacques Brel.

“Terry Jacks had had considerable success in his native Canada as half of the duo The Poppy Family (‘Which Way You Goin’ Billy’, 1969) with his wife, Susan. He was friends with The Beach Boys, who asked him to produce a song for them – something Jacks was honored to do. Terry played them his arrangement of ‘Seasons in the Sun’ and suggested they record it, thinking it would sound great with Beach Boy harmonies and with Carl Wilson singing lead.

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1960s, Pop

Hurting Each Other

First recorded by Jimmy Clanton (1965).
Also recorded by Ruth Lewis (1966), The Walker Brothers (1966).
Hit versions by Chad Allan & The Expressions (CAN #19 1965), Ruby & The Romantics (US #113 1969), The Carpenters (US #2/MOR #1/CAN #2/AUS #4/NZ #7/JPN #56 1972).

From the wiki: “The earliest version of the song was recorded by Jimmy Clanton, the singer from New Orleans known as the ‘swamp pop R&B teenage idol’, in February 1965, produced by the song authors, Gary Geld and Peter Udell. He rode the crest of the popular teen music wave in the 1950s and 1960s. Seven of his records, including ‘Go, Jimmy, Go’, ‘Just a Dream’, and ‘Venus in Blue Jeans‘, charted in the U.S. Top 40.

“Chad Allan & The Expressions, from whom The Guess Who would later evolve (Randy Bachman, Jim Kale and Garry Peterson were original members; Burton Cummings replaced Allan in 1966), also recorded the song in 1965 on their Canadian LP Hey Ho (What You Do to Me) … teasingly subtited ‘Guess Who?’. Released as a single, ‘Hurting Each Other’ hit #19 on the Canadian charts in early 1966. In June 1966, a version by Ruth Lewis, produced again by the song’s writers, Geld and Udell, was released as a single by RCA Victor records without any apparent chart impact. A cover of ‘Hurting Each Other’ also appeared on The Walker Brothers’ second album, Portrait, which was released in November 1966 but their recording was not released as a single. However, ‘Hurting Each Other’ was the final single released by Ruby & The Romantics (‘Hey There, Lonely Girl‘) before the group’s break-up in 1969 and, even though it ‘Bubbled Under the Hot 100’, it was the first appearance of the song on a US music chart.

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1960s, Latin, Rock

Oye Como Va

Written and first recorded by Tito Puente & His Orchestra (1963).
Inspired by “Chanchullo” by Israel “Cachao” Lopez (1937).
Hit version by Santana (US #13/MOR #11/R&B #32/CAN #7/MEX #9/AUS #13/GER #29 1971).
Also recorded by Natalie Cole (2013).

From the wiki: “‘Oye Como Va’ is a song written by Latin Jazz and Mambo musician Tito Puente in 1963. The fact that the phrase ‘Oye como va’ is the title of the song and is sung somewhat separately from the phrase ‘mi ritmo’ makes for its interpretation as ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ However, the first sentence is actually ‘Oye como va mi ritmo,’ meaning ‘Listen to how my rhythm goes.’ Israel ‘Cachao’ López’s 1937 recording, ‘Rareza de Melitón’ (later changed to ‘Chanchullo’), inspired Tito Puente’s signature tune. Puente had previously recorded ‘Chanchullo’ in 1959, for his album Mucho cha cha.

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1960s, Rock

Gloria (Them)

Written by Van Morrison and first recorded by Them (1964).
Hit versions by Them (US #93/UK #10 1965), The Shadows of Knight (US #10 1966), Van Morrison & John Lee Hooker (UK #31 1993).

http://youtu.be/FLvBpnaVHE8

From the wiki: “Van Morrison said that he wrote ‘Gloria’ while he performed with the Monarchs in Germany in the summer of 1963. He started to perform it at the Maritime Hotel when he returned to Belfast and joined up with The Gamblers to form the band Them. He would ad-lib lyrics as he performed, sometimes stretching the song to fifteen or twenty minutes. After signing a contract with Dick Rowe and Decca, Them went to London for a recording session at Decca Three Studios in West Hampstead on 5 July 1964.

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1960s, Soul

I Heard It Through the Grapevine

First recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (1966, released 1968).
Hit versions by Gladys Knight & the Pips (US #2/R&B #1 1967), Marvin Gaye (US #1/R&B #1/CAN #8/UK #1/IRE #7 1968), Creedence Clearwater Revival (US #43/CAN #76 1976).

From the wiki: “First recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles in 1966, ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’ was rejected for release by Motown owner Berry Gordy, who told Barrett Strong (co-writer) and Norman Whitfield (producer and co-writer) that the song was ‘too bluesy’ and that it lacked ‘hit potential’. Whitfield produced another version, with Marvin Gaye, in 1967 with Gordy also rejected (‘It sucks’, he is reported to have opined) for release. Even the Isley Brothers are said to have taken a crack at it (see below).

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1960s, Soul

Land of 1000 Dances

Written and first recorded by Chris Kenner (US #77 1962).
Also recorded by Danny & The Memories (1965).
Other hit versions by Cannibal & The Headhunters (US #30 1965), Wilson Pickett (US #6/R&B #1/UK #22 1966).

From the wiki: “Written and first recorded by Chris Kenner in 1962, ‘Land of 1000 Dances’ is famous for its ‘na na na na na’ hook added by Cannibal & The Headhunters in their 1965 version. (The ‘na na na na na’ hook happened by accident when Frankie ‘Cannibal’ Garcia, lead singer of Cannibal & The Headhunters, forgot the lyrics. The melody to that section of the song was also created spontaneously, as it is not on Kenner’s original recording.) The song’s best-known version was Wilson Pickett’s 1966 single release, from the album The Exciting Wilson Pickett, which became an R&B #1 and Billboard Top 10 hit, his highest-charting Pop song.

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1960s, Soul

War

First recorded by The Temptations (recorded 1969, released 1970).
Hit version by Edwin Starr (US #1/UK #3/CAN #1/GER #9 1970).

From the wiki: “‘War’ is a counterculture era soul song written by the songwriting team of Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong (‘Smiling Faces Sometimes‘, ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine‘, ‘Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone‘), and produced by Whitfield, for the Motown label in 1969.

“Whitfield first produced the song – a blatant anti-Vietnam War protest – with The Temptations as the original vocalists. Whitfield re-recorded the song with Edwin Starr as the vocalist, when Motown decided to withhold The Temptations’ version from single release so as not to alienate their more conservative fans.

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1960s, Pop

I Can Hear Music

First recorded by The Ronettes (US #100 1966).
Hit version by The Beach Boys (US #24/UK #10/SWE #5 1969).
Also recorded by Larry Lurex (Freddie Mercury) (1973).

From the wiki: “‘I Can Hear Music’ is a song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector, originally performed by The Ronettes in 1966. Released as the last Ronettes’ single on Spector’s Philles record label, it barely charted – spending only one week on the Billboard Hot 100 at #100.

“The Beach Boys recorded ‘I Can Hear Music’ in 1969 for the album 20/20. This version peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (and #20 on the Cash Box and Record World charts) in the US. Internationally, it reached #5 in Sweden, #6 in Holland and Malaysia, #7 in Poland, #10 in the UK, #13 in Germany and in Australia’s Go Set chart, and #15 in Ireland.

“In 1973, Larry Lurex (a pseudonym for Freddie Mercury) also recorded a cover version of ‘I Can Hear Music’. The recording is considered the Holy Grail among Queen collectors.”

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1960s, Rock 'n Roll

Do Wah Diddy Diddy

First recorded (as “Do-Wah-Diddy”) by The Exciters (US #78/R&B #47 1963).
Other hit versions by Manfred Mann (US#1/UK #1 1964), 2 Live Crew (R&B #62 1987), The Blue Melons (UK #70 1996), DJ Otzi (UK #9 2001).

From the wiki: “‘Do Wah Diddy Diddy’ was written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, and first recorded by The Exciters, in 1963. The Exciters were formed from an all-girl group, The Masterettes, before adding a male singer and renaming themselves The Exciters after auditioning for producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Their first hit record, arranged by George ‘Teacho’ Wiltshire and produced by Leiber and Stoller for United Artists Records, was ‘Tell Him’, which reached #4 on the U.S. Top-40 chart in early 1963. (The song had previously been recorded unsuccessfully, as ‘Tell Her’, by Gil Hamilton later known as Johnny Thunder.) According to Jason Ankeny at AllMusic, the Exciters ‘signified a sea change in the presentation and perception of femininity in popular music, paving the way for such tough, sexy acts as the Shangri-Las and the Ronettes.’

“Trivia: Dusty Springfield was on a stop-over in New York City en route to Nashville to make a country music album with the Springfields in 1962, when she heard the Exciters’ ‘Tell Him’ playing while taking a late-night walk by the Colony Record Store on Broadway. The song helped Springfield decide to embark on a solo career with a Pop/Soul direction.

