First recorded by The Spencer Davis Group (US #10/UK #9/CAN #1 1967).
Other hit version by Chicago (US #49/UK #8/CAN #8/IRE #13 1971).
From the wiki: “‘I’m A Man’ was written by The Spencer Davis Group singer-songwriter Steve Winwood and record producer Jimmy Miller (not to be confused with the Bo Diddley song), and released as a single by The Spencer Davis Group in early 1967. It would be the last hit single by the band before the brothers Steve and Muff Winwood left the group to pursue solo careers.
Co-written and first recorded by Stevie Wonder (1967, released 1977).
Hit versions by Aretha Franklin (US #3/R&B #1 1973 |UK #24 1974), Luther Vandross (US #87/R&B #5 1984), Basia (US #33 1989), Miki Howard (R&B #3/UK #67 1990).
From the wiki: “‘Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)’ was written by Morris Broadnax, Clarence Paul, and Stevie Wonder. The song was originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967, but it was not released until appearing on the 1977 anthology album Looking Back.
“Wonder played Aretha Franklin the song in 1973, and she knew how to ‘take’ someone else’s song (as she had already done with Otis Redding’s ‘Respect‘). Produced by Franklin, Arif Mardin and Jerry Wexler, ‘Until You Come Back’ became Franklin’s second-highest charting Pop song of the ’70s. When her recording reached its highest position at #3, Franklin became the first artist to record singles that peaked at each of #s 1-10 on the Billboard Hot 100. (Marvin Gaye became the first male artist to achieve the ‘occupy-all-10’ when ‘Sexual Healing’ reached #3 in 1982.)
“Other popular recordings of ‘Until You Come Back to Me’ include the Luther Vandross charting medley of ‘Superstar/Until You Come Back to Me’ (1984), Basia’s 1989 recording for her second album, London Warsaw New York, that charted in the lower reaches of the Billboard Top 40, and Miki Howard’s cover in 1990 that charted in the U.K. and R&B in the U.S.”
Written and first recorded by Johnny Smith (1954).
Also recorded by Chet Atkins (1957).
Hit versions by The Ventures (US #2/R&B #13/UK #8 1960), The John Barry Seven (UK #11 1960), The Ventures (as “Walk, Don’t Run ’64” US #8 1964).
From the wiki: “‘Walk, Don’t Run’ is an instrumental composition written and first recorded by jazz guitarist Johnny Smith in 1954. In 1957, Chet Atkins recorded a version of ‘Walk, Don’t Run’ that appeared on his Hi-Fi in Focus album.
“It was the Atkins recording the Tacoma-based instrumental rock band The Ventures heard before releasing their own version of the tune as a Surf Rock single in spring 1960 on Dolton Records, which quickly became a hit.
“The Ventures’ version is believed to be one of the first ‘surf’ songs to make the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #2. In the UK, the tune was covered by the John Barry Seven (before Barry began scoring movie music for the likes of James Bond, Born Free, and Midnight Cowboy) whose cover of the Ventures’ arrangement peaked at #11 on the UK Singles Chart.”
Written and first recorded by Ruthann Friedman (1967).
Hit versions by The Association (US #1/CAN #1/UK #34/AUS #53/NZ #6 1967), Wes Montgomery (US #44/MOR #10 1967).
From the wiki: “‘Windy’ was written by Ruthann Friedman, a transplanted New Yorker who moved to Venice, California, where she hung out with the cream of L.A. Pop royalty – a 16-year-old sneaking into the Troubadour in the early ’60s and, then, an 18-year old starting to write and play her songs on the guitar, making friends with David Crosby, Van Dyke Parks, and Tandyn Almer, author of ‘Along Comes Mary’, another big hit for The Association.
Written and first recorded (as “Match Box Blues”) by Blind Lemon Jefferson (1927).
Also recorded by The Shelton Brothers (1947), Jerry Lee Lewis (1958).
Hit versions by Carl Perkins (B-side 1956), The Beatles (US #17 1964).
From the wiki: “It was Carl Perkins’s father, Buck, who suggested that Carl record ‘Match Box Blues’. Buck knew only a few lines from the song, either from the 1927 recording by Blind Lemon Jefferson, or from a version recorded by country musicians The Shelton Brothers. As Perkins began singing the few words his father had suggested, Jerry Lee Lewis, who was at that time a session piano player at Sun Studios, began a restrained boogie-woogie riff. Carl picked out a melody on the guitar to the riff and improvised more lyrics. Perkins’ recording was released in February 1957 with no apparent chart impact.
Written and first recorded by John Fogerty (US #78 1975).
Also recorded by Karla DeVito (1981).
