Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Category: Pop

1900s, Pop

Melody of Love

First recorded by The Edison Symphony Orchestra (1903).
Hit versions by Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra (US #2 1955), David Carroll & His Orchestra (US #9 1955), The Four Aces (US #11 1955), Frank Sinatra (US #19 1955), The Ink Spots (UK #10 1955), Jim Reeves (B-side C&W #10 1970).

From the wiki: “‘Melody of Love’ was originally written by Hans Engelmann and first recorded in 1903 by the Edison Symphony Orchestra, with lyrics added in 1954 by Tom Glazer (‘On Top of Spaghetti‘).

“An instrumental version recorded by Billy Vaughn in 1955, one of several instrumental and vocal versions released that year, became the highest-charting arrangement of ‘Melody of Love’ on the Billboard charts in 1955. Arrangements by David Carroll, the Four Aces, Frank Sinatra, and, in the UK, the Ink Spots, also charted.

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1960s, Pop

Love Hurts

First recorded by The Everly Brothers (1960).
Also recorded by Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris (1969, released 1974).
Hit versions by Roy Orbison (AUS #5 1961), Jim Capaldi (US #97/UK #4/CAN #15/AUS #6 1975), Nazareth (US #8/UK #41/CAN #1/AUS #8/DEN #2/NZ #4 1975), Cher (1975 |UK #43/NOR #2 1991).

From the wiki: “‘Love Hurts’ was written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant (‘All I Have to Do Is Dream’, ‘Bye Bye Love’), and was first recorded by The Everly Brothers in July 1960. The song was introduced in December 1960 as an album track on A Date with The Everly Brothers, but was never released as a single (A-side or B-side) by the Everlys. (The duo would re-record the song with a more up-tempo arrangement in 1964.)

“The first hit version of the song was recorded by Roy Orbison, who earned Australian radio play for ‘Love Hurts’ even though the song was issued as the B-side to ‘Running Scared’, hitting the Top-5 on that country’s singles charts in 1961.

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1960s, Pop

Make Your Own Kind of Music

First recorded by The Will-O-Bees (1968).
Hit version by “Mama” Cass Elliot (US #36/MOR #6 1969).
Also performed by The Carpenters (1971).

From the wiki: “‘Make Your Own Kind of Music’ was written by Barry Mann (‘Never Gonna Let You Go‘, ‘We Gotta Get Out of This Place‘, ‘Venus in Blue Jeans‘) and Cynthia Weil (‘Don’t Know Much‘, ‘I Just Can’t Help Believing‘, ‘We Gotta Get Out of This Place‘) first recorded in 1968 by New York City-based trio the Will-O-Bees (Janet Blossom, Steven Porter, and Robert Merchanthouse) who regularly performed Mann/Weil compositions. After ‘Mama’ Cass Elliot had a solo hit in the summer of 1969 with Mann/Weil’s ‘It’s Getting Better’ she recorded ‘Make Your Own Kind of Music’ as the follow-up single. Her album Bubblegum, Lemonade, and… Something for Mama was then re-released as Make Your Own Kind of Music, the title cut having been added to the original track listing.”

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1960s, Pop

Never on Sunday

First performed by Melina Mercouri (1960).
Hit versions by Don Costa (US #19/UK #27 1960), Lynn Cornell (UK #30 1960), The Chordettes (US #13/MOR #4 1961).

From the wiki: “‘Never on Sunday’, also known as ‘Ta Pediá tou Pireá’ (Greek: ‘Τα Παιδιά του Πειραιά’; English: ‘The Children of Piraeus’), was written by Manos Hadjidakis originally in Greek and was performed in the 1960 film Never on Sunday by Melina Mercouri. The song was nominated and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, a first for a foreign-language picture since the Academy began recognizing achievements in that category in 1934. An orchestral version recorded by Don Costa reached #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960, then returned to the Billboard Top 40 when reissued in 1961. Costas’ version also peaked at #27 in the UK Singles chart.

“Following the success of the orchestral version, as well as the Oscar win, an English-language version of ‘Never on Sunday’ was commissioned to match the title of the film. A vocal of the song by The Chordettes (‘Mr. Sandman’, 1954) reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1961.”

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1960s, Pop

Pied Piper

First recorded by The Changin’ Times (US #87 1965).
Also recorded by The Jets (1966).
Other hit versions by Crispian St. Peters (US #4/UK #5/CAN #1/AUS #5 1966), Bob & Marcia (UK #11 1971).

