Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Suspicion

First recorded by Elvis Presley (1962 |UK #9 1976).
Hit version by Terry Stafford (US #2/UK #31 1964).

From the wiki: “‘Suspicion’ is a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, one of 25 songs Pomus and Shuman wrote for Elvis Presley.

“‘Suspicion’ featured on Presley’s 1962 album Pot Luck with Elvis, but was not initially released as a single. (It would, in 1976, in the UK.) The song did become a hit in 1964 when recorded as a cover version by an Elvis sound-alike, Terry Stafford. The Stafford version of ‘Suspicion’ (which had the dubious distinction of rising from #7 to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 4 April 1964, the date that the entire Top 5 positions belonged to The Beatles) finally peaked at #3 the next two weeks, and #31 in the UK Singles Chart. Presley’s version was eventually a hit in the UK, reaching #9 in 1976.

“In a 2002 interview with journalist Mick Brown, record producer Phil Spector claimed he wrote and/or produced ‘Suspicion’, but did not receive credit: ‘I made ‘Suspicion’ for Terry Stafford — I didn’t get any credit or any money. I didn’t care. I just loved making records.’ However, in the same interview, Spector also made claims of producing records by Elvis Presley without credit, and acting as a translator for the United Nations while a teenager; none of these unlikely claims have been corroborated by anyone else.

“A maniacal version of the song was recorded by Vivian Stanshall (of Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band) & His Gargantuan Chums, produced by Keith Moon (of The Who).”

Terry Stafford, “Suspicion” (1964):

http://youtu.be/GmXJaXgPBPU

Vivian Stanshall, “Suspicion” produced by Keith Moon (1972):

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