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1960s, Blues

Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood

First recorded by Nina Simone (1964).
Hit versions by The Animals (US #15/UK #3/CAN #4/AUS #29/SWE #7 1965), Santa Esmeralda (US #15/UK #41/AUS #7/NETH #5 1978).

From the wiki: “‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’ is a song written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell, and Sol Marcus for Nina Simone, who first recorded it in 1964.

“The beginnings of ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’ originated with composer and arranger Horace Ott, who came up with the melody and chorus lyric line after a temporary falling out with his girlfriend (and wife-to-be), Gloria Caldwell. He then brought it to writing partners Bennie Benjamin and Sol Marcus to complete. However, when it came time for songwriting credits, rules of the time prevented BMI writers (Ott) from officially collaborating with ASCAP members (the other two), so Ott instead listed Caldwell’s name on the credits. Horace Ott’s involvement did not end with his initial songwriting; he was the arranger and orchestral conductor for Simone’s entire album, Broadway-Blues-Ballads, released in 1964.

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1960s, Rock 'n Roll

California Sun

First recorded by Joe Jones (US #89 1961).
Hit version by The Rivieras (US #5 1964).

From the wiki: “‘California Sun’, is a song credited to Henry Glover and Morris Levy. Originally recorded by the 35-year-old New Orleans-born singer-songwriter Joe Jones, and released by Roulette Records in the winter of 1961, it peaked at #89 on the charts. The most successful version, the Rivieras’ cover, recorded in 1964, reached #5 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.”

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1960s, Rock 'n Roll

I Call Your Name

First recorded by Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas (UK B-side #1 1963).
Hit album version by The Beatles (1964).

From the wiki: “John Lennon wrote the song prior to the formation of The Beatles. In 1963, he gave the song to Billy J. Kramer of The Dakotas, another Liverpool band signed to Parlophone by George Martin. Later, Lennon was reportedly dissatisfied with the Dakotas’ arrangement of his song as well as its position as a B-side (to the UK #1 ‘Bad to Me’, also written by Lennon-McCartney), so The Beatles recorded their own version, releasing it in the US on The Beatles’ Second Album and in the UK on the EP Long Tall Sally. The Beatles’ recording features George Harrison playing a Rickenbacker 360/12 guitar, giving to the world for the first time the distinctive sound of the famous guitar. ‘I Call Your Name’ was to have been included in the movie soundtrack to A Hard Day’s Night but was rejected in favor of ‘You Can’t Do That’.”

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1960s, Reggae/Ska

The Tide is High

Originally recorded by The Paragons (1967).
Also recorded by Uroy (1971), Gregory Isaacs (1978).
Hit versions by Blondie (US #1/UK #1/CAN #1/NZ #1 1980), Atomic Kitten (UK #1 2002).

From the wiki: “‘The Tide is High’ was written by John Holt and was first recorded by The Paragons, the vocal trio of which he was a member, and featured the violin of ‘White Rum’ Raymond.

“The recording was produced by Duke Reid, released as a 7-inch single on Reid’s Treasure Isle and Trojan labels and as the B-side of the ‘Only a Smile’ single. Both tracks were included on the 1970 collection On the Beach. The song became popular in the UK amongst West Indians and skinheads when a ‘deejay’ version recorded by U-Roy was released in 1971. Gregory Issacs also released ‘The Tide is High’ as a single in 1978.

“‘The Tide Is High’ was most famously covered by Blondie in 1980, in a reggae-mariachi style that included horns and strings. It was released as the lead single from the band’s fifth studio album, Autoamerican (1980), providing Blondie with their third #1 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“In 2002, ‘The Tide Is High’ again topped the UK Singles chart when the song was covered by English girl group Atomic Kitten. Released as the second single from their second studio album, Feels So Good, their version of the song also added a new bridge, hence the subtitle ‘Get the Feeling’.”

Uroy, “The Tide is High” (1971):

Gregory Isaacs, “The Tide is High” (1978):

Blondie, “The Tide is High” (1980):

Atomic Kitten, “The Tide is High (Get the Feeling)” (2002):

1960s, Country

Me and Bobby McGee

First recorded by Roger Miller (C&W #12 1969).
Other hit versions by Gordon Lightfoot (US #13/CAN #1 1970), Janis Joplin (US #1 1971). Jerry Lee Lewis (US #40/MOR #39/CAN #50 1971).
Also recorded by Kenny Rogers & the First Edition (1969), Kris Kristofferson (1970), The Statler Brothers (1970).