Other hit versions by Dave Edmunds (US #54/ROCK #18/UK #58 1981), Burrito Brothers (C&W #49 1984).
From the wiki: “‘Almost Saturday Night’ is a song written by John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) and first released on his 1975 album John Fogerty. It was released as the second single from the album, as a follow up to ‘Rockin’ All Over the World‘. The song had more success when covered in a Rockabilly style by Dave Edmunds in 1981 from his album Twangin…, peaking at #18 on the US Mainstream Rock Chart. The Burrito Brothers (neé The Flying Burrito Brothers) covered the song in 1984. Their version peaked at #49 on the Hot Country Singles chart.
Written and first recorded (as a demo) by Pete Townshend (1970).
Hit version by The Who (NETH #11 1972).
From the wiki: “‘Baba O’Riley’ was written by Pete Townshend, of The Who, who originally wrote the song for his Lifehouse project – the Rock opera follow-up to The Who’s 1969 opera, Tommy. When Lifehouse was scrapped, many of the songs were released on The Who’s 1971 album Who’s Next. ‘Baba O’Riley’ was released as a single in several European countries, but not in the US or the UK where the song was available only as the lead track on Who’s Next. It was, however, the perfect song for the up-and-coming Album Oriented Rock (AOR) radio format that was picking up steam on FM radio. ‘Baba’ became a Classic Rock staple and remains on many playlists.
First recorded by The Coasters (US #96 1961).
Hit versions by Elvis Presley (1962), The Fourmost (UK #33 1968).
From the wiki: “Changing popular tastes and a couple of line-up changes contributed to a lack of hits in the 1960s for The Coasters (‘Yakety Yak’, ‘Poison Ivy’). In 1961, the group barely made it into the Billboard Hot 100 with the Lieber-Stoller-composed ‘Girls! Girls! Girls!’ (not be confused with the Motley Crue hit).
“The song found wider popular when repurposed as the lead song and title for the 1962 Elvis Presley movie Girls! Girls! Girls!, but was not issued as a single. In 1968, the group The Fourmost released the song and their version did chart on the UK Singles Chart.”
First recorded by Georgia Lee (1960).
Also recorded by Laurie Loman (1960), Rocky Volcano (1962).
Hit versions by Shelley Fabares (US #1/UK #41/CAN #1/NZ #1 1962), Patti Lynn (UK #37 1962).
From the wiki: “Songwriters Lyn Duddy and Lee Pockriss wrote ‘Johnny Angel’ while trapped in Duddy’s apartment during a blackout. They each had other songwriting partners (Pockriss, with Paul Vance, wrote ‘Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini’) but with nothing else to do, the two decided to brainstorm some ideas and, so, wrote a song from the point of view of someone who waited on the corner every night for someone to pass by.
“‘Johnny Angel’ was first recorded in January 1960 by Georgia Lee, followed in April by the release of a version by Laurie Loman. Neither of the recordings charted.
First recorded by Glen Campbell (US #62/MOR #15 1961).
Hit versions by The Letterman (US #105 1962), The Vogues (US #7/MOR #3 1968).
Also recorded by The Bee Gees (1964).
From the wiki: “‘Turn Around, Look at Me’ was written by Jerry Capehart. In 1961, Glen Campbell was the first to release the song, and it would become his first song to chart in the United States. The Letterman recorded a version in 1962 that ‘bubbled’ under the Billboard Hot 100. In 1964, while Bee Gees were still in Australia, they released a version of the song which did not chart. In 1968,
“The Vogues released their cover version in 1968, by far the most successful recording of the song, reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Adult Contemporary chart.”
First recorded by Don Cherry (1962).
Also recorded by J.D. Loudermilk, writer (1967).
Hit versions by The Casinos (US #6/UK #28/CAN #57 1967), Eddy Arnold (C&W #1 1968), Glen Campbell (recorded as “Don’t Pull Your Love/Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye” US #27/MOR #1/C&W #4 1976), Neal McCoy (C&W #4 1996).
From the wiki: “‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye’ was written by John D. Loudermilk (‘Indian Reservation‘, ‘Tobacco Road‘). It was first released in 1962 by Don Cherry, as a country song, without any chart impact.
“In 1967, ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye’ was recorded in a doo-wop style by the pop vocal group The Casinos. Their arrangement became a US Top-10 and a UK Top-30 hit. Country crooner Eddy Arnold, in 1968, returned the song to the Country Singles chart with his #1 arrangement.
First recorded by Dobie Gray (US #13/R&B #11/UK #25 1965).
Also recorded by First Gear (1965).
Other hit versions by The Ramsey Lewis Trio (US #5/R&B #2 1965), Bryan Ferry (UK #13 1974).