From the wiki: “‘The Pied Piper’ was written by the duo of Steve Duboff and Artie Kornfeld, who first recorded the song in 1965 as a Dylan-esque group they called The Changin’ Times.

“However, it was British pop singer Crispian St. Peters who scored the major hit with the song during the summer of 1966, when his single went to #4 in the United States, #5 in the United Kingdom and #1 in Canada. (In the Netherlands, the beatgroup The Jets from Utrecht recorded their version a few months before St. Peters did. Rumors had it that this version inspired the Crispian St. Peters version.)

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1940s, Pop

Fools Rush In

First recorded by Bob Crosby with Marion Mann (1940).
Hit versions by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (US #17 1940), Tony Martin (US #16 1940), The Glenn Miller Orchestra (US #1 1940), Billy Eckstine (R&B #6 1949), Brook Benton (US #24/R&B #5 1960), Etta James (US #87 1962), Ricky Nelson (US #12/R&B #24/UK #12 1963).

From the wiki: “‘Fools Rush In’ was written in 1940 by lyricist Johnny Mercer with music by Rube Bloom. First recorded by the Bob Crosby orchestra with Marion Mann, major hits at the time of introduction were recorded by Tony Martin, Glenn Miller with Ray Eberle, and Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra. It was also recorded by Billy Eckstine. In the 1960s, ‘Fools Rush In’ saw a resurgence of popularity, resulting in charted remakes in 1960-61 (Brook Benton), 1962 (Etta James), and 1963 (Ricky Nelson).”

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1970s, Pop

Can’t Stop Dancing

Co-written and first recorded by Ray Stevens (1976).
Hit version by The Captain & Tennille (US #13/MOR #12/CAN #11/AUS #67 1977).

From the wiki: “”Can’t Stop Dancin” is a song written by John Pritchard Jr. and Ray Stevens. It was first recorded by Stevens in 1976 for his album Just for the Record.

“The following year, husband-and-wife singing-duo the Captain & Tennile covered ‘Can’t Stop Dancing’ for their third studio album, Come In from the Rain. Released as that albums first promotional single, it peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., and #11 on the Canadian RPM Top Single chart.”

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1960s, Pop

Moon River

First recorded and performed (in Breakfast at Tiffany’s) by Audrey Hepburn (1961, released 1993).
Hit versions by co-writer Henry Mancini (US#11/MOR #3/UK #44 Oct 1961), Jerry Butler (US #11/MOR #3/R&B #14 Oct 1961), Danny Williams (UK #1 Nov 1961).
Also recorded by Andy Williams (1961).

From the wiki: “‘Moon River’ was written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer, and was used as Audrey Hepburn’s theme song in the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Hepburn sings the song in the movie, but the version used on the soundtrack was an instrumental by Henry Mancini and his orchestra. Mancini’s instrumental version was released as a single, the first to chart in the US and UK. Hepburn’s version, even though recorded first, was not released until after her death in 1993. It then appeared on the album Music From The Films of Audrey Hepburn.

“Although the instrumental version is played over the film’s opening titles, the lyrics are first heard in a scene where Paul ‘Fred’ Varjak (George Peppard) discovers Holly Golightly (Hepburn) singing them, accompanied by her guitar, on the fire escape outside their apartments. There was an eruption of much behind-the-scenes consternation when a Paramount Pictures executive, Martin Rackin, suggested deleting the song from the film immediately after a very successful San Francisco preview. Hepburn’s reaction was described by Mancini and others in degrees varying from her saying ‘over my dead body’ to her using somewhat more colorful language to make the same point.

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1960s, Pop

The Look of Love

First performed (in Casino Royale) by Dusty Springfield (1967).
First single release by Nina Simone (1967).
Hit versions by Dusty Springfield (US #22/CAN #26 1967), Sergio Mendes & Brazil ’66 (US #4 1968).
Also recorded by Isaac Hayes (1970).

From the wiki: “‘The Look of Love’ was written by Burt Bacharach, and was originally intended to be an instrumental for the James Bond spook, Casino Royale but, later, Hal David added the lyrics. The song was first recorded by Springfield originally for the Casino Royale soundtrack by Phil Ramone, the soundtrack’s engineer, who recorded the song separately from the rest of the film tracks with Springfield accompanied by only piano, saxophone and percussion.

