First recorded by Crazy Horse (1972).
Hit versions by Rod Stewart (US #46/UK #1 1977), Everything But The Girl (UK #3 1988), Rod Stewart (rerecording MOR #2 1989).
From the wiki: “‘I Don’t Want to Talk About It’ was written by Danny Whitten, and first recorded and released by Whitten’s band (and Neil Young’s backup group), Crazy Horse, on their 1971 eponymous album.
“In 1975, Rod Stewart recorded the song at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama, for his album Atlantic Crossing. Released as a promotional single in 1977, Stewart’s arrangement topped the UK Singles chart, although peaking at only #46 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1988, the UK duo Everything but the Girl released their cover version, from the Idlewild album, as a single which peaked in the UK at #3 but did not chart in the US.
“Stewart recorded a new arrangement of ‘I Don’t Want to Talk About It’ in 1989, for the album Storyteller – The Complete Anthology: 1964–1990. This arrangement did not chart on the Hot 100 but did peak at #2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.”
Written and originally recorded (as a demo) by John Lennon (1971).
Album hit version by Ringo Starr (1973).
From the wiki: “‘I’m the Greatest'” was written by John Lennon in December 1970 as a wry comment on his past as a Beatle, and later tailored the composition for Ringo Starr to sing. With Lennon, Starr, and George Harrison appearing on the track, the song marks the only time that more than two ex-Beatles recorded together between the band’s break-up in 1970 and Lennon’s death in 1980.
“News of the Richard Perry-produced session led to speculation that the Beatles might re-form. The presence on the recording of bassist Klaus Voormann and keyboard player Billy Preston, as supposed stand-ins for Paul McCartney, created a line-up that the press had dubbed The Ladders, the post-Beatles group which Harrison had intended to install with his two former band mates.”
First recorded (as “My Boy Lollypop”) by Barbie Gaye (1956).
Hit version by Millie Small (US #2/UK #2/IRE #1 1964).
From the wiki: “‘My Boy Lollipop’ (originally written as ‘My Girl Lollypop’) was written in the mid-1950s by Robert Spencer of the doo-wop group The Cadillacs, and is usually credited to Spencer, Morris Levy, and Johnny Roberts. It was first recorded in New York in 1956 by Barbie Gaye. A cover version, recorded eight years later by Jamaican teenager Millie Small, with very similar rhythm, became one of the top-selling ska songs of all time.
First recorded by Nicolette Larson (1979).
Hit soundtrack version by Lauren Wood (DEN #1/SNG #2/MLY #3 1990).
Also recorded by Johnny Mathis (1988), Larry Coryell (1993).
From the wiki: “Lauren Wood’s career began in the mid 1970s when she formed a band called Rebecca & The Sunnybrook Farmers. In 1972, Wood provided back-up vocals on Frank Zappa’s album The Grand Wazoo. In 1979, she released her first self-titled album on Warner Bros. Records. Guests included Michael McDonald, Little Feat members Bill Payne and Fred Tackett, and Doobie Brother Patrick Simmons. A duet, with Michael McDonald, ‘Please Don’t Leave’ went to #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.
“After a follow-up album, Cat Trick, Wood vanished from the music scene. However, she spent time continuing to write for other artists (see Nicolette Larson below) along with writing and performing songs for television and movie soundtracks, including ‘Fallen’, her song used in the 1990 movie Pretty Woman (from which was also released Roxette’s ‘It Must Have Been Love’). The soundtrack album went on to sell 18-million copies worldwide (3-million in the US), and the single for ‘Fallen’ topped music charts in Europe and SE Asia.
First recorded by Ray Noble & His Orchestra (US #15 1940).
Other hit versions by Vera Lynn (1940), The Glenn Miller Orchestra (US #2 1940).
From the wiki: “‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’ is a romantic British popular song written in 1939 with by Eric Maschwitz and Manning Sherwin, composed in the then-small French fishing village of Le Lavandou. The song had its first performance in the summer of 1939 in a local bar, where the melody was played on piano by Sherwin with the help of the resident saxophonist. Maschwitz sang the words while holding a glass of wine, but nobody seemed impressed.