From the wiki: “‘The ‘In’ Crowd’ is a 1964 song written by Billy Page and arranged by his brother Gene that was originally performed by Dobie Gray on his album Dobie Gray Sings for ‘In’ Crowders That ‘Go Go. Gray’s powerful Motown-like version, complete with brass section, reached #13 in the US and #25 in the UK in 1965. The Ramsey Lewis Trio recorded an instrumental version of the tune later that same year at the suggestion of a coffee shop waitress.
First recorded by The Jan Garber Orchestra (US #1 1926).
Other popular versions by Ipana Troubadours (US #10 1926), Art Mooney (US #3 1948), Little Richard (US #41/R&B #12/UK #2/NOR #1 1958), Bobby Darin (US #42/UK #40 1962), Wing and a Prayer Fife & Drum Corps (US #14/Soul #32 1976).
From the wiki: “‘Baby Face’ was written by Harry Akst, the lyrics by Benny Davis. The song was published in 1926, and first became popular that same year when recorded by the Jan Garber Orchestra. It has since been covered by many recording artists, including Al Jolson, The Revelers, Bobby Darin, and Wing and a Prayer Fife & Drum Corps. Swan Districts, an Australian Rules club in the WAFL since 1934, bases its club song on this tune.
Written and first recorded by Paul Jabara (1978).
Hit version by Donna Summer (US #3/R&B #5/UK #51 NETH #8 1978).
From the wiki: “‘Last Dance’ was written by Paul Jabara and was first recorded by him in 1978. According to the song’s co-producer Bob Esty, Paul Jabara locked Donna Summer in a Puerto Rico hotel bathroom and forced her to listen to a cassette of him singing a rough version of ‘Last Dance’. Summer liked the song and Jabara asked Esty and her producer Giorgio Moroder to work with him on an arrangement for Summer to use for her recording.
Written and first recorded by James “Wee Willie” Wayne (1951).
Also recorded by Professor Longhair (1951), Louis Jordan (1952), Holy Modal Rounders (1964).
Popular versions by Richard Hayes (US #15 1952), Dr. John (1972), The Clash (1980).
From The Originals: “It’s almost a miracle we actually know this is a James Wayne song, for he was locked away in a madhouse for arson. All the while his royalties went in someone else’s pockets, not to mention the shrewd and obscure label boss Bob Shad, who signed for as many of Wayne’s compositions he could lay hands on. Here’s poor James in his mental institution claiming authorship to anyone he bumps in to.
Written and first recorded by Bruce Springsteen (1979, released 2003).
Hit version by Dave Edmunds (US #28 1982).
From Legends of Springsteen:
“Clearly influenced by 1950’s rockabilly style guitar riffs, this song was criminally cut from The River, never put on another studio album, including Tracks. (Bruce did release it in 2003 on the limited edition third disc of his compilation double album The Essential Bruce Springsteen.) That’s a shame, as this might be one of the best Bruce songs to dance to. Seriously, pump it up right now and just try not to tap your toes. It’s nearly impossible.”
Co-written and first recorded (as a demo) by Eric Carmen (1984).
Hit version by Mike Reno & Ann Wilson (US #7 1984).
http://youtu.be/yN38Qc9Fn4c
From the wiki: “‘Almost Paradise’ was co-written by Dean Pitchford and Eric Carmen (‘Hungry Eyes‘) for the Footloose movie soundtrack. According to Pitchford: “That song was written in a day, but in an 11-hour, 12-hour day. The next morning we went into the studio and into the office of our director, who had an upright piano installed in his office specifically to hear all the songs as I created them, with my various collaborators. Eric and I went in and we sang – I brought a girlfriend of mine in to sing the female part, and Eric sang the male part, and that sold that song.”
First recorded by Rodney Crowell (1980).
Also recorded by Guy Clark, songwriter (1981), George Strait (1982), The Marshall Tucker Band (1982).
Hit version by Ricky Skaggs (C&W #1/CAN #1 1982).
From the wiki: “‘Heartbroke’ was written by Guy Clark, and originally recorded by Rodney Crowell on his 1980 album But What Will the Neighbors Think. Clark, the following year, included his version of ‘Heartbroke’ on the album, The South Coast of Texas. Guests on that album included Crowell (as both performer and producer) , Ricky Skaggs, Rosanne Cash, and Vince Gill as well as numerous other well-known session players.
“The following year, ‘Heartbroke’ would be covered solo by Skaggs and released by him in July 1982 as the first single from his album Highways & Heartaches, becoming Skaggs’ third #1 on the US Country chart.
First recorded by The Goggles (1971).
Hit version by Beverly Bremers (US #15/MOR #5 1972).
