Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Category: Pop

1960s, Pop

I’m a Believer

First recorded by Neil Diamond (1966, first released 1967).
Hit versions by The Monkees (US #1/UK #1/CAN #1/AUS #1 1966), Neil Diamond (US #51/MOR #31 1971), Robert Wyatt (UK #29 1974).
Also recorded by The Fifth Estate (1967), Neil Diamond (re-recording 1979).

From the wiki: “‘I’m a Believer’ was composed by Neil Diamond who’d already recorded his own version before it was covered by The Monkees. Diamond’s original recording, produced by the songwriting team of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, was eventually released on his 1967 album Just for You.

“Diamond’s original recording was also released as a single in 1971, charting in the US and Australia. A revised recording, featuring additional lyrics, appeared on Diamond’s 1979 album September Morn. Diamond had also suggested the song to The Fifth Estate who did record ‘I’m a Believer’ as the 1967 follow-up to their hit single ‘Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead’, but it did not chart.

“‘I’m a Believer’ was the second single release for The Monkees. It hit the #1 spot on Billboard Hot 100 (and elsewhere worldwide) for the week ending December 31, 1966 and remained there for seven weeks, becoming not only the last #1 hit of 1966 but also the biggest-selling record for the whole of the next year, 1967. It is one of the fewer than forty all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) physical copies worldwide.

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1970s, Pop

Don’t Cry Out Loud

First recorded (as “We Don’t Cry Out Loud”) by The Moments (R&B #79 1976).
Also recorded by Peter Allen (1977).
Hit versions by Elkie Brooks (UK #12 1978), Melissa Manchester (US #10 1978), Rita Coolidge (JPN 1979).

From the wiki: “‘Don’t Cry Out Loud’ is a song written in 1976 by Peter Allen (‘I’d Rather Leave While I’m in Love‘) with lyricist Carole Bayer Sager (‘Arthur’s Theme’, ‘That’s What Friends Are For‘). Bernadette Peters, who toured with Allen in 1989, has stated that Allen told her that ‘his mother taught him to always put your best face on’ in response to Allen’s father committing suicide when Allen was 14 years old. The references to ‘baby’ in the song refer to Allen’s younger sister.

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1970s, Pop

Talking in Your Sleep

First recorded by The Marmalade (1977).
Hit version by Crystal Gayle (US #18/MOR #3/C&W #1 1978).

From the wiki: “The first recorded version of ‘Talking in Your Sleep’ was by the band The Marmalade (‘Reflections of My Life’, ‘Lovin’ Things‘, ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da‘), produced by Roger Greenaway (‘I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing‘), released as single in 1977 but without any chart success. It was subsequently recorded in late 1977 by Country music artist Crystal Gayle and released in January 1978 as the first single from her album When I Dream. Gayle’s version became a hit on both the US Country and Pop charts in 1978, reaching #1 on the US Country chart and peaking at #18 Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.”

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1960s, Pop

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

Originally recorded (as a demo) by Paul McCartney (1968).
Hit versions by The Marmalade (UK #1/NOR #1 1968), The Bedrocks (UK #20 1968), The Spectrum (GER #19 1968), Paul Desmond (MOR #35 1969), Arthur Conley (US #51/R&B #41 1969), The Beatles (AUS #1/JPN #1 1969 |US #49 1976).

From the wiki: “‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’ is a song credited to Lennon–McCartney, but written by Paul McCartney. Released by The Beatles on their 1968 album The Beatles (commonly called The White Album), the song was released as a single that same year in many countries – except not in the United Kingdom, nor in the United States until 1976.

“During May 1968, after their return from India, The Beatles gathered at George Harrison’s Esher home, in Surrey, to record demos for their upcoming project. ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’ was one of the twenty-seven demos recorded there. Paul performed this demo solo, with only an acoustic guitar but double-tracking his vocal.

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1970s, Pop

An Old Fashioned Love Song

Written and first recorded by Paul Williams (1971).
Hit version by Three Dog Night (US #4/MOR #1/CAN #2 1971).

