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1291 total songs ... and counting!
First recorded by Lee Dorsey (R&B #46 1970).
Hit version by The Pointer Sisters (US #11/R&B #12/AUS #86/NETH #25/ITA #30 1973).
Also recorded by Allen Toussaint (2005).
From the wiki: “‘Yes We Can Can’ was written by Allen Toussaint (‘Java‘, ‘I Like It Like That‘, ‘Whipped Cream‘) and was first recorded as ‘Yes We Can’ by Lee Dorsey on his 1970 album Yes We Can … And Then Some, co-produced by Toussaint.
Written and first recorded by Allen Toussaint (1958).
Hit version by Al Hirt (US #4/MOR #1 1963).
Also recorded by The Angels (1964), The Beautiful South (1994).
Performed by The Muppets (1966|1968|1977).
From the wiki: “‘Java’ is an instrumental adaptation from a 1958 LP of piano compositions, The Wild Sounds of New Orleans, by Tousan, also known as New Orleans producer-songwriter Allen Toussaint (‘Working in a Coal Mine’, ‘Southern Nights’). As was the case of the rest of Toussaint’s LP, ‘Java’ was composed at the studio, primarily by Toussaint (along with Freddy Friday, Marilyn Schack, Alvin ‘Red’ Tyler).
“In 1963, trumpet player Al Hirt recorded the instrumental, and the track became the lead single from his album, Honey in the Horn. It was Hirt’s first and biggest hit on the US pop charts, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending four weeks at #1 on the Easy Listening chart in early 1964. Hirt released a live version on his 1965 album, Live at Carnegie Hall. Hirt’s recording won the Grammy Award for “Best Performance by an Orchestra or Instrumentalist with Orchestra” in 1964.
First performed by Gene Autry (1940 |recorded 1941).
First commercial release by The Sammy Kaye Orchestra (1940).
Hit versions by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (US #1 1940), Louis Armstrong (US #29 1949), Fats Domino (US #2/R&B #1/UK #6 1956).
From the wiki: “‘Blueberry Hill’, written by Vincent Rose with lyrics by Larry Stock and Al Lewis, was first performed in 1940 but is best remembered for its 1950s Rock n’ Roll styling by Fats Domino. The song was recorded six times in 1940, after the original version was sung by Gene Autry in the 1940 movie The Singing Hill and was recorded to disc by Autry a year later, in 1941. The song is purportedly named after a ‘make-out’ spot in Taos, New Mexico.
First recorded (as a demo) by Jimmy Radcliffe (1964).
Hit released by Sammy Ambrose (US #117 1965)
Other hit version by Gary Lewis & the Playboys (US #1 1965).
Also recorded by Al Kooper (1976).
From the wiki: “‘This Diamond Ring’ was written by Al Kooper (who would later record with Bob Dylan, and found the group Blood, Sweat & Tears), Bob Brass, and Irwin Levine (‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon’, ‘Candida‘) in 1964. The song was first recorded as a demo that year by Jimmy Radcliffe in a session produced by Kooper.
“Sammy Ambrose, a Miami soul singer who had begun his recording career fronting the Afro-Beats, was the first to release a commercial single of ‘This Diamond Ring’, in December 1964. This was quickly followed by the January 1965 release of ‘This Diamond Ring’ by Gary Lewis & the Playboys. Both recordings appeared on Billboard magazine’s ‘Bubbling Under the Hot 100′ chart on January 9, 1965 – Ambrose’s recording at #117 and the Playboys’ recording at #101. But, that one appearance by Ambrose would mark his single’s only chart appearance while the Playboys continued the ascend the Hot 100 all the way to #1, on February 20, 1965, becoming the group’s only #1 single of their career.
“Ambrose’s biggest liability was that he didn’t have the same caché as being the son of a famous comedian (name recognition is everything in show biz) nor could make use off the chutzpah of producer Snuff Garrett, who promised radio disc jockey Murray the K a performance by the Playboys if he could break the Playboys’ record in New York City, and who also got Gary’s famous dad to call Ed Sullivan about booking an appearance on the The Ed Sullivan Show.