From the wiki: “‘Don’t Say You Don’t Remember’ was written by Estelle Levitt with Helen Miller, who had started out in the late-1940s songwriting before leaving the business to raise her children. Returning to the business in the early-1960s as one of Don Kirshner’s Aldon label songwriters, Miller would collaborate with several lyricists, most notably with Howard Greenfield (who also famously collaborated with Neil Sedaka).
“‘Don’t Say You Don’t Remember’ was first broadcast in 1971 on the NBC-TV Children’s Theater production Looking Through Super Plastic Elastic Goggles at Color and subsequently released as a single by Audio Fidelity Records in 1971 on the original soundtrack recording, performed by The Goggles, with no apparent chart success.
Written and first recorded (as a demo) by Bruce Springsteen (1982)
Released as non-album B-side by Bruce Springsteen (US Rock #27 1984).
Other hit version by Natalie Cole (US #5/R&B #9/UK #5/NZ #4/GER #5/SUI #2 1988).
From the wiki: “Bruce Springsteen originally wrote ‘Pink Cadillac’ as ‘Love Is a Dangerous Thing’ in December 1981 with lyrics distinct from the eventual ‘Pink Cadillac’ and first recorded by Springsteen as a solo acoustic demo in early January 1982 during the sessions for the Nebraska album. The automobile imagery was inspired by Elvis Presley’s 1954 rendition of ‘Baby Let’s Play House’ in which Presley replaced the original lyric ‘You may get religion’ with ‘You may have a pink Cadillac’, a reference to the custom-painted Cadillac which was then Presley’s touring vehicle.
Originally recorded by The Frantic Elevators (1982).
Hit version by Simply Red (UK #51/#8 BEL/#3 NETH 1985 |US #1/UK #2/CAN #6/IRE #1/AUS #22 1986).
From the wiki: “Frontman of Simply Red, Mick Hucknall, first began writing ‘Holding Back the Years’ when he was 17 while living at his father’s house. Hucknall’s mother left the family when he was three; the upheaval caused by this event later inspired him to write the song while he was a fine arts student at Manchester School of Art. The chorus did not come to him until many years later. Hucknall’s early group, The Frantic Elevators, first recorded the song in 1982. Bandmate Neil Moss was also co-credited with the song’s composition.
Written and first recorded (as a demo) by Graham Gouldman (1965).
Hit version by The Yardbirds (US #6/UK #3/CAN #1 1965).
From the wiki: “‘For Your Love’ was written by future 10cc member Graham Gouldman and first recorded by him as a demo. Gouldman wrote the song at the age of 19 while employed by day in a gentlemen’s outfitters near Salford Docks and playing by night with the semi-professional Manchester band The Mockingbirds. Gouldman’s manager, Harvey Lisberg, was so impressed by the song he told Gouldman he should offer it to the Beatles.
“Gouldman had originally intended the song for The Mockingbirds, but their demo was turned down by Columbia Records. It is also believed that producer Mickie Most turned it down on behalf of Herman’s Hermits and that the Animals also turned down an opportunity to record ‘For Your Love’.
Written and first recorded by The Beatles (1962).
Hit version by The Fourmost (UK #9 1963).
Also recorded by Gerry & The Pacemakers (1963).
From the wiki: “‘Hello Little Girl’ was the first song ever written by John Lennon (but credited to Lennon-McCartney). According to Lennon, he drew ‘on an old ’30s or ’40s song’ that his mother sang to him. Written in 1957, ‘Hello Little Girl’ was used as one of the songs at the Beatles unsuccessful Decca audition in 1962.
“In 1963, the English Merseybeat band The Fourmost made a recording of the song (produced by George Martin) and released it as their debut single. Two weeks later, Gerry & The Pacemakers also recorded a version of the song. But the Fourmost recording was selected as the promotional single issue and reached #9 in the United Kingdom.”
First recorded by Johnny Mathis (MOR #36 1972).
Other hit versions by Al Wilson (US #1/R&B #10/UK #51 1973), Peabo Bryson (R&B #1 1989).
From the wiki: “‘Show and Tell’ was written by Jerry Fuller (‘Travelin’ Man’, originally written for Sam Cooke but recorded by Ricky Nelson; ‘Young Girl’, ‘Lady Willpower’ and ‘Over You’ for Gary Puckett & the Union Gap). The song was first recorded by Johnny Mathis in 1972. Released as a single, it peaked at #36 on Billboard’s easy-listening music chart.
“A 1973 cover of the song by Al Wilson reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1974 and was also named a Cashbox Magazine Number One Single of the Year.
“Peabo Bryson had a #1 R&B hit with his version of the song in 1989, but it did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100.”
