Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: Tony Joe White

1970s, Rock

I’ve Got a Thing About You Baby

Written and first recorded by Tony Joe White (1972).
Also recorded by Billy Lee Riley (1972).
Hit version by Elvis Presley (US #39/C&W #4/MOR #27/UK #33 1974).

From the wiki: “‘I’ve Got a Thing About You Baby’ is a soulful, laid-back track written and first recorded in 1972 by Tony Joe White, a singer-songwriter known for his swamp rock style. The song was first released in 1972 on White’s album The Train I’m On. It has a bluesy, groove-heavy vibe with a subtle romantic charm, which fits well within White’s signature style that blends country, blues, and rock.

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1970s, Soul

Rainy Night in Georgia

Written and originally recorded by Tony Joe White (1962 |1969).
Also recorded by David Ruffin (1970).
Hit version by Brook Benton (US #4/R&B #1 1970).

From the wiki: “‘Rainy Night in Georgia’ is a song written and first recorded by Tony Joe White in 1962 (and re-recorded by White in 1969) and was popularized by R&B vocalist Brook Benton in 1970.

“In 1967, White signed with Monument Records, which operated from a recording studio in the Nashville suburb of Hendersonville, TN. Over the next three years, White released four singles with no commercial success Stateside, although ‘Soul Francisco’ was a hit in France. ‘Polk Salad Annie’ had been released for nine months and written off as a failure by his record label when it finally entered the US charts in July 1969. It climbed into the Top Ten by early August, eventually reaching #8, becoming White’s biggest performance hit.

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