Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Harry Hippie

Written and first recorded by Jim Ford (1970).
Hit version by Bobby Womack (R&B #8 1973).

From the wiki: “‘Harry Hippie’ was written by Jim Ford for a self-titled album scheduled to be issued by Capitol in the fall of 1970. But, Ford had a falling out with the label and the album was shelved. ‘Harry Hippie’ was written by Ford in tribute to Bobby Womack’s laid-back brother, bass guitarist Harry Womack. ‘Harry Hippie’ would, after Womack recorded it in 1973, become a Top-10 R&B hit for Womack.

“According to Womack:

Harry was the bass player and tenor for the brothers when we were The Valentinos (‘It’s All Over Now‘). He lived a very carefree life. As a child he always said he wanted to live on an Indian reservation. We used to joke about it, but when we got older he was the same way. He always thought I wanted the materialistic things and I said, ‘I just want to do my music. My music put me into that comfortable territory.’ He didn’t want the pressure. We used to laugh and joke about the song when I’d sing it.”

Bobby Womack, “Harry Hippie” (1973):

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