Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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1291 total songs ... and counting!

1960s, Folk

Carolina in My Mind

Written and first recorded by James Taylor (US #118 1968 |US #67 1970).
Other hit version by George Hamilton IV (C&W #29/CAN #3 1969).
Hit album re-recording by James Taylor (1976).
Also recorded by The Everly Brothers (1969), Melanie (1970).
Performed by Glen Campbell & Linda Ronstadt (1971).

From the wiki: “‘Carolina in My Mind’ was written and first recorded by singer-songwriter James Taylor on his 1968 debut album, James Taylor, released by Apple Records. The original recording of the song was done at London’s Trident Studios during the July to October 1968 period, and was produced by Peter Asher.

“The song’s lyric ‘holy host of others standing around me’ is allegedly a reference to the Beatles, who were recording The Beatles (aka the ‘White Album’) in the same building as Taylor was recording his album. Indeed, the original recording of ‘Carolina in My Mind’ features a credited appearance by Paul McCartney on bass guitar and an uncredited appearance by George Harrison on backing vocals.

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1980s, Pop

Till I Loved You

First performed by Placido Domingo, Dionne Warwick & Gloria Estefan (1988).
Hit versions by Barbra Streisand & Don Johnson (US #25/UK #15 1988), Placido Domingo & Jennifer Rush (UK #24 1989).
Also recorded by Placido Domingo & Gloria Estefan (Spanish, 1989), Placido Domingo & Simone Bittencourt de Oliverira (Portuguese, 1989)

From the wiki: “‘Till I Loved You’ was composed for the never-staged musical Goya: A Life in Song, based on the life of the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. The original recording was sung by tenor Plácido Domingo with American singers Dionne Warwick and Gloria Estefan. The song was covered (although released first in the US) as a duet by Don Johnson and Barbra Streisand, and appeared on Streisand’s 1988 album of the same name and, later, on her 2002 compilation, Duets. As a single, the Streisand/Johnson recording reached #16 in the UK and #25 in the US.

“‘Till I Loved You’ was subsequently released, in 1989, also as a single by Domingo with another collaborator to the album, Jennifer Rush (‘The Power of Love‘), charting only in the UK.

“Domingo also recorded a Spanish-language single of the song with Gloria Estefan titled ‘Hasta amarte’, and a Portuguese version, ‘Apaixonou’, with Simone Bittencourt de Oliveira.”

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1960s, Folk

The Ballad of Ira Hayes

Written and first recorded by Peter LaFarge (1962).
Hit version by Johnny Cash (C&W #3 1964).
Also recorded by Bob Dylan (1970, released 1973).

From the wiki: “‘The Ballad of Ira Hayes’ was written by folk singer Peter La Farge (himself a Nargaset Indian, poet, and novelist, and Native American rights advocate), and first recorded by him in 1962. It tells the story of Ira Hayes, one of the five Marines and one Navy Corpsman who became famous for having raised the US flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima of World War II. Hayes was a Pima Native American and a United States Marine corporal who was one of the six flag raisers immortalized in the iconic Iwo Jima photograph.

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1950s, R&B

Early in the Morning

Co-written (by Bobby Darin) and first recorded by The Ding Dongs (1958).
Hit version by The Rinky Dinks (US #24/R&B #8 1958), Buddy Holly (US #32/UK #17 1958).

From the wiki: “‘Early in the Morning’ was written by Bobby Darin and Woody Harris. Darin, a member at the time of the Brill Building gang of struggling songwriters, approached Brunswick Records with the song; Brunswick was impressed, but as Darin was still under contract to Atlantic Records’ subsidiary, Atco, the song was released as by ‘The Ding Dongs’ (in reality, Bobby Darin and backing vocalists).

“New York deejays liked the record but Atco soon discovered the deception. Brunswick was forced to turn over its masters to Atco, who then re-released the record in 1958 under the name ‘The Rinky Dinks’. It was the Atco-labeled release which charted in the U.S. and the U.K.

“A version of ‘Early in the Morning’ by Buddy Holly competed in the UK with Darin’s single, which had been released there under Darin’s own name.”

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1950s, Doo wop

Earth Angel

First recorded by The Penguins (R&B #1 1954).
Other hit versions by The Crew Cuts (US #3/UK #4 1955), Gloria Mann (US #18 1955), New Edition (US #21/R&B #3 1985).