Written and first recorded (as a demo) by George Harrison (1969, released 1996).
First commercial recording by Joe Cocker (1969).
Hit versions by The Beatles (US #1/UK #4 1969), Shirley Bassey (US #55/UK #4 1970), Johnny Rodriguez (C&W #6 1974)
Also recorded by Ray Charles (1971).
From the wiki: “‘Something’ was the first Beatles song written by lead guitarist George Harrison to appear as an A-side single, and the only song written by him to top the US charts while he was in the band. Harrison began working on a song that eventually became known as ‘Something’ during the 1968 recording sessions for The Beatles (aka The White Album). Harrison recorded the demo of ‘Something’ on February 25, 1969, his 26th birthday.
“Producer Glyn Jones, who engineered the Beatles’ Get Back sessions, recalls ‘One morning before the others arrived at the studio, George asked me if I would stay behind at the end of the day to cut a demo with him of a song he had written, as he didn’t want to play it in front of the others. So we waited for everyone to leave and he went out into the empty studio and played ‘Something in the Way She Moves’, which might just be the greatest song he ever wrote. He came into the control room, and after having it played back to him, he asked what I thought of it, as he seemed unsure. I told him it was brilliant and that he must play it to the others. I can only assume that his confidence had been dented as a result of living in the shadow of John and Paul.’ [Source: Sound Man, by Glyn Jones, 2014]
“Harrison’s original intention had been to offer the song to Apple Records signing Jackie Lomax as he had done with a previous composition, ‘Sour Milk Sea’. When this fell through, ‘Something’ was instead given to Joe Cocker to record. Cocker completed his recording at A&M Studios in Los Angeles before The Beatles completed their recording in August 1969 at Abbey Road, but Cocker’s recording was not released (on Joe Cocker!, his second album, on which also appeared another Beatles composition, ‘She Came in Through the Bathroom Window’) until November 1969 – six weeks after the release of The Beatles’ Abbey Road.
First recorded by The Three Suns (1944).
Also recorded by Les Brown & His Band of Renown (1944).
First vocal version recorded by Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra f. Teddy Walters (1945).
Hit version by The Platters (US #1/R&B #1/UK #3 1958).
From the wiki: “‘Twilight Time’ is a popular song with lyrics by Buck Ram and the music by The Three Suns, and first recorded as an instrumental by The Three Suns in 1944. Les Brown’s instrumental recording was released in early 1945 as the B-side of ‘Sentimental Journey’ (Doris Day).
“The first vocal version of the song on record was also released in 1945, by bandleader Jimmy Dorsey with Teddy Walters on vocals.
First recorded by Robert Maxwell (1953).
Hit versions by Frank Chacksfield & His Orchestra (US #2/UK #9 1953), Vic Damone (US #10 1953), Roy Hamilton (R&B #5 1954), The Platters (US #56/AUS #59 1960), Righteous Brothers (US #5/UK #48 1965).
From the wiki: “‘Ebb Tide’ was written in 1953 by composer-harpist Robert Maxwell. (The song’s build-up is reminiscent of ocean waves coming in and out, to and from the shore; thus, ‘ebb tide’.) Playing the harp, Maxwell’s multi-tracked arrangement, still a novelty when released in March 1953, did not chart. Frank Chacksfield & His Orchestra released a more traditionally arranged instrumental version of ‘Ebb Tide’ in June 1953 which did ‘hit’, peaking at #2 in the U.S. and #9 in the U.K.
“Lyricist Carl Sigman would soon add verses to the melody. Vic Damone released the first vocal arrangement of ‘Ebb Tide’ in September 1953. Other charting vocal versions of ‘Ebb Tide’ were released by Roy Hamilton (1954), The Platters (1960), and the Righteous Brothers (1965). For the Righteous Brothers, this Top-5 hit would be their last recording produced by Phil Spector.”
First recorded by the Original Off-Broadway Cast of Hair (1967).
