Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Category: 1950s

1950s, Pop

Teach Me Tonight

First recorded by Janet Brace (US #23 1953).
Other hit versions by Dinah Washington (R&B #4 1954), The DeCastro Sisters (US#2/UK #20 1954), Jo Stafford (US #15 1955), George Maharis (US #25 1962), Al Jarreau (US #70/R&B #51 1982).
Also recorded by Amy Winehouse (2003).

From the wiki: “‘Teach Me Tonight’ was written by Gene De Paul, the lyrics by Sammy Cahn, and first recorded in 1953 by Janet Brace. Dinah Washington recorded the first cover in 1954, charting into the R&B Top 5.

“The DeCastro Sisters, a Cuban trio, recorded it with Skip Martin’s orchestra and had the biggest hit with the song, peaking at #2 on the Hit Parade.

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1950s, Pop

Teenager in Love

Written and first recorded (as a demo titled “It’s Great to Be Young and in Love”) by Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus (1958).
Hit versions by Dion & The Belmonts (US #5 1958 |UK #28 1959), Marty Wilde & The Wildcats (UK #2 1959), Craig Douglas (UK #13 1959).
Also recorded by The Wailers (1965).

From the wiki: “‘Teenager In Love’ was the first big hit co-written by Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus (‘Save The Last Dance For Me’, ‘This Magic Moment‘, ‘(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame‘), and had as its genesis an earlier Pomus-Shuman collaboration titled ‘It’s Great to Be Young and in Love’ heard, in the above recording, as it was being written.

“Dion & the Belmonts’ recording of ‘Teenager in Love’ is considered one of the greatest songs in rock and roll history. It is on the list of Rolling Stone magazine’s Top 500 Most Influential Rock Songs. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992; Shuman was inducted in 2010.

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1950s, R&B

Early in the Morning

Co-written (by Bobby Darin) and first recorded by The Ding Dongs (1958).
Hit version by The Rinky Dinks (US #24/R&B #8 1958), Buddy Holly (US #32/UK #17 1958).

From the wiki: “‘Early in the Morning’ was written by Bobby Darin and Woody Harris. Darin, a member at the time of the Brill Building gang of struggling songwriters, approached Brunswick Records with the song; Brunswick was impressed, but as Darin was still under contract to Atlantic Records’ subsidiary, Atco, the song was released as by ‘The Ding Dongs’ (in reality, Bobby Darin and backing vocalists).

“New York deejays liked the record but Atco soon discovered the deception. Brunswick was forced to turn over its masters to Atco, who then re-released the record in 1958 under the name ‘The Rinky Dinks’. It was the Atco-labeled release which charted in the U.S. and the U.K.

“A version of ‘Early in the Morning’ by Buddy Holly competed in the UK with Darin’s single, which had been released there under Darin’s own name.”

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1950s, Doo wop

Earth Angel

First recorded by The Penguins (R&B #1 1954).
Other hit versions by The Crew Cuts (US #3/UK #4 1955), Gloria Mann (US #18 1955), New Edition (US #21/R&B #3 1985).

From the wiki: “The recording sounds so simple, and it is: four voices and a piano. It first aired on the radio before the records were even pressed, and the immediate and massive reaction it received forced the group to release the recording “as-is” without the additional embellishment and orchestration that had been originally planned. ‘Earth Angel’ became one of the blueprints for Doo-wop; the second such recording to hit the Top 10 (after The Chords’ ‘Sh-Boom’). The Penguins were four high school students from Fremont High in Los Angeles, and they recorded ‘Earth Angel’ in a garage and released it on a small black-owned label called Dootone Records. The recording became the first independent label release to appear on Billboard’s national pop charts.

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1950s, R&B

Since I Met You Baby

Written and first recorded by Ivory Joe Hunter (US #12/R&B #1 1956).
Other hit versions by Mindy Carson (US #34 1956), Bobby Vee (B-side US #81 1960), Sonny James (C&W #1 1969).
Also recorded (as “Desde que conozco”) by Freddy Fender (US #45/C&W #10 1975).

http://youtu.be/2FWpshhkHU0

From the wiki: “‘Since I Met You Baby’ was written and first recorded by pianist Ivory Joe Hunter. The song, which Hunter recorded and charted with in 1956, has since become an American R&B standard, and saw renewed popularity in 1969 when Country music artist Sonny James released his #1 version. Hunter had already tasted major success with Pop and R&B audiences with songs such as ‘I Almost Lost My Mind‘. He moved to Atlantic Records by 1954, and around that time wrote ‘Since I Met You Baby’. Hunter’s recording topped the Billboard R&B chart for three weeks in 1956 and became his sole Billboard Hot 100 entry, peaking at #12.