From the wiki: “Roger Miller was the first artist to record and to have a hit with ‘Me and Bobby McGee’, written by Kris Kristofferson (‘Help Me Make Through the Night‘, ‘Lovin’ Her Was Easier (That Anything I’ll Ever Do Again‘) and Fred Foster, peaking with it at #12 on the US Country chart in 1969.

“Kenny Rogers & the First Edition then covered the song (with Rogers on lead vocals), releasing it in on their album Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town in 1969. Gordon Lightfoot’s 1970 recording hit #13 on the US pop chart and #1 country in his native Canada in 1970, and was also a Top-10 hit in South Africa in 1971.

“Just a few days before her death in October 1970, Janis Joplin covered the song for inclusion on her forthcoming Pearl album. Kristofferson had previously sung the song for Joplin, and singer Bob Neuwirth had taught it to her. Kristofferson, however, did not know Joplin had recorded ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ until after her death – the first time he heard it was the day after she died. Joplin’s version topped the charts in 1971 to become her only #1 single and, in 2004, her recording of ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ was ranked #148 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Kristofferson would record an arrangement of his own song for his 1970 debut album, Kristofferson.

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1960s, R&B

Money (That’s What I Want)

Originally recorded by Barrett Strong (US #23/R&B #2 1959).
Other hit versions by Jennel Hawkins (R&B #17 1962), The Beatles (1963), Bern Elliot & the Fenmen (UK #14 1963), The Kingsmen (US #16/R&B #6 1964), The Flying Lizards (1979 UK #5/US #50).

From the wiki: “The song was written by Tamla founder Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford, and became the first hit record for Gordy’s Motown enterprise. The record was first released on the Anna label (operated by Gwen Gordy, Anna Gordy and Billy ‘Roquel’ Davis). Gwen and Anna’s brother Berry Gordy had just established his Tamla label (soon Motown would follow), and he licensed the song to the Anna label in 1960 to take advantage of its national distribution arrangement with Chicago-based Chess Records in order to meet demand.

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1960s, Latin, Rock

No One to Depend On

Co-written and first recorded (as “Spanish Grease”) by Willie Bobo (1965).
Hit version by Santana (US #36 1971).

From the wiki: “The main melody and theme of Santana’s ‘No One to Depend One’ is taken from Willie Bobo’s 1965 recording ‘Spanish Grease’.

“Bobo (born William Correa) grew up in Spanish Harlem, New York City. He made his name in Latin Jazz, specifically Afro-Cuban jazz, in the 1960s and ’70s, with the timbales becoming his favoured instrument. He met Mongo Santamaría shortly after his arrival in New York and studied with him while acting as his translator, and later at the age of 19 joined Tito Puente for four years. The nickname ‘Bobo’ is said to have been bestowed on him by the jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams in the early 1950s.

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1960s, Soul

Love on a Two Way Street

First recorded by Lezli Valentine (1968).
Hit versions by The Moments (1968 |US #3/R&B #1 1970), Stacy Lattisaw (US #13/R&B #2 1981).

From the wiki: “Written by Sylvia Robinson and Bert Keyes in 1968. ‘Love on a Two-Way Street’ was first recorded by Lezli Valentine, an artist signed to All Platinum, the record label that Robinson co-owned with her husband, Joe. Released as a single, it had no apparent chart impact.

“The song was then recorded by The Moments (‘Don’t Cry Out Loud‘) – with Billy Brown re-recording the lead vocal over the Valentine’s original instrumental track – as filler for their 1968 album Not on the Outside, But on the Inside, Strong!, released on Stang Records, a subsidiary label of All Platinum also created by Robinson. (The Moments would later evolve into the vocal trio Ray, Goodman & Brown.)

“Two years later, in March 1970, the Robinsons decided to belatedly release the Moments’ track as a single. It would go on to become one of the biggest R&B hits of that year and the highest-charting single of the The Moments’ career, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the R&B chart.

“In 1981, Stacy Lattisaw covered ‘Love on a Two-Way Street’, peaking in the Hot 100 Top-15 and at #2 on the R&B chart.”

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1960s, Rock

White Rabbit

First recorded by The Great Society (1966, released 1968).
Hit version by Jefferson Airplane (US #8 1967).

From the wiki: “The Great Society made its debut at the Coffee Gallery in San Francisco’s North Beach section on October 15, 1965 and continued to perform throughout 1966.

