Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

Help support this site! Consider clicking an ad from time to time. Thanks!

 
« Go Back to Previous Page «  

Tagged: Grand Funk Railroad

Feelin’ Alright?

First recorded by Traffic (US #123 1968).
Hit versions by Joe Cocker (US #69 1969 |US #33/NETH #11 1972), Mongo Santamaria (US #95 1969), Grand Funk Railroad (US #54/CAN #20 1971).
ALso recorded by Three Dog Night (1969), Chairmen of the Board (1970), Jackson 5 (1971).

From the wiki: “‘Feelin’ Alright?’ (also known as ‘Feeling Alright’) was written by Dave Mason of the band Traffic from their eponymous 1968 album, Traffic. Dave Mason wrote this song with the title ‘Not Feelin’ Too Good Myself,’ which is more accurate in terms of the song’s meaning, but less marketable. (Mason explained: ‘It’s just a song about a girl. It’s just another relationship gone bad.’)

“The original Traffic version of the song, filled with the corresponding melancholy, was issued as ‘Feelin’ Alright?’ – the question mark providing a vital clue to the content. Joe Cocker’s version scrapped the punctuation and was issued as ‘Feeling Alright’, which is how it was listed on most subsequent covers. Cocker recorded it in his debut album, With a Little Help from My Friends, in 1969. In its first release in 1969, his cover reached #69 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In a 1972 re-release, the single reached even higher – #33 on the same chart.

Some Kind of Wonderful

First recorded by Soul Brothers Six (US #91 1967).
Other hit versions by The Fantastic Johnny C (US #87 1968), Grand Funk Railroad (US #3 1974), Huey Lewis & The News (US #44/MOR #4 1994).
Also recorded by Q-Tips (1980), Buddy Guy with Paul Rodgers (1993), Joss Stone (2003).

From the wiki: “‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ is a song written by John Ellison and first recorded by his group, Soul Brothers Six, from Rochester, NY, in 1967, peaking at #91 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The Fantastic Johnny C, from Philadelphia, next recorded a version of the song in 1968 that briefly charted in the US.

“In 1974, Grand Funk Railroad covered ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ for the group’s album All the Girls in the World Beware!!!. Reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1975, the Grand Funk recording ended the year ranked #74 on Billboard’s Hot 100 year-end chart for 1975.