First released by The Valiants (1957).
Hit versions by Little Richard (US #10/R&B #4/UK #8 1958), The Swinging Blue Jeans (US #43/UK #11 1964).
Also recorded by Los Teen Tops (1959).
From the wiki: “‘Good Golly Miss Molly’ was written by John Marascalco and producer Robert ‘Bumps’ Blackwell. Although it was first recorded in 1956 (during two separate sessions in July and October 1956 at J&M Studios, New Orleans) by Little Richard, Blackwell – after leaving Specialty Records (Little Richard’s label) to manage Sam Cooke – produced another version, by The Valiants, that was rush-released to radio and stores in late 1957 only to be quickly eclipsed when Richard’s recording was finally, belatedly released in January 1958.
First recorded (as “Don’t Tell My Heart”) by The Marcy Brothers (1991).
Hit versions by Billy Ray Cyrus (US #4/C&W #1/CAN #4/UK #1/AUS #1/NZ #1 1992), Alvin & the Chipmunks (C&W #71/UK #53 1993).
From the wiki: “‘Achy Breaky Heart’ was written by Don Von Tress. Originally titled ‘Don’t Tell My Heart’ and performed by The Marcy Brothers in 1991, its name was later changed to ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ and performed by Billy Ray Cyrus on his 1992 album Some Gave All. Cyrus’ recording became a crossover hit on both pop and country radio, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Hot Country Singles chart, becoming the first country single to be certified Platinum since Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s ‘Islands in the Stream‘ in 1983.
“The song was initially to be recorded by The Oak Ridge Boys in the early 1990s but the group decided against recording it after lead singer Duane Allen said that he did not like the words ‘achy breaky’.
Originally recorded by Don Gibson (US #81/C&W #7/NOR #2 1957).
Other hit versions by Kitty Wells (C&W #3 1958), Ray Charles (US #1/MOR #1/R&B #1/UK #1/AUS #1 1962), Conway Twitty (C&W #1 1972).
Also recorded by Count Basie & His Orchestra (1963).
From the wiki: “‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ was written by country singer-songwriter and musician Don Gibson, who first recorded it in 1957. It was released in 1958 as the B-side of ‘Oh, Lonesome Me’ (itself a C&W chart topper and Top-10 Hot 100 hit for Gibson), becoming a double-sided country hit single. Kitty Well’s 1958 cover charted even higher on the Country Singles chart.
“The song was most famously covered by Ray Charles in 1962, included on Charles’ Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music album and released as a single. Charles’ recording reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962, for 5 weeks and would also top the U.S. R&B and Easy-Listening charts. (The song, a ‘Country-politan’ ballad with lush, cushioned arrangements, was placed at the 11th spot in the album track listing, assumed by Sid Feller to be the album’s weakest song. After becoming the album’s top-selling single, Charles was disappointed with him, as Feller was in charge of sequencing for the album).
“The Count Basie Orchestra’s 1963 cover recording, a Quincy Jones arrangement for Basie’s This Time by Basie! album, won the 1964 Grammy Award for ‘Best Performance by a Band for Dancing’. Conway Twitty covered ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ a decade later, in 1972, topping the Country Singles chart.
“‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ was ranked #164 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and #49 on CMT’s 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music.”
First recorded (as a demo) by Paul McCartney (1969).
Hit album version by The Beatles (1969).
Hit version by Robin Gibb (US #15/MOR #22/NZ #40 1978).
From the wiki: “‘Oh! Darling’ was a song by The Beatles composed by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon–McCartney) and appearing as the fourth song on the album, Abbey Road, in 1969. Its working title was ‘Oh! Darling (I’ll Never Do You No Harm)’. McCartney later said of recording the track, ‘When we were recording ‘Oh! Darling’ I came into the studios early every day for a week to sing it by myself [on the piano] because at first my voice was too clear. I wanted it to sound as though I’d been performing it on stage all week.’ McCartney would only try the song once each day; if it was not right he would wait until the next day.
First recorded by Eddy Arnold (C&W #10 1956).
First released by Jerry Vale (US #14 1956).
Other hit versions by Ray Charles (US #2/MOR #1/R&B #5/UK #9 1962), Mickey Gilley (C&W #1 1981).
