Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Category: Pop

1970s, Pop

She’s Out of My Life

First recorded (as a demo) by Tom Bahler (c. 1979)
First recorded (as a demo) by Michael Jackson (1979).
Hit versions by Michael Jackson (US #10/R&B #43/UK #3 1979), Johnny Duncan & Janie Fricke (C&W #17 1980).

From the wiki: “She’s Out of My Life’ was written by Tom Bahler. Although it has been claimed that Bahler wrote the song about his relationship with the late Karen Carpenter, Bahler has stated ‘The fact is, I had already written that song by the time Karen and I became romantic. That song was written more about [my then-girlfriend] Rhonda Rivera … it was after we broke up that I started dating Karen.’ The song became famous when recorded by Michael Jackson and released as the fourth single from his album, Off the Wall, in 1979. Producer Quincy Jones’ first idea was to record ‘She’s Out of My Life’ with Frank Sinatra. Michael’s demo (only him and an acoustic guitar) convinced Jones otherwise. (Demo was released as part of the This Is It bonus disc.)”

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1980s, Pop

You Should Hear How She Talks About You

First recorded (as “You Should Hear (How She Talks About You)) by Charlie Dore (1981).
Hit version by Melissa Manchester (US #5 1982).

From the wiki: “‘You Should Hear How She Talks About You’, first recorded by Charlie Dore (‘Pilot of the Airwaves’) for her 1981 Listen! album, was written by Dean Pitchford and Thomas R. Snow. Arif Mardin produced Manchester’s 1982 recording, describing the track as ‘a real departure for Melissa because it has a New Wave dance quality [even though] she had been best-known previously for her ballads’ (‘Midnight Blue’, ‘Don’t Cry Out Loud‘). A 1985 interview with Manchester would state she remembers having ‘to be dragged kicking and screaming into [the] studio to record…’You Should Hear How She Talks About You’.’ Manchester’s recording reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1982 to become Manchester’s highest-charting record.”

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1940s, Pop

Red Roses for a Blue Lady

First recorded by John Laurenz (1948).
Hit versions by Vaughn Monroe & The Moon Men (US #3 1949), Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians (US #8 1949), Bert Kaempert (US #11/MOR #2 1965), Wayne Newton (US #23/MOR #4 1965), Vic Dana (US #10/MOR #2 1965).

From the wiki: “‘Red Roses for a Blue Lady’ was written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett, and first recorded in 1948 by John Laurenz. The best-selling recording was produced in 1949 by Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra Vocalists: Vaughn Monroe and The Moon Men. The song was revived three times in 1965: By vocalists Vic Dana and Wayne Newton, and by instrumentalist Bert Kaempfert. Dana’s version was the most successful of the three, peaking at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Easy Listening chart.”

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1970s, Pop

Sing

First performed by The Kids of Sesame Street (1970).
Hit versions by Barbra Streisand (MOR #28 1972), The Carpenters (US #3/UK #53/JPN #1 1973).

(Above is from a 1971 broadcast of Sesame Street.)

From the wiki: “”Sing” is a popular song created for Sesame Street, written by staff songwriter Joe Raposo for the popular children’s TV show. In its initial appearance, the song was sung by adult human cast members of the show (the most frequent lead singer was Bob McGrath), and Muppets, including Big Bird.

“Although Barbra Streisand had an Easy Listening hit with ‘Sing’ (in medley with ‘Make Your Own Kind of Music’) in 1972 with ‘Sing’, Karen and Richard Carpenter first heard the song as guests on ABC television special Robert Young with the Young in 1973. They loved the song and felt it could be a big hit. ‘Sing’ became the debut single off The Carpenters album Now & Then, released in 1973.”

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1970s, Pop

Emotion

First recorded (as a demo) by The Bee Gees (1978).
Hit versions by Samantha Sang (US #3/R&B #42/UK #11 1978), Destiny’s Child (US#10/R&B #28/UK #3 2001).

From the wiki: “‘Emotion’ was written by Barry and Robin Gibb and was originally intended for the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. During the planning for Australian singer Samantha Sang’s recording session another Bee Gees’ song, ‘Don’t Throw It All Away’, had been planned for Sang to sing but upon arriving in Miami, Barry instead offered her a new song: ‘Emotion’. Sang recorded it in a breathy, Barry-like sound. Gibb himself provided harmony and background vocals, using his falsetto on this track.