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1950s, Rock 'n Roll

Speedy Gonzales

First recorded by Dave Dante (1962).
Hit version by Pat Boone (US #6/UK #2 1962).

From the wiki: “‘Speedy Gonzales’, ‘the fastest mouse in all Mexico,’ was written by Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee, and David Hess (aka David Hill, ‘All Shook Up’) who first recorded the song under the alias ‘Dave Dante’ in 1962. The song was popularized in the United States as a 1962 single by Pat Boone, doing better in many national charts in Europe where Boone’s recording sold a million copies. The female voice (‘La-la-la…’) on this song was of Robin Ward (‘Wonderful Summer’), and Boone’s cover also incorporated Mel Blanc voicing ‘Speedy Gonzales’ as he did in the Warner Brothers cartoons. (Elton John has stated that the ‘hook’ in his best-selling single ‘Crocodile Rock’ was inspired by his listening to Ward’s vocal on ‘Speedy Gonzales’.)”

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1950s, R&B

Sincerely

First recorded by The Moonglows (US#20/R&B #1 1955).
Other hit versions by The McGuire Sisters (US #1/UK #14 1955), The Forrester Sisters (C&W #8 1989).

https://youtu.be/lZv3atM2arc

From the wiki: “Among the most seminal R&B and doo-wop groups of all time, The Moonglows’ lineup featured some of the genre’s greatest pure singers. The group were originally called ‘The Crazy Sounds’, but were renamed by radio disc-jockey Alan Freed as ‘The Moonglows’. (The group also cut some recordings as The Moonlighters.) Their first major hit was the #1 R&B gem ‘Sincerely’, for Chess Records, penned by group member Harvey Fuqua and recorded by them in late 1954.

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1950s, R&B

Seventh Son

First recorded by Willie Mabon (1955).
Hit versions by Johnny Rivers (US #7/CAN #1 1965), Georgie Fame (UK #25 1969).
Also recorded by Mose Allison (1959), Willie Dixon, writer (1969).

From the wiki: “‘The Seventh Son’, also recorded as ‘Seventh Son’, was written by Willie Dixon and first released as a single by Willie Mabon on Chess Records in 1955 (with Dixon on bass). Dixon recalled (via Songfacts.com), ‘The seventh son is part of the scriptures of the Bible. ‘The seventh son of the seventh son born on the seventh hour of the seventh day of the seventh month.’ I was born in the seventh month and I was the seventh child of my family.’ In the same interview, Mose Allison, who covered the song in 1959, remembered, ‘I thought that was a great song of that type. One of the common things is to feel that you are supernatural sometimes. And most people have felt that at one time or another.’

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1950s, R&B

Surfin’ USA

Inspired by “Route 90” by Clarence Garlow (as a B-side 1952) and “Sweet Little Sixteen” by Chuck Berry (US #2/R&B #1/UK #16 1958).
Hit version by The Beach Boys (US #3/R&B #20/UK #34 1962).

From the wiki: “‘Route 90’, co-written and first recorded in 1952 by Louisiana stomper Clarence Garlow, served as the basis for two hit songs: Chuck Berry’s ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’ (1958) and ‘Surfin’ Safari’ (1962) by The Beach Boys. Somewhat ironically, it would be Berry – not Garlow (who passed away in 1986) – who would sue The Beach Boys for copyright infringement. Garlow’s only hit song recording was ‘Bon Ton Roula’, which peaked at #7 on the R&B chart in 1950.

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1950s, Rock 'n Roll

Love’s Made a Fool of You

First recorded by Buddy Holly, writer (1958, released UK #39 1964).
Hit versions by The Crickets (UK #26 1959), Bobby Fuller Four (US #26 1966), Cochise (US #96 1971).