From the wiki: “‘You Don’t Know Me’ is a song written by Cindy Walker based on a title and storyline given to her by Eddy Arnold in 1955 and was first recorded by Arnold (who is credited as co-writer) that year, then released by him as a single in September 1956.
“However, the first recording of the song to make the Billboard charts was Jerry Vale’s single release in July 1956, peaking at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. That was followed by Arnold’s version, charting two months later, backed with ‘The Rockin’ Mockin’ Bird’. Arnold’s recording reached #10 on the Billboard Country chart.
First recorded by England Dan & John Ford Coley (1978).
Hit version by Michael Martin Murphey (US #19/C&W #1/CAN #1 1982).
From the wiki: “‘What’s Forever For’ is a song written by Rafe VanHoy and first recorded by England Dan and John Ford Coley on their 1978 album Dr. Heckle & Mr. Jive. The song saw its biggest success when it was recorded by Country music artist Michael Martin Murphey. It was released in June 1982 as the third single from his album, Michael Martin Murphey.”
First recorded by Dionne Warwick (FRA #39 1963).
Hit versions by Dusty Springfield (US #6 1964), The Merseybeats (UK #13 1964).
Also recorded by The (UK) Eagles (1964).
From the wiki: “Wishin’ and Hopin” was written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, and was first recorded by Dionne Warwick as the B-side of her 1963 single ‘This Empty Place’ and for her debut album, Presenting Dionne Warwick. The single charted only in France, peaking at #39, but Warwick’s was the recording Dusty Springfield heard and which prompted her to complete her own version in 1964. The track was included on Springfield’s solo album debuts in the UK (A Girl Called Dusty) and the US (Stay Awhile/I Only Want to Be with You). It was Bacharach himself who encouraged Dusty, who was ambivalent about her recording, to release it as a single.
First recorded and released by White Plains (UK #8 1970).
Hit version (as “Julie (Do Ya Love Me)”) by Bobby Sherman (US #5/UK #28 1970).
From the wiki: ‘Julie Do Ya Love Me’ was first released in February 1970 in the US as the B-side to White Plains’ Top 20 hit, ‘My Baby Loves Lovin”. It would later be re-released as an A-side in the UK in October 1970, peaking at #8 on the UK Singles Chart.
“Bobby Sherman’s cover version, released in August 1970, peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 – his last Top-10 hit in the US.”
First recorded by Willie Bobo (1968).
Also recorded by The Village Callers (1968).
Hit version by Santana (US #9 1969).
From the wiki: “‘Evil Ways’ was made famous by Santana from their 1969 album, Santana. It was written by Clarence ‘Sonny’ Henry and originally recorded by Jazz percussionist Willie Bobo on his 1967 album, Bobo Motion.
“A year before Santana’s 1969 recording, ‘Evil Ways’ was also recorded by the band The Village Callers – considered to be one of the best bands in East Los Angeles and among the first bands to perform with Latin percussion roots in the ‘Eastside Sound’ of the early to mid-60s – for the album The Village Callers Live, recorded May 5, 1968 at the Plush Bunny nightclub in Pico Rivera, CA. So, it could be argued that the Callers’ recording – which received heavy radio airplay in the Bay Area – was what inspired Santana to record their arrangement of the song.
“Recorded by Santana in May 1969, ‘Evil Ways’, the second single from the group’s debut album, Santana, was released in December 1969 and would quickly become Santana’s first Top-40 and first Top-10 hit in the U.S. ”
First commercial release by Sue Raney & The Nelson Riddle Orchestra (November 1957).
First performed by Barbara Cook & Robert Preston (December 1957).
Hit versions by Anita Bryant (US #30 1959), Peggy Lee (UK #30 1961).
Also recorded by Sonny Rollins (1958), The Beatles (1962 & 1963).
From the wiki: “‘Till There Was You’ was written by Meredith Willson for his 1957 musical play (and, later, movie) The Music Man, the original cast album for which was released in 1957. The first recording of the song to be commercially released came even before the original cast album release in January 1958. Promotional copies of a 45-rpm single were released on November 26, 1957 (before the Broadway premiere on December 19) featuring The Nelson Riddle Orchestra and 17-year-old vocalist Sue Raney.
“Jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins recorded an instrumental version of “Till There Was You” in 1958. Anita Bryant had the first chart success with the song, making the Billboard Top 40 in 1959. Peggy Lee charted UK Top-30 the same year in Great Britain in 1961 with her recording of “Till There Was You”.