From the wiki: “‘An Old Fashioned Love Song’ was written by the noted songwriter Paul Williams, who originally intended the song for The Carpenters, and it was first recorded by Williams for his album Just an Old Fashioned Love Song.

“This was the first song Williams had written specifically for the Carpenters. But, Richard Carpenter rejected it and so Williams then offered the song to Three Dog Night. The Carpenters never recorded the song, but did perform it live on television with Carol Burnett a few months later on The Carol Burnett Show.”

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1960s, Pop

He’s a Rebel

First recorded by Vikki Carr (US #115/AUS #5 1962).
Hit version by The Crystals née The Blossoms (US #1/UK #19 1962).

From the wiki: “‘He’s a Rebel’ was written by Gene Pitney (‘Town Without Pity’, ‘Only Love Can Break a Heart’), and was originally intended for The Shirelles to record but they declined. Instead, Snuff Garrett produced the first recording of ‘He’s a Rebel’ for Vikki Carr that would be released as her debut single. It did not go well, ‘bubbling under’ the Hot 100 but peaking Top-5 in Australia.

“Phil Spector, then employed as Liberty Records’ West Coast A&R head (the same labeled where Garrett was employed), also heard the same Pitney demo being played for Carr. Instinctively knowing the song could be a big hit, Spector promptly resigned from his position at Liberty to avoid any conflict-of-interest, intending to release the song on his own Philles Record label.

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1980s, Pop

Set the Night to Music

First recorded by Starship (MOR #9 1987).
Hit version by Roberta Flack & Maxi Priest (US #6/MOR #2/CAN #9 1989).

From the wiki: “‘Set the Night to Music’ was written by Diane Warren (Laura Brnaigan’s ‘Solitaire‘, Aerosmith’s ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’), the first songwriter in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to have had seven hits, all by different artists, on the singles chart at the same time.

“‘Set the Night to Music’ was originally recorded by Starship for their 1987 album No Protection. It was then covered in 1989 by Roberta Flack as a duet with Maxi Priest, peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.”

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1970s, Pop

Weekend in New England

Written and first recorded by Randy Edelman (1975).
Hit version by Barry Manilow (US #10/MOR #1/CAN #10 1976).

From the wiki: “‘Weekend in New England’ was written by Randy Edelman, and first recorded by Edelman for his 1975 album Farewell Fairbanks. Edelman attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music before heading to New York where he played piano in Broadway pit orchestras and where he recorded several solo albums of songs, some of which were covered by The Carpenters, Olivia Newton-John, Jackie DeShannon (to whom Edelman was married), and Barry Manilow. Edelman later moved to Los Angeles where he started television and film scoring (The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., MacGyver, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor).

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1970s, Pop

Candida

First released by The Corporation (1970).
Hit version by Dawn (US #3/UK #9/CAN #2/SWE #1/BRA #1/SNG #1 1970).

From the wiki: “‘Candida’ was written by Toni Wine (‘A Groovy Kind of Love‘) and Irwin Levine, songwriters for Don Kirshner at Screen Gems Music. Wine recalls: ‘We knew we wanted to write a Latin-flavored song, because of the areas that we grew up in, a lot of Latin and R&B music were being combined, and I grew up in Spanish Harlem. We needed a three-syllable name. But, Rosita had already been taken. Juanita was a hit. Maria had happened. So, Candida had been a name that I had toyed with and, there, she became a reality.’

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1970s, Pop

This Masquerade

Written and first recorded by Leon Russell (B-side US #11/CAN #5 1972).
Also recorded by Helen Reddy (1972).
Hit versions by The Carpenters (B-side US #1/UK #2/CAN #1/AUS #1 1973), George Benson (US #10/R&B #3 1976).

From the wiki: “‘This Masquerade’ was written by Leon Russell (‘A Song for You‘), and first appeared on the B-side of the single ‘Tight Rope’ from Russell’s 1972 hit album Carney. Known mostly as a session musician early in his career, as a solo artist Russell crossed genres to include Rock and Roll, Blues, and Gospel music. As a first call studio musician in Los Angeles, Russell played on many of the most popular songs of the 1960s as a member of the Wrecking Crew, including Glen Campbell’s 1967 hit single ‘Gentle on My Mind‘, where Russell was credited on piano as ‘Russell Bridges’.