From the wiki: “The recording sounds so simple, and it is: four voices and a piano. It first aired on the radio before the records were even pressed, and the immediate and massive reaction it received forced the group to release the recording “as-is” without the additional embellishment and orchestration that had been originally planned. ‘Earth Angel’ became one of the blueprints for Doo-wop; the second such recording to hit the Top 10 (after The Chords’ ‘Sh-Boom’). The Penguins were four high school students from Fremont High in Los Angeles, and they recorded ‘Earth Angel’ in a garage and released it on a small black-owned label called Dootone Records. The recording became the first independent label release to appear on Billboard’s national pop charts.

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1950s, R&B

Since I Met You Baby

Written and first recorded by Ivory Joe Hunter (US #12/R&B #1 1956).
Other hit versions by Mindy Carson (US #34 1956), Bobby Vee (B-side US #81 1960), Sonny James (C&W #1 1969).
Also recorded (as “Desde que conozco”) by Freddy Fender (US #45/C&W #10 1975).

http://youtu.be/2FWpshhkHU0

From the wiki: “‘Since I Met You Baby’ was written and first recorded by pianist Ivory Joe Hunter. The song, which Hunter recorded and charted with in 1956, has since become an American R&B standard, and saw renewed popularity in 1969 when Country music artist Sonny James released his #1 version. Hunter had already tasted major success with Pop and R&B audiences with songs such as ‘I Almost Lost My Mind‘. He moved to Atlantic Records by 1954, and around that time wrote ‘Since I Met You Baby’. Hunter’s recording topped the Billboard R&B chart for three weeks in 1956 and became his sole Billboard Hot 100 entry, peaking at #12.

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1950s, Rock 'n Roll

Speedy Gonzales

First recorded by Dave Dante (1962).
Hit version by Pat Boone (US #6/UK #2 1962).

From the wiki: “‘Speedy Gonzales’, ‘the fastest mouse in all Mexico,’ was written by Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee, and David Hess (aka David Hill, ‘All Shook Up’) who first recorded the song under the alias ‘Dave Dante’ in 1962. The song was popularized in the United States as a 1962 single by Pat Boone, doing better in many national charts in Europe where Boone’s recording sold a million copies. The female voice (‘La-la-la…’) on this song was of Robin Ward (‘Wonderful Summer’), and Boone’s cover also incorporated Mel Blanc voicing ‘Speedy Gonzales’ as he did in the Warner Brothers cartoons. (Elton John has stated that the ‘hook’ in his best-selling single ‘Crocodile Rock’ was inspired by his listening to Ward’s vocal on ‘Speedy Gonzales’.)”

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1970s, Pop

She’s Gone

Written and first recorded by Hall & Oates (US #60/UK #51 1972 |US #7/UK #42 1976).
Other hit version by Tavares (US #50/R&B #1 1974), Matthew Marsden (UK #24 1998).

From the wiki: “‘She’s Gone’ was written and originally performed by Pop music duo Daryl Hall and John Oates. It was included on their 1973 album, Abandoned Luncheonette, and first released as a single in 1974. The song was a major hit in Hall & Oates’ hometown of Philadelphia but was only moderately successful nationally. It peaked initially at #60 on the Billboard Hot 100. When Tavares released their cover as a single in 1974, it topped the R&B chart. Two years later in 1976, after Hall & Oates had moved to RCA Records and had scored with the hit ‘Sara Smile’, Atlantic Records re-released the original single. This time around, the Hall & Oates original became a Top 10 hit, peaking at #7.

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1960s, Broadway/Movies/Television

A Taste of Honey

Co-written and first recorded by Bobby Scott (1960).
First vocal version recorded by Billy Dee Williams (1961).
Also recorded by Lenny Welch (1962), The Beatles (1963).
Hit (instrumental) versions by Martin Denny (US #50 1962), Mr. Acker Bilk (UK #16 1963), Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass (US #7 1965).

From the wiki: “‘A Taste of Honey’ was written by Bobby Scott (‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother‘) and Ric Marlow. It was originally an instrumental track (or recurring theme) written for the 1960 Broadway version of the 1958 British play A Taste of Honey. The original recorded versions of the song first appeared on Bobby Scott’s 1960 album, also titled A Taste of Honey. His composition would go onto win Best Instrumental Theme at the Grammy Awards of 1963.

“A vocal version of the song, first recorded by Billy Dee Williams in 1961, became popular when it was covered, first, by Lenny Williams in 1962 and, then, by The Beatles in 1963 on their debut UK Parlaphone album Please Please Me, and debut US album Introducing … The Beatles on VeeJay. (The group had begun to incorporate the song into their live repertoire in Hamburg, Germany, in 1962.)

“Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass recorded the most popular instrumental version of the song with a cover on their 1965 album, Whipped Cream & Other Delights. This recording won four Grammy awards in 1966 including Record of the Year.”

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1970s, Pop

Dream On (Oak Ridge Boys)

Co-written and first recorded by Dennis Lambert (1972).
Hit versions by The Righteous Brothers (US #32 1974), The Oak Ridge Boys (C&W #1 1980).

http://youtu.be/Vv2YN45b2TY

From the wiki: “‘Dream On’ was written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, and is best-known for the cover recorded by The Oak Ridge Boys in 1980. Lambert first recorded the song in 1972; The Righteous Brothers covered the song two years later for their final Top 40 appearance in the Billboard Hot 100 (except for the 1990 re-issues of ‘Unchained Melody’ and ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling’). ‘Dream On’ is the only Oak Ridge Boys single to feature bass singer Richard Sterban on lead vocals.”

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1960s, R&B

Baby Let Me Take You Home

First recorded (as “Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand”) by Hoagy Lands (1964).
Inspired by “Baby Let Me Follow You Down” by Bob Dylan (1962).
Also recorded (as “Baby Let Me Take You Home”) by The Mustangs (1964).
Hit version by The Animals (UK #21 1964).

From the wiki: “‘Baby Let Me Take You Home’ is credited to Bert Russell (a.k.a. Bert Berns) and Wes Farrell, as an arrangement of Eric Von Schmidt’s rendering of ‘Baby, Let Me Follow You Down’, as covered by Bob Dylan on Dylan’s first, self-titled, album. ‘Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand’ was first recorded by Hoagy Lands in 1964. A cover version, re-titled, was recorded in a more Folk-Rock-Blues-style by The Mustangs, also in 1964, using much of the same backing track as Lands’ original which was also produced by co-writer Berns.

“‘Baby Let Me Take You Home” would become The Animals’ debut single release, peaking near the Top 20 in the UK in 1964 but going uncharted in the US.”

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1980s, Pop

Solitaire (Branigan)

First recorded by Martine Clemenceau (FRA #50 1981).
Also recorded (as “Immer Mehr”) by Milva (1982).
Hit version by Laura Branigan (US #7 1983).

From the wiki: “‘Solitaire’ originated as a 1981 recording in French by Martine Clemenceau for whom ‘Solitaire’ was a modest hit in France, peaking at #50 on the French Pop chart. Written by Clemenceau herself, the French version of ‘Solitaire’ concerned a recluse who shuts himself away from a world moving toward nuclear war. In 1982 ‘Solitaire’ was also rendered in German as ‘Immer Mehr’ and recorded by Milva.

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1950s, R&B

Sincerely

First recorded by The Moonglows (US#20/R&B #1 1955).
Other hit versions by The McGuire Sisters (US #1/UK #14 1955), The Forrester Sisters (C&W #8 1989).

https://youtu.be/lZv3atM2arc

From the wiki: “Among the most seminal R&B and doo-wop groups of all time, The Moonglows’ lineup featured some of the genre’s greatest pure singers. The group were originally called ‘The Crazy Sounds’, but were renamed by radio disc-jockey Alan Freed as ‘The Moonglows’. (The group also cut some recordings as The Moonlighters.) Their first major hit was the #1 R&B gem ‘Sincerely’, for Chess Records, penned by group member Harvey Fuqua and recorded by them in late 1954.

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1920s, Jazz

Sweet Georgia Brown

First recorded by Ben Bernie & His Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra (US #1 1925).
Also recorded by Ethel Waters (US #6 1925), Isham Jones & His Orchestra (US #5 1925), Red Nichols & His Orchestra (1930).
Best-known recordings by Bing Crosby (US #5 1932), Stéphane Grappelli & Django Reinhardt (1938), Brother Bones & His Shadows (US #10/R&B #9 1948), Tony Sheridan & The Beat Brothers (1962).

From the wiki: “”Sweet Georgia Brown” is a Jazz standard and Pop tune written in 1925 by Ben Bernie, Maceo Pinkard (music) and Kenneth Casey (lyrics). It is believed Ben Bernie came up with the concept for the song’s lyrics – although he is not the accredited lyricist – after meeting Dr. George Thaddeus Brown in New York City: Dr. Brown, a longtime member of the State House of Representatives for Georgia, told Bernie about Dr. Brown’s daughter Georgia Brown and how subsequent to the baby girl’s birth on August 11, 1911 the Georgia General Assembly had issued a declaration that she was to be named Georgia after the state, an anecdote which would be directly referenced by the song’s lyric: ‘Georgia claimed her – Georgia named her.’ The tune was first recorded in March 1925 by Bernie & his Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra, resulting in a five-week run at #1.