“None of the Playboys played their instruments on the hit recording and Lewis’s vocals were heavily supported by Ron Hicklin’s overdubs. The music was performed by members of The Wrecking Crew, including Hal Blaine (drums), Carol Kaye (bass) and Leon Russell (keyboard).
Written and originally recorded by Jose Feliciano (1975).
Hit album version by George Benson (1976).
From the wiki: “In 1975, on his last RCA album, Just Wanna Rock’n’Roll, guitarist Jose Feliciano released his jazz-funk-Latin instrumental composition ‘Affirmation’. It was covered a year later by jazz guitarist George Benson, on his hit album Breezin’.”
Written and first recorded by Leon Russell (1970).
Hit versions by Andy Williams (MOR #29 1971), The Carpenters (1972), Ray Charles (US #104/MOR #9/R&B #57 1993), Herbie Hancock & Christina Aguilera (US #19 2005).
Also recorded by Donny Hathaway (1971), Dusty Springfield (1972).
From the wiki: “‘A Song for You’ was recorded Leon Russell for his debut album, Leon Russell, originally intending for it to be recorded by Rita Coolidge. It has been called ‘an American classic’ by Elton John (who sang ‘Song for You’ as an intro to a medley of his own songs ‘Blue Eyes’ and ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues’ on his 1986 tour).
“One of the first versions of the song that brought the song broader attention was by Andy Williams, in 1972. The Carpenters’ version, while not released as a single, was the title track to their 1972 hit album A Song for You (#4 on the Billboard Album chart; three Top-10 singles). Dusty Springfield recorded her version of ‘A Song for You’ for possible inclusion on the album See All Her Faces (1972) but the track went unreleased until 1996.
“Ray Charles recorded a poignant version of the song on his 1993 album My World. Released as a single, it reached #4 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles but still won for him a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.”
First released (as “Brændt [Burnt]”) by Lis Sørensen (1993).
Also recorded by Ednaswap (1995 |1997).
Hit version by Natalie Imbruglia (US #1/UK #2/CAN #1/BE #1/SWE #1 1997).
From the wiki: “‘Torn’ was written by Scott Cutler, Anne Preven, and Phil Thornalley during a demo session in 1993 before Ednaswap was formed. This song has been covered a surprising number of times, considering that it was written by a nearly unknown alternative rock band. The first recorded version of the song was, in 1993, a translation by Danish singer Lis Sørensen, ‘Brændt’ (which translates to ‘Burnt’ in English).
Written and first recorded by Mick Jackson (US #61/UK #15 1978).
Hit version by The Jacksons (US #54/R&B #3/UK #8 1978).
From the wiki: “Mick Jackson (no relation to the Jackson 5) wrote and recorded ‘Blame It on the Boogie’ in 1977 with the hope of it being recorded by Stevie Wonder. Jackson released it under his own name in 1978.
“The Mick Jackson track was showcased in 1978 at the Midem Music Festival where, according Jackson: ‘The Jacksons’ manager [Peter Kerstin] heard the track being played and took a tape recording of it back to the States [where] The Jacksons quickly recorded a version so it would be out before mine.’ In fact, the Mick Jackson recording was released first by Atlantic Records in the US in mid-August 1978; The Jacksons’ version was released by Epic Records on August 23.
Originally recorded by Roger Miller (US #39/C&W #6/UK #19 1968).
Other hit versions by Patti Page (US #96/MOR #11 1968), O.C. Smith (US #2/R&B #2 1968).
From the wiki: “Bobby Russell (‘Honey’) wrote ‘Little Green Apples’ for Roger Miller to record and Miller made the first recording of the song on January 24, 1968 in a session at the Columbia Recording Studio, Nashville. According to Buzz Cason, Russell wrote both the ‘Little Green Apples’ and ‘Honey’ as ‘an experiment in composing – anticipating a potential market for true-to-life story songs … with more ‘meat’ in the lyrics [than was] standard’ for current hits.
“Released as the lead single from A Tender Look at Love, ‘Little Green Apples”‘afforded Miller his final Top Ten C&W hit at #6 and also his final Top 40 crossover reaching #39 on the Billboard Hot 100.