From the wiki: “Love’s Made a Fool of You’ was co-written and originally performed by Buddy Holly in 1954. It was first recorded in 1958 by Holly as a demo for The Everly Brothers (who chose not to record it). Holly’s demo would be posthumously released in the UK in 1964 on the Peggy Sue Got Married EP; charting in the UK Top 40. The song would be covered by The Crickets (Holly’s backup band) in 1959, becoming the group’s first single to be released following Holly’s death, but would be more famously covered in 1966 by The Bobby Fuller Four (who also covered The Crickets ‘I Fought the Law‘ the previous year).

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1950s, Country

Singing the Blues

First hit version recorded by Marty Robbins (US #17/C&W #1 1956).
Other hit versions by Guy Mitchell (US #1/R&B #4/UK #1 1956), Tommy Steele (UK #1 1957), Dave Edmunds (UK #28 1980), Gail Davies (C&W #17 1983), Daniel O’Donnell (UK #23 1994), The Kentucky Headhunters (C&W #70 1997).

From the wiki: “Composed and first recorded by Melvin Endsley, ‘Singing the Blues’ holds a unique record in the UK: It was the first and, in half a century and more of its existence, the only song in the history of the UK Singles chart to knock itself off the top spot twice! Guy Mitchell’s version topped the UK Singles chart at the start of January 1957, and was replaced the following week by the Tommy Steele version. The following week, the Mitchell version again replaced the Steele version at #1.

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1950s, R&B

Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me

First recorded by Noble & King (1951).
Hit versions by Karen Chandler (US #5 1952), Muriel Smith (UK #3 1953), Mel Carter (US #8/MOR #1 1965), Johnny & Jonie Mosby (C&W #38 1969), Gloria Estefan (UK #11/IRE #22 1994).
Also recorded by The Orioles (1953), Connie Francis (1959).

Noble & King (1951) [No video available]

From the wiki: “‘Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me’ was written by Harry Noble in 1952. It became a hit in three different decades and is considered a classic of the early Rock/Pop era. The Karen Chandler recording became a US Top 10 hit in 1952; as was often the case with songs of that era, a version was also separately recorded for the UK market – by British singer Muriel Smith – and it became a Top 5 hit in Britain in 1953.

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1950s, Pop

Theme from “A Summer Place”

First recorded by Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra (1959).
Hit versions by Billy Vaughn (R&B #2 1960), The Percy Faith Orchestra (US #1/UK #2 1960), Norrie Paramor & His Orchestra (UK #35 1960), Dick Roman (US #64/MOR #16 1962), The Lettermen (US #16 1965).
Also recorded (as “Illya Kuryakin”) by Ike B. & The Crystalites (1968).

From the wiki: “‘Theme from A Summer Place‘ was written by Max Steiner (music) and Mack Discant (lyrics) for the 1959 film A Summer Place. Originally known as the ‘Molly and Johnny Theme’ (for the two characters in the film portrayed by Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue), it was recorded for the film by Hugo Winterhalter & HiS Orchestra.

“Percy Faith recorded the most popular version of the tune which spent an at-the-time record of nine consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in early 1960. Faith’s recording still remains the longest-running #1 instrumental in the history of the chart.

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1950s, Country

Wasted Days and Wasted Nights

First recorded by Freddy Fender (1959).
Hit version by Freddy Fender (US #8/C&W #1/NZ #1 1974).
Also recorded by Texas Tornados (1999).

From the wiki: “Freddy Fender wrote and first recorded ‘Wasted Days and Wasted Nights’ as a smoky rhythm & blues ballad during the early stages of his career. He was in the process of perfecting his mesh of Rockabilly and Tejano, and the song showcased his new style. First released in 1959 on the small Duncan Records label, the song became a minor national hit in 1960 (Cashbox Magazine #82) on the more widely-distributed Imperial label. But, Fender was arrested on charges of marijuana possession and, in May 1960, he was convicted and jailed. The popularity of the song, along with Fender’s own popularity, plummeted.

“Flash-forward to 1975: With the help of record producer Huey P. Meaux (‘Talk to Me‘, Sir Douglas Quintet), Fender re-recorded ‘Wasted Days and Wasted Nights’. This time, the song became a major Country and Pop hit, topping the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in August 1975 and peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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1950s, Rock 'n Roll

Shimmy, Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop

First recorded (as “(Shimmy Shimmy) Ko Ko Wop”) by The El Capris (1956).
Hit version by Little Anthony & The Imperials (US #24/R&B #14 1960).