“Paul McCartney, of The Beatles, was introduced to Peggy Lee’s music by his older cousin, Bett Robbins, and it would be the only Broadway song the group performed or would record. ‘Till There Was You’ became part of the Beatles’ repertoire in 1962 and was first recorded by them as part of their failed audition for Decca Records in January 1962. The George Martin-produced version, recorded in July 1963, would appear in the UK on With The Beatles, the group’s second album, in November 1963. ‘Till There Was You’ would also be the second of five songs The Beatles performed during their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964.
Written and first recorded by Mac Davis (US #117/MOR #25 1971).
Other hit versions by Helen Reddy (AUS #2 1971), Gallery (US #22/MOR #12 1972).
Also recorded by Donny Hathaway (1971).
From the wiki: “‘I Believe in Music’ was written and first recorded, in 1971, by Mac Davis. His recording made a minor dent in the pop charts, ‘bubbling under’ the Billboard Hot 100 but peaking at #25 on the MOR song chart. Helen Reddy and Donny Hathaway also recorded versions of ‘I Believe in Music’ in 1971. Reddy’s recording peaked at #2 on the Australian music chart; Hathaway’s production was not released as a single but appeared on his 1971 self-titled album, Donny Hathaway.
“Gallery’s 1972 recording of ‘I Believe in Music’ was the second of three singles released from their Nice to Be with You album, peaking at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100.”
Co-written and first recorded (as “Made It Thru The Rain”) by Gerard Kenny (1979).
Hit versions by Barry Manilow (US #10/UK #37 1980), John Barrowman (UK #14 2009).
From the wiki: “Gerald Kenny and Drey Shepperd penned the original version of the song, and Kenny released his recording of it, titled ‘Made It Thru the Rain’, in 1979. In 1980 (now credited to Gerald Kenny/Drey Shepperd/Bruce Sussman/Jack Feldman/Barry Manilow), it was the only hit in the US from Barry Manilow’s self-titled Barry album. The song enjoyed a revival in UK in 2009 when actor and TV host John Barrowman made the charts with a cover version taken from his album Music Music Music. The song’s chart success was due to the BBC Radio One breakfast host Chris Moyles, who asked his listeners to download a copy of the single to give the actor a hit.”
First recorded by Buddy Holly (US #82/UK #30 1958).
Other hit versions by The England Sisters (UK #33 1960), Showaddywaddy (UK #7 1975), Nick Berry (UK #2 1992).
Also recorded by Herman’s Hermits (1965), The Hollies (1980).
From the wiki: “‘Heartbeat’ is a rockabilly song credited to Bob Montgomery and Norman Petty, and recorded originally by Buddy Holly in 1958. It was the last Buddy Holly single to be released during his lifetime. It charted low on the Billboard Hot 100 but has proven to be more popular in the UK, where Holly’s recording went Top-30. The England Sisters, also known as the Dale Sisters, recorded a cover in 1960 that peaked at #33 on the UK Singles chart.
“‘Heartbeat’ covers would subsequently reach the UK Top Ten twice: In 1975, for ’50s & ’60s revival band Showaddywaddy, and again in 1992 with the arrangement Nick Berry recorded as the theme to the Heartbeat TV series.
“Herman’s Hermits — who had originally been named The Heartbeats after the song — recorded the song in 1965. The Hollies, who had named themselves after Buddy Holly, made their only attempt at having a hit remake of a Buddy Holly song with a 1980 single release of ‘Heartbeat’ that failed to chart.”
Written and first recorded by Secret Garden (2001).
Hit versions by Daniel O’Donnell (UK #22 2003), Josh Groban (US #73/MOR #1/UK #74 2003), Westlife (UK #1 2005), Wesley Klein (NETH #4 2010).
From the wiki: “‘You Raise Me Up’ was composed by the duo, Secret Garden, with music by Rolf Løvland and lyrics by Brendan Graham.
“The song was originally written as an instrumental piece titled ‘Silent Story’. Parts (most musicologists would claim) of the melody are based on a traditional Irish tune (especially the opening phrase of its chorus), ‘Londonderry Air’, which is best known as the usual tune to the 1910 song ‘Danny Boy’. Løvland approached Irish novelist and songwriter Graham to write the lyrics to his melody after reading Graham’s novels.