First released (as “They Long to Be Close to You”) by Richard Chamberlain (1963).
Also recorded by Dionne Warwick (1963 |B-side 1964), Dusty Springfield (1964, released 1967), Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass (1968, released 2005).
Hit version by the Carpenters (US #1/UK #6/CAN #1 1970).
From the wiki: “‘(They Long to Be) Close to You’ is a popular song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It was first released by Richard Chamberlain and released as a single in 1963 as ‘They Long to Be Close to You’ (without parentheses). However, it was the single’s flip side, ‘Blue Guitar’, that became a hit.
“Dusty Springfield recorded an early version of ‘Close to You’ in 1964, which was originally scheduled to be released as the follow-up single to ‘I Just Don’t Know What To Do with Myself’. However, it wasn’t until 3 years later, in 1967, that her version was released – as an album track – on Where Am I Going? (in the UK) and The Look of Love (in the US).
“Dionne Warwick, Bacharach-David’s go-to vocalist, had been the first to record ‘(They Long to Be) Close to You’ – as a demo – in 1963. She re-recorded the song with a Bacharach arrangement for her 1964 album Make Way for Dionne Warwick, and Warwick’s version was released as the B-side of her 1965 single ‘Here I Am’.
First recorded and released by Besse Banks (US #40 released January 1964).
Hit version by The Moody Blues (US #10/UK #1/CAN #2 released February 1964).
Also recorded by Wings (1976).
From the wiki: “‘Go Now’ is a song composed by Larry Banks and Milton Bennett, and first recorded by Banks’ former wife, Bessie Banks. A 1962 demo recording by Bessie of the song was heard by songwriters/record producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller who, then, had Banks re-record it in late November 1963 (with Dee Dee Warwick among the background singers), and released in early 1964 on Leiber-Stoller’s Tiger label. Bank’s version reached #40 on the national singles charts.
Originally recorded by The Rivileers (1954).
Hit version by Kathy Young & The Innocents (US #3/R&B #6 1960).
From the wiki: “The Rivileers were an R&B quintet who recorded for the Sol Rabinowitz’s New York City-based Baton Record label. ‘A Thousand Stars’ was the label’s first release. (The label’s most enduring hit is arguably ‘Got My Mo-Jo Working‘, first recorded by singer Ann Cole in 1957.)
First recorded by Larry Weiss (MOR #24 1974).
Other hit version by Glen Campbell (US #1/C&W #1/UK #4/CAN #1 1975).
From the wiki: “”Rhinestone Cowboy” is a song written by Larry Weiss and most famously recorded by singer Glen Campbell. Growing up in Queens, New York City, Weiss started writing songs in his teens, and continued to do so while working in his family’s textile sales business, before working as a freelance songwriter for music publishers Wes Farrell (who also published Gerry Goffin and Carole King). Weiss’ first break came in 1963 when Nat ‘King’ Cole recorded ‘Mr. Wishing Well’, co-written with Lockie Edwards Jr.. Weiss also wrote for R&B acts including Baby Washington, Chuck Jackson, The Shirelles, and American Breed (‘Bend Me, Shape Me‘).
“Weiss wrote and first recorded ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ in 1974 (sounding very much like Neil Diamond), where it appeared on his album Black and Blue Suite. It did not, however, have much of a commercial impact as a single, charting only on the Adult Contemporary music chart. In late 1974, however, Glen Campbell did hear the song on the radio and, during a tour of Australia, sat down to learn it.
Weiss remembers,
“‘The chorus came from the 1944 movie Buffalo Bill. In the last scene, he rides out on a white horse, in a white outfit, with long white beard and hair, and he thanks everybody for giving him such a great life. There’s another scene where he’s at his lowest point, sat on a stuffed horse in a penny arcade holding his hat in the air. I now realize that it was about trials and tribulations. In a way, I wrote the song about that without even knowing it.