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1970s, Pop

I’ll Never Love This Way Again

First recorded (as “I Know I’ll Never Love This Way Again”) by Richard Kerr (1978).
Also recorded by Cheryl Ladd (1978).
Hit version by Dionne Warwick (US #6/R&B #13/CAN #6 1979).

From the wiki: “‘I’ll Never Love This Way Again’ was composed by Richard Kerr (co-writer ‘Mandy‘, ‘Somewhere in the Night‘) and Will Jennings (co-writer ‘Valerie‘, ‘Tears in Heaven’, ‘Somewhere in the Night‘), and was first recorded by Kerr himself for his 1978 album Welcome To The Club. The song was soon covered by Cheryl Ladd for her 1978 eponymous debut album.

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1970s, Pop

We’ll Never Have to Say Goodbye Again

Written and first recorded by Jeffrey Comanor (1975).
Also recorded by Deardorf & Joseph (1976).
Hit version by England Dan & John Ford Coley (US #9 1978).

From the wiki: “‘We’ll Never Have to Say Goodbye Again’ was written by Jeffrey Comanor, and was first recorded by him in 1975 for release on the album A Rumor In His Own Time.

“‘England’ Dan Seals became familiar with the song while working as a session guitarist on a 1976 cover recording by Deardorf & Joseph. Three years later, in 1979, Seals and his partner, John Ford Coley, covered ‘We’ll Never Have to Say Goodbye Again’ themselves and took the song into the US Top 10 (included on their album Some Things Don’t Come Easy).”

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1960s, Pop

One

Written and first recorded by Nilsson (1967).
Also recorded by Al Kooper (1968).
Hit versions by Three Dog Night (US #5/CAN #4 1969), Johnny Farnham (AUS #1 1969).

From the wiki: “‘One’ was written by Harry Nilsson and recorded in 1967. It appeared initially on Nilsson’s third album, Aerial Ballet, released in 1968. Nilsson wrote the song after calling someone and getting a busy signal. He stayed on the line listening to the ‘beep, beep, beep, beep…’ tone, writing the song. The busy signal was expressed musically to become the opening notes of the song.

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1970s, Pop

Love is the Answer

Written by Todd Rundgren and first recorded by Utopia (1977).
Hit version by England Dan & John Ford Coley (US #10/MOR #1 1979).

From the wiki: “‘Love Is the Answer’ is a song written by Todd Rundgren for his band Utopia. It is the closing track on their 1977 album Oops! Wrong Planet.

“A cover version by England Dan & John Ford Coley reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May, 1979. John Ford Coley was quoted as saying: ‘Of all the songs we released as singles, [this] was my favorite. The song first of all had a classical base, and the middle had a gospel section which I loved.'”

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1980s, Pop

The Power of Love

Co-written and first recorded by Jennifer Rush (UK #1/GER #17 1985 |US #56/CAN #1/AUS #1/IRE #1/GER #9 1986).
Also recorded (as “Si tu eres mi hombre y yo tu mujer”) by Jennifer Rush (SPN #1 1986).
Other hit versions by Air Supply (as “The Power of Love (You Are My Lady)” US #68/MOR #13 1985), Laura Branigan (as “Power of Love” US #26/MOR #19 1987) and Celine Dion (US #1/MOR #1/CAN #1/UK #4/AUS #1 1993/FRA #3/BEL #5).

From the wiki: “‘The Power of Love’ was first recorded by Jennifer Rush in 1984. The American-born Rush had been recording for CBS (Frankfurt) with producers Gunther Mende and Candy de Rouge (alias of Wolfgang Detmann) since 1982. The song, written by Rush, de Rouge, and Mende along with Mary Susan Applegate, took Rush to the top of the UK Singles Chart in 1984 and into the German Top 20 in 1985. Rush filmed a low-budget music video in NYC in the fall of 1984, with the primary intention of entering the U.S market, but was unsuccessful.