“Springfield re-recorded the song in London the same year with a more full arrangement, releasing the track as the B-side of ‘Give Me Time’. That version charted in the US and Canada. But, prior to the release of Springfield’s single, Nina Simone recorded and released her own version of ‘The Look of Love’ in 1967 for her album Silk & Soul. Simone’s single had no chart impact.

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1960s, Pop

You’re My World

First recorded (in English) by Cilla Black (US #26/MOR #4/UK #1 1964).
Other hit versions by Daryl Braithwaite (AUS #1 1974), Guys ‘n Dolls (NETH #1/BEL #1 1977), Helen Reddy (US #18/CAN #13/MEX #1 1977).

From the wiki: “The ballad ‘You’re My World’ was originally recorded in 1963 as ‘Il Mio Mondo’ (‘My World’) by Umberto Bindi, who co-wrote the Italian-language version with Gino Paoli. Although the original Italian version was not a hit, even in Italy, the song came to the attention of UK record producer George Martin who commissioned an English-language version to be recorded by his protégée Cilla Black (‘Anyone Who Had a Heart’, ‘Alfie‘, ‘Love of the Loved‘). Black’s second consecutive #1 hit in the UK, ‘You’re My World’ would be the first track by Black to be released in the US. Peaking at #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964 (and #4 on the MOR chart), ‘You’re My World’ would be Black’s only US Top 40 hit.

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1950s, Pop

Memories Are Made of This

First recorded by Mindy Carson (US #53 1955).
Hit versions by Gale Storm (US #5 1955), Dean Martin (US #1/UK #1 1956).

From the wiki: “‘Memories Are Made of This’ was written by Terry Gilkyson (‘Marianne’, ‘Bare Necessities’), Richard Dehr, and Frank Miller in 1955. It was first recorded and released in September 1955 by Mindy Carson.

“Gale Storm’s 1955 cover was the first chart in the US Top 40. The most popular version of the song was recorded by Dean Martin – backed by co-writer Gilkyson & The Easy Riders – in October 1955, becoming a #1 hit on the Billboard chart for six weeks in 1956 and also topping the UK Singles chart.”

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1970s, Pop

Hey Deanie

First released by Shaun Cassidy (US #7 1977).
Other hit version by Eric Carmen, writer (B-side US #19/MOR #6 1978).

From the wiki: “Written by Eric Carmen, ‘Hey Deanie’ was first recorded by Shaun Cassidy and released as a single from his album, Born Late the last week of November, 1977. It became his third and final Top 10 hit, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Carmen would record ‘Hey Deanie’ himself for his 1978 album, Change of Heart, and it was released as the B side to the album’s title track single which went on to become a Top 20 hit in 1978.”

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1970s, Pop

Never Gonna Fall in Love Again

First single release by Dana (UK #31 March 1976).
Other hit versions by Mark Holden (AUS #13 April 1976); Eric Carmen, writer (US #11/MOR #1/CAN #1/NZ #30 May 1976).
Also recorded by John Travolta (1976, released 1980).

From the wiki: “‘Never Gonna Fall in Love Again’, written by former Raspberry band founder, Eric Carmen, was a UK hit first for pop singer Dana in March 1976. A month after Dana’s release, Australian singer Mark Holden released his promotional single arrangement. Carmen’s own single would be released in May 1976, peaking at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June.

“John Travolta also covered ‘Never Gonna Fall in Love Again’ in 1976, on the John Travolta album, but his version was not released as a single until 1980 with no apparent chart impact.

“Frank Sinatra performed ‘Never Gonna Fall in Love Again’ many times in concert in the late 1970s, most notably during the 1976 MDA Telethon broadcast hosted by Jerry Lewis. Fond of Eric Carmen’s songs, Sinatra had arrangements made of both this song and ‘All By Myself’ for concert performances, but never recorded either song.”

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1960s, Pop

Trains, Boats and Planes

Written and first recorded by Burt Bacharach (UK #4 1965).
Other hit versions by Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas (US #47/MOR #10/UK #12 1965), Dionne Warwick (US #22 1966).

From the wiki: “‘Trains and Boats and Planes’ was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and was first recorded in 1965 by Bacharach who achieved a Top 5 hit in the UK with his single.

“Bacharach and David wrote the song at a time when they had achieved great popular success, and Bacharach in particular was traveling widely to record and promote his songs. The pair intended the song to be recorded by Gene Pitney, who had had several hits with earlier Bacharach and David songs including ‘Only Love Can Break a Heart’. However, Pitney declined to record it, telling Bacharach ‘It’s not one of your better ones.’ Bacharach then recorded it himself, in London, with an orchestra, chorus, and uncredited vocals by female session singers The Breakaways. His arrangement was issued on the album Hit Maker! Burt Bacharach plays the Burt Bacharach Hits in 1965 (reissued in 1968 as Burt Bacharach Plays His Hits), and as a UK-only single.