From the wiki: “The El Capris formed in 1954, in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They were neighborhood friends, all of whom were between 13 and 14 years old. They decided to call themselves the ‘Bluebirds’ but with a twist: Believing that the Spanish for ‘bluebird’ was ‘capri’, they settled on the ‘El Capris’ – ignoring the fact that ‘el’ is used grammatically in the singular … and that ‘capri’ does not mean ‘bluebird’. None of this, however, had any relevance to their singing talent which they used to win a contest, at school in 1955. The prize was an audition for Woody Henderling, owner of New York City’s Bullseye label. He liked what he heard, and in late 1955, he put them in a studio at WHOD Radio in Homestead, PA, recording two songs.

“One of the sides they recorded was titled ‘(Shimmy Shimmy) Ko Ko Wop’, written by three of the group’s members, ames Scott, James Ward and Leon Gray. The record was released in March of 1956, but went nowhere.

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1950s, Country

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.

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1950s, Pop

My Special Angel

First recorded by Sonny Land Trio (1957).
Hit versions by Bobby Helms (US #7/C&W #1/R&B #8/UK 22 1957), Malcolm Vaughn (UK #3 1957), The Vogues (US #7 1968).

From the wiki: “‘My Special Angel’ was written by Jimmy Duncan, published in 1957. (Duncan would, in the late 1960s, operate a nightclub in Houston, Texas, called ‘The Living Eye’. Nationally-known groups such as the Electric Prunes and ? and the Mysterians played there.) ‘My Special Angel’ became a crossover hit in 1957 for Bobby Helms, charting on the Billboard Hot 100, and the Country and R&B singles charts.

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1950s, Rock 'n Roll

Baby Let’s Play House

Written and first recorded by Arthur Gunter (1954).
Hit version by Elvis Presley (C&W #5 1955).
Also recorded (as a demo) by Buddy Holly (1955).

From the wiki: “‘Baby Let’s Play House’ was written by Arthur Gunter and was first recorded by him in 1954. It would be covered by Elvis Presley the following year on Sun Records – the fourth issue of a Presley record by Sun … and it became the very first recording by Elvis to appear on any national music popularity chart – in this case, when it peaked at #5 on the Billboard Country singles chart in July 1955.

“In his youth the songwriter, Gunter, formed the Gunter Brothers Quartet with brothers and cousins. In 1954 Gunter signed with Excello Records and recorded ‘Baby Let’s Play House’ in November 1954. It was released on Excello 2047 and became a local hit. Gunter would later say ‘Elvis got that number and made it famous. But I didn’t get a chance to shake his hand.’ Gunter’s first royalty check, received in 1955, was for $6500 (equivalent to $57,000 in 2014).

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1950s, Pop

The Wonder of You

First recorded by Ray Peterson (US #25/UK #23 1959).
Other hit versions by Ronnie Hilton (UK #22 1959), Elvis Presley (US #9/C&W #37/UK #1 1970).
Also recorded by The Platters (1968).

From the wiki: “‘The Wonder of You’ was written by Baker Knight for Perry Como. It was, instead, given to Ray Peterson (‘Tell Laura I Love Her’) who released ‘The Wonder of You’ in 1959 as a single. It became his first Top 40 hit, peaking at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100. That same year it was covered in the UK by Ronnie Hilton; his version reached #22 on the UK Singles Chart.

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1950s, R&B

Blue Monday

First recorded by Smiley Lewis (1954).
Hit version by Fats Domino (US #5/R&B #1 1957).

From the wiki: “‘Blue Monday’ was originally written by Dave Bartholomew (‘I Hear You Knocking‘, ‘My Ding-a-Ling‘), and first recorded by Smiley Lewis in 1954. ‘Blue Monday’ was later popularized in a recording by Fats Domino in 1956, and it became one of the earliest Rhythm & Blues songs to make the Billboard magazine Pop music charts. The song was also featured in the 1956 film The Girl Can’t Help It.”

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1950s, Rock 'n Roll

Rockin’ Pneumonia & the Boogie Woogie Flu

Written and first recorded (as “Tu-Ber-Cu-Lucas and the Sinus Blues”) by Huey “Piano” Smith (1957).
Hit versions by Huey “Piano” Smith & The Clowns (US #52/R&B #5 1957), Johnny Rivers (US #6/AUS #27/NZ #11 1972).
Also recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis (1965), Chris Farlowe (1966), David Lindley (1981).