“‘The Power of Love’, when originally released in the UK, debuting at #97 on the UK chart dated 22 June 1985. It was briefly withdrawn and, then, re-released in September 1985. It rose to #1 and retained the top spot on the UK chart for five weeks with a total of ten weeks accrued in the UK Top-10. The massive success of the song in the UK occasioned widespread international success for Rush’s recording in the last months of 1985 and the first months of 1986 including a German re-release of ‘The Power of Love’ that peaked at #9.

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1980s, Pop

Never Gonna Let You Go

First recorded by Dionne Warwick (1982).
Also recorded by Stevie Woods (1982).
Hit version by Sergio Mendes (US #4/R&B #28 1983).

From the wiki: “Songwriters Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann (‘Don’t Know Much‘, ‘(You’re My) Soul & Inspiration’) composed the song and had originally submitted ‘Never Gonna Let You Go’ to Earth, Wind & Fire, but the group decided not to record the song. Instead, Dionne Warwick first recorded the song and it first appeared on her 1982 album Friends in Love but was not released as a promotional single.

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1960s, Pop

Sealed with a Kiss

First recorded by Four Voices (US #109 1960).
Other hit versions by Brian Hyland (US #3/UK #3 1962 |UK #7 1975), Gary Lewis & The Playboys (US #11 1968), Bobby Vinton (US #19 1972), Jason Donovan (UK #1/IRE #1/AUS #8/ 1989).

From the wiki: “‘Sealed with a Kiss’ is a song written by Peter Udell and Gary Geld. It was first recorded by The Four Voices in 1960 as a single. It peaked ‘Bubbling Under’ the Billboard Hot 100, at #109.

“In 1962, Brian Hyland, who often performed Udell and Geld’s material, covered the song. Hyland’s single began its run on 6th June 1962 and became a hit, reaching #3 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. When re-released in 1975, Hyland’s recording charted in the UK at #7.

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1960s, Pop

Angel of the Morning

First recorded by Evie Sands (1967).
Also recorded by Danny Michaels (1967), Billie Davis (UK 1967), Joya Landis (1968).
Hit versions by Merilee Rush (US #7/UK #55/CAN #1/AUS #1 1968), P.P. Arnold (UK #29 1968), Mary Mason (UK #27 1977), Guys ‘n Dolls (NETH #11 1977), Juice Newton (US #4/C&W #22/CAN #1 1981).

From the wiki: “‘Angel of the Morning’ was written by Chip Taylor (‘Wild Thing‘, ‘I Can’t Let Go‘), and was first offered to singer-actress Connie Francis (‘Who’s Sorry Now’ [1957], ‘Where the Boys Are’ [1961]). Francis turned it down because she thought that it was too risqué(!) for her career.

“Taylor then produced a recording with Evie Sands (‘I Can’t Let Go‘) but the financial straits of Cameo-Parkway Records, who had Sands on their roster, reportedly prevented either that version’s release or its distribution. Other early recordings of the song were made in 1967 by Southern California country music fixture Danny Michaels (produced by Lee Hazlewood for his LHI label) and, in the UK, by vocalist Billie Davis.

“‘Angel of the Morning’ finally became a hit in the spring and summer of 1968 with the recording by Merrilee Rush produced that January at American Sound Studios in Memphis with Chips Moman and Tommy Cogbill producing. It charted into the Top 10 in the US, also becoming an international hit. Her recording would earn Rush a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary-Pop Vocal Performance (Female) in 1969.

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1940s, Jazz, Pop

Mambo No. 5

First recorded by Pérez Prado y su Orquesta (1949).
Hit versions by Lou Bega (US #3/UK #1/CAN #1/AUS #1/FRA #1/GER #1/IRE #1 1999), Bob the Builder (UK #1/AUS #2/IRE #4 2001).
Also recorded by Radio Disney (1999).

From the wiki: “‘Mambo No. 5’ is a mambo and jive dance song originally recorded and composed by Cuban Dámaso Pérez Prado – the ‘King of Mambo’ – in 1949. The song’s popularity was renewed in 199 by German artist Lou Bega’s sampling and vocal version of the original, released on Bega’s debut album A Little Bit of Mambo.

