Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: The Cookies

1960s, R&B

Chains

First recorded by The Everly Brothers (1962, released 1984).
Hit versions by The Cookies (US #17/R&B #7/UK #50 1962), The Beatles (1963).

From the wiki: “‘Chains’ was composed by the Brill Building husband-and-wife songwriting team Gerry Goffin and Carole King (‘Up on the Roof‘, ‘Crying in the Rain‘, ‘Oh No Not My Baby‘). It was first recorded by the Everly Brothers in 1962 but went unreleased until 1984.

“The same year, ‘Chains’ became a US Top 20 hit for Little Eva’s backing singers, The Cookies (with Earl-Jean McRae (‘I’m Into Something Good‘) singing lead), with an arrangement produced by co-writer Goffin.and later covered by The Beatles.

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1960s, Pop

I’m Into Something Good

First recorded by Earl-Jean (US #38 1964).
Hit version by Herman’s Hermits (US #13/UK #1 1964).

From the wiki: “‘I’m Into Something Good’ was originally recorded by The Cookies member Earl-Jean McCrea in 1964 and produced and arranged by the song’s composers, Gerry Goffin and Carole King (‘Oh No Not My Baby‘, ‘Up on the Roof‘, ‘(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman‘). The original recording reached #38 on the US pop singles chart.

“Soon thereafter, Herman’s Hermits recorded the song as their debut single, reaching #1 in the UK Singles Chart on 14 September 1964 and staying there for two weeks. The song peaked at #13 in the US later that year.

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1960s, R&B

On Broadway

Originally recorded by The Cookies (1962).
Also recorded (and released first) by The Crystals (1962).
Hit versions by The Drifters (US #9/R&B #7 1963) and George Benson (US #7/R&B #2 1978).

From the wiki: “Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann were based at Aldon Music, in NYC, and the song as written by Mann-Weil was originally recorded by The Cookies (although The Crystals’ version beat them to release) and featured an upbeat lyric in which the protagonist is still on her way to Broadway and sings ‘I got to get there soon, or I’ll just die.’

“For the Crystals’ recording, Phil Spector created his soon-to-be trademark cocktail of pizzicato strings, mandolins and castanets. His ‘Wall of Sound’ was inspired by, and reflects, the ‘neon lights of Broadway’, and might not even exist without Spector’s ‘On Broadway’ arrangement.

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