Also recorded by the Original Broadway Cast of Hair (1968), Jennifer Warnes (US #128 1969).
Hit version by Three Dog Night (US #4/CAN #2 1969).
From the wiki: “‘Easy to Be Hard’ was written by Galt MacDermot, James Rado, and Gerome Ragni, and was first performed in the original Off-Broadway stage production of Hair in 1967.
“Beginning in 1968, Jennifer Warnes (performing as ‘Jennifer Warren’) portrayed the female lead in the Los Angeles production of Hair. Coincidental to that, she recorded a version of ‘Easy to be Hard’ in 1969 for release (as ‘Jennifer’) in the UK in June 1969 (along with another song property from Hair, ‘Let the Sunshine In’). The American label Parrot licensed the recording for distribution in the US on the album, See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Heal Me, released in the spring of 1969. The single failed to chart in the UK but did ‘bubble under’ the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #128.
“Three Dog Night also released ‘Easy to be Hard’ in 1969, in August, with their recording peaking at #4 – their fourth single, and highest-charting song until ‘Mama Told Me (Not to Come)‘ hit #1 in 1970.”
Co-written and first recorded by Tony Wilson (1979).
Hit version by co-writer Randy Vanwarmer (US #4/C&W #71/UK #8 1979).
From the wiki: “‘Just When I Need You Most’ was written by Randy Vanwarmer and Tony Wilson (of Hot Chocolate, ‘Brother Louie‘) in 1977. It first appeared on Wilson’s Catch One album, released three records before his label mate Randy Vanwarmer’s hit version (Tony’s: Bearsville BRK 6985; Randy’s: Bearsville BRK 6988).
“On the Tony Wilson album, Vanwarmer and Wilson are listed as co-writers; on Randy Vanwarmer’s Warmer album there is no mention of Wilson as co-writer.”
First recorded by George Michael (1983).
Hit version by Wham! (US #1/UK #1/IRE #1/AUS #1/JPN #1/SUI #1 1984).
From the wiki: “‘Careless Whisper’ was co-written by George Michael with Andrew Ridgeley, the other member of the duo Wham!. The song went through at least two rounds of production: The first was during a trip Michael made to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where he went to work with producer Jerry Wexler at Muscle Shoals Studio. But, Michael was unhappy with that production and, almost a year after returning to England, decided to re-record and produce the song himself, at Sarm Studios, West London, this time coming up with the version that was finally released. The Wexler-produced version did, eventually, see the light of day – but only later on, as a (4:41) B-side ‘Special Version’ on 12”, released in the UK and Japan.
Written and first recorded by Jesse Winchester (1977).
Hit version by Nicolette Larson (US #48 1979).
Also recorded by Little Feat (2011).
From the wiki: “‘Rhumba Man’ was written and first recorded by Jesse Winchester for his 1977 album Nothing But the Breeze. It was later covered, in 1979, by Nicollete Larson for her debut album Nicolette (backed in the studio by Little Feat, who would record their own version in 2011 for the Jesse Winchester tribute album Quiet About It).”
Written and first recorded (as a demo) by Pete Townshend (c. 1970).
Hit version by The Who (US #15/UK #9/AUS #14 1971).
From the wiki: “‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ was written by Pete Townshend for inclusion into Lifehouse, the science fiction rock opera intended as a follow-up to Tommy by The Who . The project, however, was abandoned – as a rock opera – in favor of creating a traditional rock album, Who’s Next. Although the Lifehouse concept was abandoned, scraps of the project remained present in the final album including the song ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’.
“Other of the project’s songs would appear on various albums and singles by The Who (e.g., ‘Baba O’Riley’, ‘Behind Blue Eyes‘, ‘Join Together’), as well as Pete Townshend solo albums. Years later, in the liner notes to the remastered Who’s Next CD, Townshend wrote that the failure of the project led him to the verge of a suicidal nervous breakdown.
First recorded by Tina Turner (B-side 1986).