‘I was so disappointed when it wasn’t a hit that I was ready to quit. But Glen told me that when the song was presented to him, he’d already heard it on the car radio and had to pull over to the side of the road. He said: ‘People told me I was mad to like it, but it just blew me away.’ The song had been turned down by everybody from Elvis Presley to Neil Diamond, but it worked better with Glen singing it. If Neil or a pop singer had sung it, it wouldn’t have meant as much.'”
– ‘How We Made Rhinestone Cowboy‘, The Guardian, May 13, 2013
Originally recorded by Gabor Szabo (R&B #43 1971).
Hit version by George Benson (US #63/MOR #13/R&B #65 1976).
From the wiki: “‘Breezin” was written by Bobby Womack (‘It’s All Over Now‘) and first recorded by Hungarian Jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo. Szabó was famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music. He began playing guitar at the age of 14, inspired by jazz music he heard on the Voice of America broadcasts. He escaped Hungary and moved to the United States in 1956, a year of the attempted revolt against Soviet-dominated Communist rule, and attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston.
Written and originally recorded by Exile (1980).
Also recorded by Johnny Bristol (1981).
Hit version by Alabama (US #18/C&W #1/CAN #1 1983).
From the wiki: “Written by Exile band members Mark Gray and J.P. Pennington (‘Kiss You All Over’, ‘The Closer You Get‘), the song was originally recorded by Exile in the early 1980s. The Exile version was released the song as a single, but it failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100.
First recorded by The Elgins (US #50/R&B #9 1966 |UK #3 1971).
Other hit version by Bonnie Pointer (US #11 1979).
From the wiki: “The version by the Elgins, released on the Motown subsidiary V.I.P. Records label in 1966, reached #9 on the Billboard R&B chart and #50 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was reissued in the UK in 1971, and reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart. The Elgins’ backing vocals were augmented by The Andantes.
Written and first recorded by Duke Ellington & His Kentucky Club Orchestra (1926).
Hit version by Duke Ellington & His Washingtonians (US #10 1927).
Covered by Steely Dan (1974).
From the wiki: “‘East St Louis Toodle-Oo’ is a composition written by Duke Ellington and Bubber Miley and recorded several times by Ellington for various labels from 1926-1930 using various band names. The original recording features a growling plunger-muted trumpet part played by co-composer Miley, one of the first jazz trumpeters to utilize the style. This style was carried on by later Ellington trumpeters Cootie Williams and Ray Nance.
First recorded by Brenda Lee (C&W #45/CAN #40 1972).
Hit versions by Elvis Presley (C&W #16/UK #9 1972), John Wesley Ryles (C&W #20 1979), Willie Nelson (US #5/C&W #1 1982), Pet Shop Boys (US #4/UK #1/CAN #1 1988).
From the wiki: “‘Always on My Mind’ is an American country music song by Johnny Christopher, Mark James (‘Suspicious Minds‘, ‘Hooked On a Feeling‘) and Wayne Carson, recorded first by Brenda Lee in 1972.
“Wayne Carson says that he wrote the song in 10 minutes at his home in Springfield at his kitchen table and completed the song in studio with the assistance of Johnny Christopher and Mark James. Brenda Lee would be the first singer to record and release a version of ‘Always On My Mind’. Her single, however, would stall at #45 on the US Country Singles chart.
Written and first recorded by J.J. Cale (1972).
Also recorded by Mason Proffit (1972).
Hit album version by Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974).
From the wiki: “‘Call Me the Breeze’ was written by J.J. Cale and first appeared on his 1972 debut album, Naturally, as the opening track. Like many Cale songs, it has been covered numerous times by an assortment of musicians.
“Ironically, many of the more contemporary cover versions of ‘Call Me the Breeze’ available have been performed as tributes to … Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Southern Rock band from Florida that scored an Album Oriented Radio hit with ‘Call Me the Breeze’ in 1974.
First recorded (as “Slow Dancing”) by The Funky Kings (US# 61/MOR #13 1976).
Other hit versions by Johnny Rivers (US #10/MOR #1/CAN #3 1978), Johnny Duncan (C&W #6 1979).
Also recorded by Olivia Newton-John (1977), Unicorn (1977), Ian Gomm (1980).