“In 2001, ‘Emotion’ was covered by the American R&B girl group Destiny’s Child. Issued as the fourth single from their third studio album, Survivor, the song continued the group’s streak of top-ten hits in the United States, peaking at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 20 November 2001. The song was heavily on radio station playlists during the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, and eventually became a tribute song to the family of the victims.”

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1930s, Pop

The Way You Look Tonight

First performed by Fred Astaire (1936).
First commercial release by Bing Crosby & Dixie Lee (1936).
Also recorded by Billie Holiday (1936), The Jaguars (1956).
Hit versions by Fred Astaire (US #1 1936), The Lettermen (US #13/UK #36 1961).

From the wiki: “‘The Way You Look Tonight’ was written by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields, who later remarked, ‘The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The song was’featured in the film Swing Time, first performed by Fred Astaire, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1936.

” ‘The Way You Look Tonight’ would be first released commercially in 1936 as a duet between Bing Crosby and his then-wife Dixie Lee. Fred Astaire followed up with his 78 rpm recording on the Brunswick label, backed by the Johnny Green Orchestra, that would top the Hit Parade.

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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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1960s, Pop

Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie

First recorded (as “Ready or Not”) by Sam the Sham & The Pharoahs (1966).
Hit version by Jay & the Techniques (US #6/R&B #8/CAN #61 1967).

From the wiki: “Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs released a non-single version entitled ‘Ready or Not’, written by Maurice Irby, Jr., on their 1966 The Best of Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs (MGM SE-4422). ‘Ready or Not’ was then retitled ‘Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie’ when recorded by Jay & the Techniques in 1967.

“Bobby Hebb (‘Sunny‘) was originally offered ‘Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie’, but rejected the song due to its ‘novelty sound’. After Hebb declined, record producer Jerry Ross offered the song to Jay & the Techniques.

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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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1900s, Pop

(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love

Recorded as (“Plaisir d’Amour”) by Emilio De Gogorza (1902).
Also recorded (as “Plaisir d’Amour”) by Beniamino Gigli (1934), Joan Baez (1961).
Hit versions (in English) by Elvis Presley (US #2/MOR #1/UK #1 1961), Andy Williams (UK #3 1970), The Softones (R&B #53 1973), The Stylistics (R&B #52/UK #4 1976), UB40 (US #1/UK #1/IRE #1/AUS #1 1993).
Also recorded (as “I Want to Live”) by Aphrodite’s Child (NETH #1 1969).

[Note: The above recording is not by Emilio De Gogorza. It is a 1945 arrangement recorded by French cabaret tenor Emile-Jean Vanni-Marcoux.]

From the wiki: “‘(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love’ was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore and George Weiss (‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight‘, ‘What a Wonderful World’) based on a popular romance melody by Jean Pierre Claris de Florian, ‘Plaisir d’Amour’, first performed in 1784 and first recorded in 1902 by Emilio De Gogorza.

“Beniamino Gigli, considered by some to be the greatest opera tenor of his generation, covered ‘Plaisir d’Amour’ in 1934. (Gigli rose to true international prominence after the death of the great Italian tenor Enrico Caruso in 1921. Such was Gigli’s popularity with audiences he was often called ‘Caruso Secondo’, though in great operatic ego tradition he much preferred to be known as ‘Gigli Primo’.)

“English-language lyrics were later written by George Weiss for an Elvis Presley feature movie, but who claimed that neither the movie producers nor Elvis’ associates liked the song demo. Nonetheless, Elvis insisted on recording the song for the movie Blue Hawaii.

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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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1960s, Pop

Here Comes My Baby

Written and first recorded by Cat Stevens (1966, released 1968).
Hit version by The Tremeloes (US #13/UK #4 1967).