Hit versions by Luther Ingram (R&B #55 1987), Aswad (R&B #45/UK #1 1988), Neil Diamond (MOR #19 1992), Ace of Base (US #4/MOR #7/CAN #1/UK #5/IRE #5/SWE #2/AUS #19 1994).
From the wiki: “‘Don’t Turn Around’ was written by Diane Warren (‘Because You Loved Me’) and Albert Hammond (‘The Air That I Breathe‘, ‘To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before‘). It was originally recorded by Tina Turner and first released as the B-side to the single ‘Typical Male’ in 1986. Warren is said to have been disappointed that Turner’s record company treated the song only as a B-side, not even releasing it on any of Turner’s albums.
Co-written and first recorded/released as “European Queen” by Billy Ocean (GER #2/SUI #3/NETH #20 1984).
Also recorded as “African Queen” by Billy Ocean (SA #7 1984).
Other hit version (as “Caribbean Queen”) by Billy Ocean (US #1/R&B #1/MOR #1/UK #6/CAN #1/NZ #1 1984).
From the wiki: “‘Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)’ was co-written and co-produced by Billy Ocean with Keith Diamond, and was recorded using the same backing track under different titles for different parts of the world resulting in the earlier versions ‘European Queen’ and ‘African Queen’.
“Released first on the Continent, ‘European Queen’ went Top 10 in German and Switzerland, and Top 20 in the Netherlands and Austria. ‘African Queen’ peaked at #7 on the South Africa singles chart. ‘Caribbean Queen’ topped both the US and Canadian singles charts, both the Billboard R&B and Adult Contemporary charts, and New Zealand’s Singles chart, and went Top-5 in Australia and Top-10 in the UK and Ireland. ‘Caribbean Queen’ also won the 1984 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance.”
First recorded by Dusty Springfield (US #12/UK #4 1964).
Other hit versions by Bay City Rollers (US #12/UK #4 1976), The Tourists (US #83/UK #4 1979), Samantha Fox (US #31/UK #16 1989).
From the wiki: “‘I Only Want to Be with You’ was written by Mike Hawker and Ivor Raymonde, and was the first solo single released by British singer Dusty Springfield. Although she recorded the song while still a member of The Springfields, it was released in November 1963 – three weeks after The Springfields’ final concert. Bay City Rollers released a version in December 1976 that reached #12 in the US. The song was also a #4 hit in the UK for The Tourists, who were the group Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart were in before they formed Eurythmics. A 1989 cover version of this was the last hit for British singer Samantha Fox.”
Written and first recorded by Gabor Szabo (1966).
Hit album version by Santana (1970).
From the wiki: “Hungarian jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo (‘Breezin’‘) wrote and recorded ‘Gypsy Queen’ for his 1966 album Spellbinder. Szabo had escaped Communist Hungary in 1956 for the US, where he entered the Berklee School of Music, Boston. By 1958, Szabo had been invited to perform at the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival.
“Szabo incorporated elements of folk music from his native Hungary, from Gypsy and Roma influences, into his guitar playing, and his guitar style would strongly influence Carlos Santana’s work. (Santana’s 2012 instrumental album Shape Shifter includes a song titled “Mr. Szabo”, played in tribute in the style of Szabo).
First recorded by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds (1972).
Hit version by The Four Tops (US #4/R&B #2 1973).
From the wiki: “‘Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got)’ was written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter who first joined Talent Associates in 1970 as producers and songwriters, and were responsible for many of that label’s hits, including Original Caste’s ‘One Tin Soldier‘, and hits by Seals & Crofts. After leaving Talent Associates for ABC-Dunhill, Lambert and Potter wrote for Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds (‘Don’t Pull Your Love’) or produced several of ABC’s hits including Glen Campbell’s ‘Rhinestone Cowboy‘ in 1975. The Lambert-Potter-composed ‘Ain’t No Woman’ was first recorded in 1972 by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds and released on their album, Hallway Symphony.
Written and first recorded by Bob Dylan (1964).
Also recorded by Joan Baez (1964).
Hit versions by Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash (US #58/C&W #4 1965), The Turtles (US #8 1965).