From the wiki: “In 1955, Huey ‘Piano’ Smith turned 21, and became the piano player with Little Richard’s first band for Specialty Records. The same year Smith also played piano on several studio sessions for other artists such as Lloyd Price; one of the sessions resulted in the Smiley Lewis hit, ‘I Hear You Knocking‘.

“In 1957, Smith formed ‘Huey ‘Piano’ Smith and His Clowns’ and signed a long-term contract with Ace Records. The group hit the Billboard charts with several singles in succession, including ‘Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu’, first recorded as ‘Tu-Ber-Cu-Lucas and the Sinus Blues’ in 1957 and released as the B-side to ‘Dearest Darling’.

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1950s, Pop

It’s All in the Game

First recorded (as “Dawes Melody in A Major”) by Fritz Kreisler & Charles Lamson (1921).
Also recorded (as “Melody”) by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (1942).
First recorded (as “It’s All in the Game”) by Tommy Edwards (US #18/R&B #1 1951).
Also recorded by Louis Armstrong (1953), Nat “King” Cole (1956).
Other hit versions by Tommy Edwards (re-recording US #1/UK #1 1958), Cliff Richard (US #25/UK #2 1963), The Four Tops (US #24/R&B #6/UK #5 1970).

From the wiki: “‘It’s All in the Game’ is the only #1 hit ever written by a future US Vice-President. The melody, titled ‘Dawes Melody in A Major’, was first composed in 1911 by then-banker Charles Gates Dawes, who would become VP in 1925 under Calvin Coolidge. The song garnered some popularity in the 1920s when concert violinist Jascha Heifetz used it for a time as a ‘light concert’ encore.

“Lyrics were added in 1951 by the Brill Building songwriter Carl Sigman, who also changed the song’s name to ‘It’s All in the Game’ from its original. Sadly, Dawes would not live to hear lyrics put to his song. He passed away the same day Sigman completed his assignment.

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1950s, Rock 'n Roll

Rock and Roll Music

Written and first recorded by Chuck Berry (US #8/R&B #6 1957).
Other hit versions by The Beatles (AUS #1/NOR #1/SWE #1/FIN/GER #2 1964), Humble Pie (US #105 1975), The Beach Boys (US #5/CAN #11/UK #36 1976), Mental As Anything (AUS #5 1988).

From the wiki: “‘Rock and Roll Music’ was written and recorded by rock ‘n roll icon Chuck Berry.

“The sessions for ‘Rock and Roll Music’ took place in May 1957 in Chicago, Illinois, produced by the Chess brothers – Leonard and Phil – and backing Chuck Berry were pianist Lafayette Leake, bassist Willie Dixon, and drummer Fred Below. Chess records issued the song as a single in September 1957 on both the 45 rpm and 78 rpm formats. It reached #6 on Billboard magazine’s R&B Singles chart and #8 on the Hot 100 chart before the year’s end.

“Five decades later, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Berry’s version at #128 on their list of ‘The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time’. The song is also a part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of the ‘500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll’.

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1950s, Rock 'n Roll

Claudette

Written and first recorded (as a demo) by Roy Orbison (1958).
Hit version by The Everly Brothers (US #30/C&W #15/UK #1 1958).
Also recorded by Roy Orbison (1965).

From the wiki: “‘Claudette’ was written by Roy Orbison and was inspired by his wife, Claudette Frady, whom he had married in 1957. It was the first major songwriting success for the then-unknown Orbison, who at had only one minor hit (‘Oooby Dooby’, US #59) while under contract to Sun Records. Discouraged, Orbison left recording behind and returned home to Texas to concentrate on songwriting.

“Orbison’s demo found its way to The Everly Brothers who would record and release their version as the B-side to ‘All I Have to Do Is Dream’. But, ‘Claudette’ would also separately chart in both the US and the UK (where it topped the chart).

“The success of the Everly’s ‘Claudette’ gave Orbison enough money to buy himself out of his contract at Sun and he signed over all of his prior copyrights to Sam Phillips with the exception of ‘Claudette’. Instead, Orbison affiliated himself with the Everly’s publisher, Acuff-Rose Music. Orbison would record his own version of ‘Claudette’ in 1965.”

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