From the wiki: “The first recording of ‘Swayin’ to the Music (Slow Dancing)’ was released on the self-titled 1976 album by the Funky Kings whose membership included its composer, Jack Tempchin (‘Peaceful Easy Feeling’, ‘Already Gone’, ‘You Belong to the City’), and Jules Shear (later of Jules & The Polar Bears, ‘If She Knew What She Wants‘). Titled ‘Slow Dancing’, its single release reached #13 on the AC chart before crossing over to #61 on the Billboard Hot 100. Olivia Newton-John also recorded “Slow Dancing” for her 1977 album Making a Good Thing Better.
First single release by Nella Dodds (US #74 released October 1964).
Other hit versions by The Supremes (US #1/R&B #2/UK #27 released November 1964), Jr. Walker & The All Stars (US #24/R&B #8 1967), Shakin’ Stevens (UK #24 1987).
Also recorded by Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels (1966).
From the wiki: “The Supremes’ recording of ‘Come See About Me’ was recorded on July 13, 1964 during the sessions that produced the album Where Did Our Love Go, released in August 1964. But, the release of the song as a promotional single was held up while the album’s first two singles, ‘Where Did Our Love Go’ and ‘Baby Love’, were released and charted.
“Techically a cover recording, 14-year old Nella Dodds’ Wand Records single would actually be the first released as a single, in October 1964. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 in early November, debuting at #87 the week of November 14, showing promise as a rising pop and R&B hit. Mowtown Records, not wanting to be outshone by another label with a song written by their songwriting dream team, Holland-Dozier-Holland, rushed released the Supremes’ ‘Come See About Me’ to radio and retail in November, 1964, quickly undercutting the early chart momentum of Dodd’s recording and using their marketing muscle to debut the Supreme’s single two weeks later at #13 on the Hot 100 chart the week of November 28.
First recorded by Robert Gordon (US #76 1981).
Hit version by Marshall Crenshaw (US #36/AOR #25 1982).
From the wiki: “Marshall Crenshaw is an American singer-songwriter who got his first break playing John Lennon in the off-Broadway touring company of the musical Beatlemania. While in New York, he recorded ‘Something’s Gonna Happen’ for Alan Betrock’s Shake Records, after which he was signed to Warner Bros. Records. Crenshaw recalled for Spinner UK: ‘While I was there, I wrote ‘Someday, Someway’ and five or six of the other tunes [that would appear on] my first album.’
Written by “Mutt” Lange and first recorded (as “We Both Believe in Love”) by Supercharge (1979).
Hit version by Huey Lewis & The News (US #7/UK #9 1982).
From the wiki: “‘We Both Believe in Love’ was written by Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange but underwent a title change while being considered for recording by Huey Lewis and his band. The original, unrevised version was first recorded in 1979 by British band Supercharge, on which Lange sang lead vocals, and appeared on the 1979 Supercharge album Body Rhythm.
“Supercharge were a 1970s English rock band from Liverpool. The band had a #3 hit in Australia in 1977 with ‘You’ve Gotta Get Up and Dance’. Live UK gigs by Supercharge often featured celebrated live sound engineer Chrys Lindop, and included the infamous comedy track ‘She Moved The Dishes First’ (see below), which the band claims they wrote so they could mess about a bit while replacing broken guitar strings during live gigs. This track also achieved notoriety when it was picked up and played regularly by the North Sea pirate radio station ‘Radio Caroline’.
First recorded by Johnny Rivers (1971).
Also recorded by Brewer & Shipley (1971).
Hit version by Jackson Browne (US #48 1972).
From the wiki: “‘Rock Me on the Water’ is an oft-covered song written singer-songwriter Jackson Browne. The title was released as the second single from his 1972 debut album, Jackson Browne, following the #7 success of Browne’s debut single, “Doctor My Eyes.” Browne’s version reached #48 on the Billboard Hot 100 on Sept. 23, 1972.
“Johnny Rivers was the first to release a recording of ‘Rock Me on the Water,’ including the song on his 1971 album Homegrown. It was not released as a single. Brewer & Shipley also recorded the song for release in 1971, on their album Shake Off the Demon.