“Other hit versions were recorded by Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas (also in 1965), and by Dionne Warwick in 1966.

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1970s, Pop

She’s Got a Way

Written and first recorded by Billy Joel (1971).
Also recorded (as “He’s Got a Way”) by Merrilee Rush (unreleased 1971).
Hit version by Billy Joel (US #23/MOR #4 1982).

From the wiki: “‘She’s Got a Way’ was written by Billy Joel and originally released on his first solo album, Cold Spring Harbor (1971). In a 1981 interview, Joel expressed mixed feelings about the song: ‘ … I thought it was cornball for years. I had trouble singing it at first. Then I got into it and decided everybody has a corny side, I suppose.’ A re-recording, performed live, was a featured single from Joel’s 1981 album Songs in the Attic.

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1970s, Pop

Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast

First recorded by Daniel Boone (UK #17/NZ #1 1971).
Other hit version by Wayne Newton (US #4/MOR #3/C&W #55 1972).

From the wiki: “‘Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast’ was written by Peter Callander and Geoff Stephens. Daniel Boone (‘Beautiful Sunday’) released the original version of the song as his debut single in 1971. It reached #1 in New Zealand and #17 on the UK Singles Chart. It was the featured track on his 1971 album, Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast. Wayne Newton recorded a cover of ‘Daddy’ in 1972 as a come-back single (having last charted Top 40 in 1965). Newton’s version reached #3 on the MOR chart, #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #55 on the Country chart in 1972.”

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1970s, Pop

Right Time of the Night

Written and first recorded by Peter McCann (B-side 1976).
Hit version by Jennifer Warnes (US #6/MOR #1/C&W #17 1977).

From the wiki: “‘Right Time of the Night’ had been recorded by its composer Peter McCann for his 1976 self-titled album, and served as B-side for his own 1977 Top Ten hit ‘Do You Wanna Make Love’.

“When it came time for Jennifer Warnes to record material for her 1977 self-titled album, Jennifer Warnes, her first on the Arista label, ‘Right Time of the Night’ was not among the original tracks recorded. Arista president Clive Davis later told Billboard: ‘If a [singer such as] Jennifer Warnes submits an album which is great but lacks a hit single, I and my A&R staff will say: ‘Listen, you need a hit. Because you’re not really going to break off FM airplay’ … So we gave her ‘Right Time of the Night’.’

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1970s, Pop

New York, New York

First recorded by Liza Minnelli (1977).
Hit version by Frank Sinatra (US #32/MOR #10/UK #4 1979).

From the wiki: “‘Theme from New York, New York’ (or ‘New York, New York’) is the theme song from the Martin Scorsese film New York, New York (1977), composed by John Kander, with lyrics by Fred Ebb. It was written for and first performed in the film by Liza Minnelli. The song did not become a popular hit until it was picked up in concert by Frank Sinatra during his performances at Radio City Music Hall in October 1978. (It was not even nominated for the Academy Award for ‘Best Song’). Subsequently, Sinatra recorded it in 1979 for his 1980 Trilogy album, and ‘New York, New York’ became one of his signature songs.

“Despite Sinatra’s version becoming more familiar, original singer Minnelli had two of the tune’s most memorable live performances – during the July 4, 1986 ceremony marking the rededication of the Statue of Liberty after extensive renovations; the other, in the ‘seventh inning stretch’ of a New York Mets game that was the first pro sports event in the New York metro area after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Previously, Minneli also sang ‘New York, New York’ at the 1984 Summer Olympics, in Los Angeles, accompanied by 24 pianos and hundreds of strobe lights.”

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1960s, Pop

The Way of Love

First recorded by Kathy Kirby (US #88 1965).
Hit version by Cher (US #7/MOR #2 1972).

From the wiki: “‘The Way of Love’ was originally written by Jack Diéval (as ‘J’ai le mal de toi’) in 1960 with French lyrics by Michel Rivgauche for singer Frédérica as an entry in the national elimination rounds of France for the 1960 Eurovision Song Contest. The song, however, was not selected and was evidently not recorded by Frédérica.