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1950s, R&B

Seventh Son

First recorded by Willie Mabon (1955).
Hit versions by Johnny Rivers (US #7/CAN #1 1965), Georgie Fame (UK #25 1969).
Also recorded by Mose Allison (1959), Willie Dixon, writer (1969).

From the wiki: “‘The Seventh Son’, also recorded as ‘Seventh Son’, was written by Willie Dixon and first released as a single by Willie Mabon on Chess Records in 1955 (with Dixon on bass). Dixon recalled (via Songfacts.com), ‘The seventh son is part of the scriptures of the Bible. ‘The seventh son of the seventh son born on the seventh hour of the seventh day of the seventh month.’ I was born in the seventh month and I was the seventh child of my family.’ In the same interview, Mose Allison, who covered the song in 1959, remembered, ‘I thought that was a great song of that type. One of the common things is to feel that you are supernatural sometimes. And most people have felt that at one time or another.’

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1970s, Rock

Sure As I’m Sittin’ Here

Written and first recorded by John Hiatt (1974).
Hit version by Three Dog Night (US #16/CAN #18 1974).

From the wiki: “John Hiatt was working as a songwriter for Tree International, a record label in Nashville, when his song ‘Sure As I’m Sittin’ Here’ was covered in 1974 by Three Dog Night. The song became a Top 40 hit, earning Hiatt a recording contract with Epic Records. Since then Hiatt has released twenty-one studio albums, two compilation albums and one live album, and his songs have been covered by a variety of artists in multiple genres, including Joe Cocker (‘Have a Little Faith in Me‘), Bonnie Raitt (‘Thing Called Love’), The Jeff Healy Band (‘Angel Eyes’), Bob Dylan, The Searchers, Willy DeVille, Ry Cooder, Linda Ronstadt, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Joe Bonamassa, Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Buffett, Nick Lowe, Chaka Khan, and many others.

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1970s, Country

Top of the World

First recorded by The Carpenters (JPN #21 1972).
First hit version by Lynn Anderson (C&W #2 1973).
Other hit version by The Carpenters (US #1/UK #5/CAN #1/IRE #3 1973).

From the wiki: “‘Top of the World’ is a 1972 song by The Carpenter originally recorded for and released on the duo’s 1972 studio album A Song for You. Co-written by Richard Carpenter with lyricist John Bettis (‘Human Nature’, ‘Slow Hand’), ‘Top of the World’ was intended to be only an album cut for the Carpenters. The original album recording was released as a single in Japan in 1972, where it peaked at #21 on the Orion music chart. Soon after its album release, Country singer Lynn Anderson covered the song and was the first to release it as a US single.

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1960s, Pop

Softly Whispering I Love You

First recorded by David & Jonathan (1967).
Hit version by English Congregation (US #29/UK #4/NZ #1/SA #1 1971), Paul Young (UK #21 1990).

http://youtu.be/n7qyG6uRCbQ

From the wiki: “During their period as David & Jonathan, writers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway (‘You Got Your Troubles’, ‘I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing‘) recorded early versions of many of their songs that became hits for others including ‘Softly Whispering I Love You’, first recorded by the duo in 1967 but covered more popularly in 1971 by a group of their own creation, English Congregation, whose recording charted in the UK Top 5 and US Billboard Hot 100. The Congregation recording topped the New Zealand and South Africa music charts, too, that year. Paul Young’s 1990 cover barely missed the UK Top 20 in 1990.”

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1980s, Soul

Dreamin’

First recorded by Guinn Family (1986).
Hit version by Vanessa Williams (US #8/R&B #1/UK #74 1989).

From the wiki: “‘Dreamin” is a song written by Lisa Montgomery and Geneva Paschal and originally performed by the family group Guinn in 1986. In 1988, Vanessa Williams recorded the song and released it as the lead single from her debut album, The Right Stuff. ‘Dreamin” became her first #1 R&B hit and her first song to chart Top 40.”

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1940s, Jazz

‘Round Midnight

First recorded (as “‘Round About Midnight”) by Cootie Williams & His Orchestra (1944).
Also recorded by Dizzy Gillespie (1946), Jackie Paris (1949), Sarah Vaughn (1963).
Popular versions by Thelonious Monk (1947|1957), Miles Davis (1956).

