Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: The Strangeloves

I Want Candy

First recorded by The Strangeloves (US #11/CAN #7 1965).
Hit versions by Brian Poole & the Tremeloes (UK #25 1965), Bow Wow Wow (US #62/UK #9/IRE #7/AUS #39 1983), Candy Girls (UK #30 1996), Aaron Carter (UK #31/SWE #10/AUS #37/NETH #37 2000), Melanie C. (UK #7/ITA #9/DEN #12 2007).
Also recorded by Pop ‘n Fresh (2008).

From the wiki: “‘I Want Candy’ was written by Bert Berns, Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer (‘My Boyfriend’s Back’) in 1965. For this song, the trio took on the moniker of The Strangeloves, and recorded the tune themselves, augmented by studio musicians. Although Feldman, Goldstein and Gottehrer used their real names in the writing and production credits of this single, they claimed The Strangeloves were actually three Australian brothers (and ex-sheep farmers) named Giles, Miles and Niles Strange. Feldman, Goldstein and Gottehrer dressed up in shaggy wigs and exotic clothing for publicity photos as The Strangeloves.

“It was The Strangelove’s second single, becoming a Top 10 hit in Canada and hitting #11 in the US. But, the record failed to chart in the UK — or in The Strangeloves’ so-called ‘native’ country, Australia. (A cover by Brian Poole & the Tremeloes, however, charted in the UK and peaked at #25.)

Willie and the Hand Jive

Written and originally recorded by The Johnny Otis Show (US #9/R&B #5 1958).
Other hit versions by The Strangeloves (US #100 1966), Eric Clapton (US #26 1974), George Thorogood (US #63 1985).

From the wiki: “The origin of the song came when one of radio disc jockey and bandleader Johnny Otis’ managers, Hal Zeiger, found out that rock’n’roll concert venues in England did not permit the teenagers to stand up and dance in the aisles, so they instead danced with their hands while remaining in their seats. The music was based on a song Otis had heard a chain gang singing while he was touring as a teenager with Count Otis Matthews and the West Oakland House Stompers.