Written and first recorded by Brenda Russell (R&B #37 1988).
Hit version by Oleta Adams (US #5/MOR #3/R&B #8/UK #4/CAN #27/IRE #4 1990).
From the wiki: “‘Get Here’ was written by American singer/songwriter Brenda Russell (‘Piano in the Dark’) which became an international hit via a 1990 recording by Oleta Adams. Russell wrote the song while staying at a penthouse in Stockholm, Sweden: the tune came to her as she viewed some hot air balloons floating over the city, a sight Russell recalls set her ‘really tripping on how many ways you can get to a person’ (the eventual song’s lyrics include the line: ‘You can make it in a big balloon but you’d better make it soon’).
First recorded by Dick Holler & The Holidays (1963).
Hit version by The Swingin’ Medallions (US #17 1966).
From the wiki: “‘Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)’ is a popular song written by Don Smith and Cyril Vetter and first recorded by Dick Holler & the Holidays. It was later recorded by The Swingin’ Medallions.
“Holler, while attending LSU, began playing piano, organizing bands and writing songs with his college friends. In 1956, he formed the band Dick Holler and the Carousel Rockets which, at times, included Mac ‘Dr. John’ Rebennack, Grady Caldwell, Jimmy Clanton , and another Baton Rouge guitarist/vocalist/songwriter, Johnny Ramistella, later known as ‘Johnny Rivers’ (‘Swayin’ to the Music (Slow Dancing)‘).
Written and first recorded by J.D. Loudermilk (1960).
Hit version by The Nashiville Teens (US #14/UK #6 1964).
Also recorded by Edgar Winter (1970).
From the wiki: “‘Tobacco Road’ is a song written and first recorded by John D. Loudermilk (‘Indian Reservation‘, ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye‘) in 1960 that was a hit for The Nashville Teens in 1964 and has since become a standard across several musical genres.
“Originally framed as a folk song, ‘Tobacco Road’ was a semi-autobiographical tale of growing up in Durham, North Carolina. It was not a hit for Loudermilk, achieving only minor chart success in Australia. Other artists, however, immediately began recording and performing the song.
Co-written and first recorded by Raf (ITA #1/SWZ #1 1984).
Other hit version by Laura Branigan (US #4/UK #5/CAN #1/GER #1/SUI #1 1984).
From the wiki: “‘Self Control’ was co-written by Italian singer Raffaele Riefoli (‘Raf’) with Giancarlo Bigazzi (who had also co-written Branigan’s hit ‘Gloria‘) and Steve Piccolo. The song was first recorded by Raf but both it and Branigan’s recording weres also released contemporaneously in Europe, with both songs ascending various Euro music charts at the same time.
“Branigan’s version first hit #1 in Germany on June 15, 1984; Raf’s version first hit #1 in Italy on June 23, 1984. The only other territory where Raf topped the charts was in Switzerland but Branigan’s recording, there, would end the year as Switzerland’s most-successful single. ‘Self Control’ also afforded Branigan a #1 hit in Austria, Sweden and South Africa and was also a smash hit for Branigan in Norway (#2), Ireland (#3), Australia (#3) and the UK (#5).”
First recorded (as ‘See See Rider Blues’) by Ma Rainey (US #12 1925).
Other popular versions by “Wee” Bea Booze (R&B #1 1943), Chuck Willis (US #12/R&B #1 1957), LaVern Baker (US #34/R&B #9 1963), Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels (US #10 1965), The Animals (US #10/CAN #1/AUS #8 1966).
Also recorded by The Orioles (1952), Elvis Presley (1970 |1973).
From the wiki: “Although the song is generally regarded as being traditional in origin, ‘See See Rider Blues’ is attributed to Ma Rainey & Lena Arant. Rainey’s version became popular during 1925, telling the story of an unfaithful lover, commonly called ‘easy riders’ (‘See See rider, see what you have done’), making a play on the word ‘see’ and the sound of ‘easy’. The song has since become one of the most famous of all Blues songs, with well over 100 versions.
“‘C.C. Rider’ has been recorded by Big Bill Broonzy, Mississippi John Hurt, Lead Belly, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Peggy Lee and many others. In 1943, a version by ‘Wee’ Bea Booze became a #1 hit on the Billboard ‘Harlem Hit Parade,’ precursor of the Rhythm & Blues chart. Some Blues critics consider Booze’s recording to be the definitive version of the song. A doo-wop version was recorded by the Orioles in 1952.