From the wiki: “By the time Thelonious Monk recorded ”Round Midnight’ as a band leader, in 1947, his composition was already well-known around jazz circles and was considered a classic. It has since gone on to become the most-recorded Jazz standard composed by a jazz performer, appearing on more than 1000 recordings. It is thought that Monk originally composed ”Round Midnight” sometime in 1940 or 1941. Historian Harry Colomby, however, claims that Monk could even have written an earlier version of the song around 1936 (at the age of 19) with the title ‘Grand Finale’.

“Cootie Williams began his professional career at age 14 on the trumpet with the Young Family band, a group who included saxophonist Lester Young. Williams later rose to prominence as a member of Duke Ellington’s orchestra, with whom he performed from 1929 to 1940. In 1940 he joined Benny Goodman’s orchestra, a highly publicized move that caused quite a stir at the time; then, in 1941, Williams formed the first of his own orchestras.

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1970s, Rock

Money Changes Everything

Written (by Tom Gray) and first recorded by The Brains (1978).
Re-recorded by The Brains (1980).
Hit version by Cyndi Lauper (US #27 1984).

From the wiki: “‘Money Changes Everything’ was written by Tom Gray, frontman of The Brains, and was the band’s only underground hit – released in 1978 as a 45 RPM single on Gray Matter Records. The initial underground success of the song led to The Brains being signed by Mercury Records. The group rerecorded the song under the guidance of producer Steve Lillywhite for their 1980 debut album, The Brains.

“Critic Greil Marcus, listing ‘Money Changes Everything’ at #10 of his Real-Life Rock Top Ten 1979, wrote: ‘Singer Tom Gray told his story in a strangled voice, as if he were trying to explain, but instead he laid a curse. This damned single ranks higher than I’ve placed it, but if it were anywhere else I couldn’t end with it, and there’s no other way the decade could end.’ Marcus would later write of the song, ‘It was hard, it hurt, and Cyndi Lauper’s version makes the original sound compromised. She makes you wonder if Brains composer and singer Tom Gray even knew what he was talking about.'”

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1970s, Pop

Mickey

First recorded (as “Kitty”) by Racey (1979).
Hit version by Toni Basil (US #1/UK #2/AUS #1 1981), Lolly (UK #4/IRE #14 1999).
Also recorded (as “Ricky”) by “Weird Al” Yankovic (1983).

From the wiki: “‘Mickey’ was written by Mike Chapman (‘Better Be Good to Me’, ‘Love Is a Battlefield’, ‘Kiss You All Over’) and Nicky Chinn as ‘Kitty’, and was first recorded by UK group Racey in 1979 for their debut album Smash and Grab. When she recorded the song in 1981, Toni Basil changed the name from ‘Kitty’ to ‘Mickey’ to make the song about a man.

“For years, it had been rumored that the name was changed to ‘Mickey’ because Basil was fond of The Monkees’ drummer and lead vocalist Mickey Dolenz after meeting him as a choreographer on the set of The Monkees’ movie Head. The accompanying music video for the song, featuring costuming and choreography inspired by cheerleader dance routines, was later played heavily on MTV. It is considered to be the very first choreographed dance video ever produced.

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1980s, Rock

Obsession

First recorded by Michael Des Barres & Holly Knight (1983).
Hit version by Animotion (US #6/UK #5/CAN #7/NZ #10 1984).

From the wiki: “‘Obsession’ was originally written and recorded as a duet by songwriter Holly Knight and musician Michael Des Barres in 1983. This version was prominently featured in the 1983 film A Night in Heaven. The song was featured on the film’s soundtrack, but did not receive enough attention to warrant much radio play or a place on any Billboard charts.

“In 1984, the Los Angeles-based Synth-Pop band Animotion covered the song for their self-titled debut album. This version became a massive success – Top-10 in the US, UK and Canada – and it remains Animotion’s biggest hit.”

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2000s, Rock

Valerie

First recorded by The Zutons (UK #9 2006).
Other hit versions by Amy Winehouse (UK #37 2007), Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse (UK #2 2007), Cast of Glee (US #54 2010).

From the wiki: “‘Valerie’ is a song by the English indie rock band The Zutons from the band’s second studio album, Tired of Hanging Around (2006), and gave The Zutons their joint-biggest single to date as well as their second UK Top 10 single, climbing from #41 (from download sales alone, the day before physical release) to its peak at #9 in the UK Singles Chart. Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse covered ‘Valerie’ for Ronson’s second studio album, Version (2007).

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