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1960s, Country, Pop

By the Time I Get to Phoenix

First recorded by Johnny Rivers (1965).
Hit version by Glen Campbell (US #26/C&W #2/CAN #1 1967).

From the wiki: “‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix’ was written by Jimmy Webb (‘Up, Up and Away‘). Originally recorded by Johnny Rivers in 1965 on his album Changes it would be made famous by Glen Campbell, appearing as the opening and title track on Campbell’s 1967 album By the Time I Get to Phoenix. Campbell’s recording reached #2 on the US Country Singles chart in 1968, and #26 on the Billboard Hot 100, and would go on to win two Grammy Awards in 1968: Best Vocal Performance (Male), and Best Contemporary Male Solo Vocal Performance. Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) has named ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix’ the third most-performed song from 1940 to 1990. Frank Sinatra called it ‘the greatest torch song ever written.’

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1920s, Pop

Someone to Watch Over Me

First recorded by Gertrude Lawrence (US #2 1926).
Other hit versions by George Gershwin (US #13 1926), George Olsen & His Orchestra (US #3 1927), Frank Sinatra (UK #13 1954), Linda Ronstadt (1980).
Also recorded by Margaret Whiting (1944).

From the wiki: “‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ was composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin for the musical Oh, Kay! (1926). George Gershwin originally approached the song as an uptempo jazz tune, but his brother Ira suggested that it might work much better as a ballad, and George ultimately agreed.

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1960s, Pop

The Worst That Could Happen

First recorded by The 5th Dimension (1967).
Hit version by The Brooklyn Bridge (US #3 1969).
Also recorded by Jimmy Webb (1996).

http://youtu.be/5t8X_KOmDs0

From the wiki: “‘The Worst That Could Happen’ was originally recorded by The 5th Dimension for their 1967 album of nearly all-Jimmy Webb-composed songs, The Magic Garden. The song depicts a man reflecting on an affair he’d had with a woman with whom he is still in love, but who is about to marry someone else. It has been stated that, along with ‘MacArthur Park’ and ‘By The Time I Get to Phoenix‘, ‘The Worst That Could Happen’ is about a relationship that Webb had had with a woman named Susan.

“Webb’s song was later recorded by Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge and reached the Billboard Hot 100’s Top-40 in 1969.

“The song is noted for the quoting of Mendelssohn’s ‘Wedding March’ from the incidental music to ‘A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream’, which is heard at the song’s end, which in the Brooklyn Bridge version, is played by a handful of trumpets, while in the Fifth Dimension version, is played by an electric organ.

“Jimmy Webb recorded his own version of the song for his 1996 album Ten Easy Pieces.”

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1960s, Pop

The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore)

First recorded by Frankie Valli (1965).
Hit versions by The Walker Brothers (US #13/UK #1/GER #4 1966), Cher (UK #26 1996).
Also recorded by The Fuzzy Bunnies (US #115 1968), Keane (2004).

From the wiki: “‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’, written by Bob Crewe (‘Silence is Golden‘, ‘Silhouettes‘, ‘Lady Marmalade‘) and Bob Gaudio (‘Sherry’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’), was originally recorded in 1965 by Frankie Valli for his 1966 solo album Frankie Valli: Solo. Although it was recorded at a Four Seasons recording session (with the other group members at that time), it was Valli’s first official ‘solo’ single in almost a decade. (He had previously recorded as ‘Frankie Valley’ and ‘Frankie Tyler’.) Valli’s version, however, failed to chart in the Billboard Hot 100.

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1960s, Pop

Stoned Soul Picnic

Written and first recorded (as a demo) by Laura Nyro (1968).
Also recorded by Laura Nyro (1968).
Hit version by The 5th Dimension (US #3/R&B #2 1968).

From the wiki: “Bones Howe, who had engineered the first 5th Dimension hit, ‘Up-Up and Away,’ became the group’s producer and introduced them to this song and to the music of Laura Nyro. After ‘Stoned Soul Picnic’ also became a hit, the group recorded several other Nyro songs (including ‘Sweet Blindness‘, and ‘Save The Country‘) with great success.

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