First recorded (as a demo) by Strontium 90 (1976, released 1997).
Hit version by The Police (US #3/UK #1/CAN #1/IRE #1/AUS #2/NED #1/NZ #7 1981).
From the wiki: “Sting wrote the song, he thinks, as early as 1975. Sting (who earned the nickname when wearing a black and yellow sweater with hooped stripes while onstage with the Phoenix Jazzmen in the mid-1970s) recalls ‘When I moved to London in 1975, I was struggling to make a living. I auditioned at the Zanzibar in Covent Garden. I sang ‘Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic’ and the guy said: ‘We need commercial hit songs. We don’t need this kind of stuff.”
“An early demo of the song, recorded in the house of Mike Howlett in the autumn of 1976 by the predecessor band of the Police, Strontium 90, can be heard on Strontium 90: Police Academy released in 1997 on Ark Records.
First performed by the U.S. Marine Band (1892).
First recorded by John Phillip Sousa’s Band (1901).
Hit version by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (US #15 1941).
From the wiki: “‘American Patrol’ is a popular march written by Frank White (F.W.) Meacham in 1885, incorporating both original musical themes by Meacham and melodies from American patriotic songs of the era such as ‘Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean’ and ‘Dixie’. It was first performed by the U.S. Marine Band on July 2, 1892 in Portland, Oregon. The first recording of ‘American Patrol’ was by John Phillip Sousa’s Band in 1901.
“Jerry Gray arranged a swing version of the march for Glenn Miller’s orchestra in 1941, where the theme ‘The Girl I Left Behind’ can be also heard as an overlay. The recording was reissued as RCA Victor 20-1564-A backed with ‘Song of the Volga Boatmen‘ as Side 1.
“The ‘patrol’ format was popular in the second half of the 19th century, and other compositions bear titles such as ‘Turkish Patrol’, ‘Ethiopian Patrol’, ‘Owl’s Patrol’, ‘Welsh Patrol’ and ‘Arab Patrol’. The format was intended to represent a military band approaching, passing, and fading into the distance.”
First recorded (as a demo) by Pete Townshend (1976).
Hit version by The Who (US #14/UK #18 1978).
From the wiki: “‘Who Are You’ was written by Pete Townshend and which became the title-track of The Who’s 1978 album, Who Are You, the last album released before drummer Keith Moon’s death in September 1978.
“According to Townshend, the inspiration for the song began with a very long, excruciating meeting in New York City regarding royalties for his songs (the reference to ‘Tin Pan Alley’ in the song). After the meeting, he received a large check for royalties, left and went to a bar and got completely drunk. In that bar he had encountered Paul Cook and Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols, who thought very highly of Pete for paving the way for punk rock.
Written and first recorded (as a demo) by Willie Nelson (1961).
Hit version by Patsy Cline (US #9/C&W #2/UK #14 1961).
From the wiki: “Willie Nelson wrote ‘Crazy’ in early 1961. At the time he was a journeyman singer-songwriter working at the time under the name of Hugh Nelson. Nelson originally wrote the song for country singer Billy Walker who turned it down for the same reason Roy Drusky turned down ‘I Fall to Pieces’ the previous year – that it was ‘a girl’s song’. The song’s eventual success helped launch Nelson’s career as a performer as well as a songwriter. (On an episode of VH1’s Storytellers, Nelson revealed that ‘Crazy’ was originally titled ‘Stupid’.)
First released (as a B-side) by Andy & The Marglows (1963).
Hit versions by co-writer Doris Troy (US #10/R&B #3/CAN #1/NZ #8 1963), The Hollies (US #98/UK #2 1964 |US #44 1967), Faith Hope & Charity (UK #38 1976), Linda Ronstadt (US #44/MOR #5 1979).
From the wiki: “‘Just One Look’ was written by Doris Troy and Gregory Carroll. Troy, then going by her pen name Doris Payne, recorded a studio demo of the song and began to shop the song around to studios, first to Sue Records. But their lack of response led Troy to instead offer the song to Jerry Wexler at Atlantic Records. Unbeknownst to Troy, Atlantic would later release her demo, unchanged, as a single.