“In June 1965, the English rendering, titled ‘The Way of Love’, was recorded in the UK as a single by Kathy Kirby. ‘The Way of Love’ failed to reach the UK Top 50 but did become a regional hit in the United States reaching #88 nationally. Cher’s 1972 recording was produced by Snuff Garrett and was released in February 1972 as the second single from the album Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves, spending three weeks in the US Top 10.”

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1970s, Pop

Do You Know Where You’re Going To?

First recorded by Thelma Houston (1973).
Hit version by Diana Ross (US #1/R&B #14/UK #5/CAN #4 1975).

From the wiki: “‘Do You Know Where You’re Going To’ was written by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin (‘You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman‘, ‘Up on the Roof‘), and was first recorded in 1973 by Thelma Houston for a New Zealand-only single release (Tamla Motown 872). In 1975, the song was repurposed by Masser and used as the theme to the movie Mahogany. Sung in the film by Diana Ross, it became one of the most recognizable elements of the film. The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1975, and was also nominated for the 1975 Academy Award for Best Original Song.”

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1960s, Pop

Delilah

First recorded by P.J. Proby (1967, released 2008).
Hit versions by Tom Jones (US #15/MOR #8/CAN #2/UK #2/IRE #1/GER #1 1968), The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (UK #7 1975).

From the wiki: “‘Delilah’ was written by Barry Mason and Sylvan Whittingham, to the music by Les Reed, who also contributed the title and theme of the song (a ‘murder ballad’), and earned Reed and Mason the 1968 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. It was first recorded by P.J. Proby in 1967, for his album Believe It Or Not, in sessions produced by co-writer Reed.

“Proby hated the song thinking it sounded like a German bierkeller [‘beer cellar’ song] and refused its release. (Proby’s original version remained unreleased for the next 40 years until its eventual release in 2008 on the compilation album P.J. Proby: The Best of The EMI Years.) Reed knew it was a hit-in-waiting and offered the song to Tom Jones. Reed was also the musical director on Tom`s cover version which explains why both the Proby and Jones arrangements sound identical.

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1960s, Pop

Alfie

First recorded by Cilla Black (US #95/UK #9 January 1966).
Also recorded by Jerry Butler (May 1966, released December 1967), Dee Dee Warwick (May 1966, released 1967).
Other hit versions by Cher (US #32/CAN #36 June 1966), Dionne Warwick (US #15/R&B #5 December 1966).

From the wiki: “‘Alfie’ was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David to promote the 1966 film Alfie. Although Bacharach and David suggested ‘Alfie’ be recorded by Dionne Warwick, their most prolific interpreter, Paramount felt the film’s setting demanded the song be recorded by a UK singer. Accordingly, the initial invitation to record ‘Alfie’ was made to Sandie Shaw who had had a UK #1 hit with the Bacharach/David composition ‘(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me’. When the invitation to Shaw was declined ‘Alfie’ was offered to Cilla Black, who had also had a previous UK #1 with a Bacharach/David song: ‘Anyone Who Had a Heart’.

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1960s, Pop

Young Love

Co-written and first recorded by Ric Cartey & the Jiva-Tones (1956).
Hit versions by Sonny James (US #4/C&W #1 1957), Tab Hunter (US #1 1957), The Crew Cuts (US #17 1957), Connie Smith & Nat Stuckey (C&W #20 1969), Donny Osmond (US #25/UK #1 1973).

From the wiki: “‘Young Love’ was written by Ric Cartey and Carole Joyner, and was first recorded by Ric Cartey & the Jiva-Tones in November, 1956. Cartey’s version never charted but better-known versions were released within a short time – by Sonny James (January 5, 1957), Tab Hunter (a January 19, 1957 release that did even better on the charts than James’) and The Crew-Cuts (January 26, 1957). James’ recording was produced in October 1956 at Bradley Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, with vocal backing provided by the Jordanaires, the Nashville-based vocal group most known for their work with Elvis Presley.

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1980s, Pop

All the Man (That) I Need

First recorded (as “All the Man I Need”) by Linda Clifford (1981).
Hit versions by Sister Sledge & David Simmons (R&B #45 1982), Whitney Houston (US #1/MOR #1/R&B #1/CAN #1/UK #13 1991).

From the wiki: “‘All the Man That I Need’ is a song written by American songwriters Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore with Linda Clifford in mind when they wrote the song. The song was first recorded by Clifford in 1982 as ‘All The Man I Need’, for her album I’ll Keep on Loving You. It was released it as a single, but it failed to chart.

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