Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: Jerry Lee Lewis

Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)

First recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis (1967).
Hit version by The First Edition (US #5 1968).
Also recorded by Mickey Newbury, writer (1968); Kenny Rogers, solo (1978).

From the wiki: “‘Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)’ is a counterculture-era song written by Mickey Newbury (‘An American Trilogy’). Said to reflect the LSD experience, the song was intended to be a warning against the danger of using LSD. First recorded in 1967 by Jerry Lee Lewis for the album Soul My Way (he rejected its release as a single), the song became a hit for The First Edition (with Kenny Rogers on lead vocals) in 1968.

“It was the First Edition’s first Top 10 appearance on the Billboard charts, and got the group their first national TV audience on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. The song (as recorded by The First Edition) is also featured in a dream sequence from the Coen Brothers’ 1998 film, The Big Lebowski.”

Before the Next Teardrop Falls

First recorded by Duane Dee (C&W #44 1968).
Also recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis (1969).
Other hit versions by Linda Martell (C&W #33 1970), Freddy Fender (US #1/C&W #1 1975).

From the wiki: “‘Before the Next Teardrop Falls’ was written in the late 1960s by Vivian Keith and Ben Peters, and had been recorded more than two dozen times – achieving modest success in versions by various performers (the original version by Duane Dee reached #44 on the Billboard country chart in early 1968; Linda Martell sent her version to #33 in early 1970) before becoming a chart-topping hit for Freddy Fender.

Help Me Make It Through the Night

Written and first recorded by Kris Kristofferson (1970).
Hit versions by Sammi Smith (US #8/C&W #1 1971), Joe Simon (US #69/R&B #13 1971), Gladys Knight & The Pips (US #33/R&B #13/UK #11 1972).
Also recorded by Elvis Presley (1971), Joan Baez (1971), Jerry Lee Lewis (1971), Dottie West (1971), Bryan Ferry (1974).

From the wiki: “Kris Kristofferson wrote ‘Help Me Make It’ while sweeping floors and emptying ashtrays at Columbia Records studios in Nashville, and said that he got the inspiration for the song from an Esquire magazine interview with Frank Sinatra. When asked what he believed in, Frank replied, ‘Booze, broads, or a Bible…whatever helps me make it through the night.’

Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On

Originally recorded by Big Maybelle (1955).
Also recorded by Roy Hall (1955).
Hit version by Jerry Lee Lewis (US #3/C&W #1/R&B #1/UK #38 1957).

From the wiki: “The origins of the song are disputed, but the writing is co-credited to singer/songwriter Dave ‘Curlee’ Williams and pianist, bandleader, and songwriter James Faye ‘Roy’ Hall. Big Maybelle made the first recording of it in March 1955 for Okeh Records, in a session produced by Quincy Jones.