Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: 31st of February

Melissa

First recorded by The 31st of February (1968).
Hit album version by The Allman Brothers (1972).

From the wiki: “‘Melissa’ was written by vocalist Gregg Allman, but dates beyond The Allman Brothers band’s inception and well-known 1972 recording. It was first written in late 1967, and two demo versions from those years exists, including a version cut by the 31st of February, a band formed by drummer Butch Trucks and which, by 1968, was to include post-Allman Joy/Hour Glass band members Duane and Gregg Allman.

“The song had its genesis after Allman had struggled previously to create any song with substance — ‘Melissa’ was among the first that survived after he tossed nearly 300 attempts. The song’s namesake was almost settled as ‘Delilah’ before ‘Melissa’ came to Allman in, of all places, a grocery store where he was buying milk late one night, as he told the story in his memoir, My Cross to Bear: