Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: Alabama

Touch Me When We’re Dancing

Written and first recorded by Bama (US #86/MOR #42 1979).
Hit versions by The Carpenters (US #16/MOR #1 1981), Alabama (C&W #1 1986).
Also recorded by Mickey Gilley & Charly McClain (1984).

From the wiki: “‘Touch Me When We’re Dancing’ was written by Terry Skinner, J. L. Wallace and Ken Bell. Skinner and Wallace headed the Muscle Shoals, Alabama, session group Bama, who first recorded the song and released it as a single in 1979.

Take Me Down

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.

The Closer You Get

Written and first recorded by Exile (1980).
Also recorded by Rita Coolidge (US #103/CAN #16 1981).
Hit versions by Don King (C&W #27 1981), Alabama (US #38/C&W #1 1983).

From the wiki: “‘The Closer You Get’ was written in 1980 by J.P. Pennington and Mark Gray (‘Kiss You All Over’, ‘Take Me Down‘), members of Exile. It was first recorded by Exile (who failed to gain much attention with their original arrangement) in 1980. Singer Don King also recorded it. His cover reached #27 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in October 1981. In addition, Rita Coolidge recorded the song for her 1981 album, Heartbreak Radio, and released her version as a single. Coolidge’s single “bubbled under” the Hot 100 but charted Top-20 in Canada.