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1960s, Pop

I Will Follow Him

First recorded (as “Chariot”) by Franck Pourcel (1961).
First recorded (in French) as “Chariot” by Petula Clark (UK #39/FRA #1/BEL #8 1962).
Also recorded (in English) as “I Will Follow Him” by Petula Clark (DEN #4 1963).
Other hit version by Little Peggy March (US #1/R&B #1/AUS #1/NZ #1/JPN #1 1963).

From the wiki: “‘I Will Follow Him’ was first recorded as an instrumental titled ‘Chariot’ in 1961 by Franck Pourcel, who co-wrote the song with Paul Mauriat (‘Love is Blue‘). It was released on Pourcel’s European LP Amour, Danse, Et Violons. No.17.

“In 1962, Petula Clark recorded a French-language version (with lyrics by Jacques Plante), an arrangement that hit #1 in France and #8 in Belgium and earned Clark a gold record. Her English-language version, with lyrics by Norman Gimbel and Franck Pourcel, was released in early 1963 by Pye in the UK and by Laurie in the USA with no chart impact – but Clark’s English-language version did peak at #4 on the Danish music chart. Clark also recorded Italian and German versions of the song, with her Italian version, ‘Sul mio carro’, reaching #4 in Italy, and her German version, ‘Cheerio’, reaching #6 in Germany.

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1960s, Soul

Anna (Go to Him)

Written and originally recorded by Arthur Alexander (US #68/R&B #10 1962).
Hit album version by The Beatles (1963).

From the wiki: “‘Anna (Go to Him)’ (or simply ‘Anna’) was written and originally recorded by Arthur Alexander, and is considered to be one of the great early Soul ballads even if its loping groove was closer to a mid-tempo song than a slow ballad.

“‘Anna’ was actually a minor pop hit (but Top-10 R&B) when it first came out in 1962, peaking #68 on the Pop charts. However, it was a personal favorite of John Lennon, and ‘Anna’ had been a part of the Beatles live set since its release in 1962. ‘Anna’ would become more famous for its cover version by the Beatles than when originally released by Alexander.

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1960s, R&B

Hang On, Sloopy

First recorded (as “My Girl Sloopy”) by The Vibrations (US #26/R&B #10 1964).
Other hit versions by Little Caesar & The Consuls (CAN #1/US #50 1965), The McCoys (US #1/UK #5 1965), The Ramsey Lewis Trio (US #11/R&B #6 1965).
Also re-recorded by Ramsey Lewis (1973).

From the wiki: “‘Hang On, Sloopy’ is a 1964 song owned by Wes Farrell and Bert Russell, originally titled ‘My Girl Sloopy’. A tale told around Columbus, Ohio, is that Sloopy was a waitress/singer, who used the name ‘Sloopy’ on stage. The truth is the song was never about her. It was written by a St. Louis teen who created a fictitious ‘Sloopy’ and then sold his publishing rights to Farrell and Russell.

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1960s, Soul

I’m Your Puppet

Co-written and first recorded by Dan Penn (1965).
Hit version by James & Bobby Purify (US #6/R&B #5 1966 |UK #12 1976).

From the wiki: “Dan Penn’s writing credits read like a soul jukebox. Often working with his friend Spooner Oldham, Penn (who kept busy performing, producing and songwriting at Muscle Shoal’s famed FAME studio) was behind many of the defining songs from the most celebrated black singers of the Sixties: James Carr’s ‘The Dark End of the Street’; Aretha Franklin’s ‘Do Right Man, Do Right Woman’; Percy Sledge’s ‘It Tears Me Up’; Otis Redding’s ‘You Left The Water Running’; and James and Bobby Purify’s ‘I’m Your Puppet’.

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1960s, Country, Folk

Gentle On My Mind

Written and first recorded by John Hartford (1967).
Also recorded Tompall & the Glaser Brothers (1967).
Hit version by Glen Campbell (US #62/C&W #30 1967 |US #39/C&W #44/MOR #8 1968).

From the wiki: “‘Gentle On My Mind’ won two 1968 Grammy Awards. Hartford himself won the award for Best Folk Performance. The other award, Best Country & Western Solo Vocal Performance (Male), went to Country music singer Glen Campbell for his hit version of Hartford’s song.

“Hartford reported that he was inspired to write the song after seeing the film Doctor Zhivago when his own memories took over, and that it took about fifteen minutes for him to write down the music and lyrics, and he would record it in-studio on February 2, 1967 and release it on the album Earthwords & Music. Hartford would later re-record ‘Gentle On My Mind’ in 1977 for inclusion on the album All in the Name of Love.

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