From the wiki: “‘It Ain’t Me Babe’ was written by Bob Dylan and originally appeared on his fourth album Another Side of Bob Dylan. Dylan’s biographers generally agree that the song owes its inspiration to his former girlfriend Suze Rotolo. Dylan reportedly began writing the song during his visit to Italy in 1963 while searching for Rotolo, who was studying there.”
Written and first recorded by Bill LaBounty (US #65/MOR #46/CAN #81 1978).
Other hit versions by Michael Johnson (US #19/MOR #5/CAN #9 1979), Sawyer Brown (US #109/C&W #6/CAN #11 1997).
From the wiki: “‘This Night Won’t Last Forever’ was written by Bill LaBounty and was originally recorded by him in 1978, charting in the lower-third of the Billboard Hot 100. One year later, Michael Johnson covered the song and took it to #19 on the same chart.
“Sawyer Brown charted ‘This Night Won’t Last Forever’ Top-10 on the Country music chart in 1997.”
Co-written and first recorded by The Erskine Hawkins Orchestra (US #7 1940).
Other hit version by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (US #1 1940).
Also recorded by The Andrews Sisters (1940).
From the wiki: “‘Tuxedo Junction’ was co-written by Birmingham, Alabama, composer and band leader Erskine Hawkins, and saxophonist and arranger Bill Johnson. The song was first introduced by the orchestra led at the time by Hawkins – a college dance band previously known as the Bama State Collegians, made up of students from Alabama State University, who, in 1934, traveled to New York City and became the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra, working also with the NBC Orchestra, the Lucky Millinder Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Louis Armstrong and others.
First recorded (as a demo) by Dino Valenti (1964, released 1996).
First commercial release by The Kingston Trio (1964).
Also recorded by Jet Set (1964), Jefferson Airplane (1966), H.P. Lovecraft (1967).
Hit versions by We Five (US #31 1965), The Youngbloods (US #62 1967| US #5 1969), Dave Clark Five (UK #8 1970).
From the wiki: “‘Get Together’, also known as ‘Let’s Get Together’, was written in the early 1960s by American singer-songwriter and future Quicksilver Messenger Service lead singer Chet Powers (aka Dino Valenti), and first recorded by him as a demo in 1964. Valenti’s demo would see its commercial release in 1996.
“The first commercial release of ‘Let’s Get Together’ was in 1964, recorded by the Kingston Trio in 1964 for their album Back in Town. In 1965, the first cover to break into the Top 40, peaking at #31, was recorded by We Five as the follow-up to their Top 10 hit ‘You Were on My Mind’.
First recorded by Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys (C&W #21 1960).
Hit version by Ricky Skaggs (C&W #1 1982).
From the wiki: “‘Crying My Heart Out Over You’ was co-written by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, and originally recorded in 1960 by Flatt & Scruggs, whose version peaked at #21. It was covered in 1982 by Ricky Skaggs, his third Country hit and the first of eleven #1 hits for him on the Country chart.”
First released by Cowboy Copas (C&W #6 1948).
Other hit versions by The Golden West Cowboys (C&W #3 1948), Erskine Hawkins (R&B #6 1950), Patti Page (US #1/C&W #2/AUS #1 1950).
From the wiki:”Pee Wee King, and most of his group,the Golden West Cowboys, were riding in a limousine in 1946 when he and vocalist Redd Stewart co-wrote the song. They were on their way to a Grand Ole Opry appearance in Nashville when they heard Bill Monroe’s new ‘Kentucky Waltz’ on the radio. Stewart immediately began writing the lyrics on a matchbox while King and the other musicians hummed King’s theme song, ‘No Name Waltz’. King and Stewart presented ‘Tennessee Waltz’ to music publisher Fred Rose the next day. The Golden West Cowboys were not able to record ‘Tennessee Waltz’ until December 1947. Meanwhile, Cowboy Copas, who still occasionally performed with The Golden West Cowboys, recorded the song for King Records just after the Cowboys, with Copas’ version released just prior to that of the Cowboys.