From the wiki: “‘Here Comes My Baby’ was written by Cat Stevens in 1966, and was almost released as Cat’s first single in September 1966. But, ‘I Love My Dog’ was thought to be a stronger song. Even after the success of ‘I Love My Dog’ (UK #28), ‘Here Comes My Baby’ was shelved from release for several more months. Meantime, the Tremeloes picked it up and it became their breakthrough hit in America and their first hit in the UK after the departure of the group’s lead singer, Brian Poole.

“The Tremeloe’s success with the song did help to establish Cat Stevens as a songwriter (‘Wild World‘, ‘The First Cut is the Deepest‘). His recording of ‘Here Comes My Baby’ was included it on his first album, Matthew And Son, released in 1968.”

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1980s, Pop

The Longest Time

First recorded (as a demo, “The Prime of Your Life”) by Billy Joel (1982).
Hit version by Billy Joel (US #14/MOR #1/CAN #36/UK #25/IRE #18/AUS #15/NZ #24 1984).

From the wiki: “‘The Longest Time’ was written by Billy Joel and first recorded as the demo ‘The Prime of Your Life’ in 1982. The song would later evolve into a tribute of the 1950s doo-wop sounds that Joel loved.

“The released promotional single, in 1984, would be recorded quasi-a capella: Only one musical instrument, a bass guitar, is present in the arrangement. All other sounds in the song are Joel’s vocals (14 different background tracks), along with the percussive sounds of finger-snaps and hand-claps.”

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1960s, Pop

Jean

Written and first recorded by Rod McKuen (1969).
Hit version by Oliver (US #2 1969).

From the wiki: “‘Jean’ was written by the American poet and composer Rod McKuen (‘Seasons in the Sun‘) who first recorded the song in 1969 as the theme to the film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. ‘Jean’ would go to be nominated for an Academy Award as Best Original Song. Although released as a single in the summer of 1969, McKuen’s version of the song failed to reach the American music charts. A cover of ‘Jean’ would later be released in 1969 by Oliver, selected as the follow-up single to Oliver’s hit ‘Good Morning Starshine’. Of the ‘Jean’ recording, Oliver would recall: ‘We had no idea it would be a [hit] single. It was a 3/4 ballad in the psychedelic era … it was a beautiful arrangement.'”

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1960s, Pop

Je t’aime moi non plus

First recorded by Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot (1967, released 1986).
Hit version by Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin (US #58/UK #1/IRE #1/NOR #1/SWZ #1/GER #3/MEX #5 1969).
Also recorded by Donna Summer (1978).

From the wiki: “‘Je t’aime moi non plus’ was written by French composer, actor and director Serge Gainsbourg and first recorded in 1967 by him and Brigitte Bardot. Bardot asked him to write the most beautiful love song he could imagine. They recorded an arrangement of ‘Je t’aime’ by Michel Colombier at a Paris studio in a two-hour session in a small glass booth; the engineer William Flageollet said there was ‘heavy petting’.

“News of the recording reached the press and Bardot’s husband, German businessman Gunter Sachs, was angry and called for the single to be withdrawn. Bardot pleaded with Gainsbourg not to release it, and although he protested that ‘The music is very pure. For the first time in my life, I write a love song and it’s taken badly’, Gainsbourg complied with Bardot’s request. Many years later, Bardot regretted not releasing her version. This original recording of ‘Je t’aime’ was finally released it in 1986.

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1960s, Pop

Make It Easy On Yourself

First commercial release (as “Are You Lonely By Yourself”) by The Isley Brothers (1962).
Hit versions by Jerry Butler (US #20/R&B #18 1962), Walker Brothers (US #16/UK #1 1965), Dionne Warwick (US #37/MOR #2/R&B #26 1970).

From the wiki: “‘Make It Easy On Yourself’, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, was first recorded for commercial release by the Isley Brothers. Much to Bacharach’s chagrin, the Brothers messed with the lyrics (turning it into ‘Are You Lonely By Yourself’) and he objected to the release of their version. (The Isley recording remained unreleased until 2001.) Instead, to fill out the time remaining of their studio session, the Isley Brothers recorded ‘Twist and Shout‘.

“It was Jerry Butler (‘He Don’t Love You‘, ‘Moon River‘, ‘Gypsy Woman‘) who first made ‘Make It Easy On Yourself’ a chart hit – his third Top 20 hit since departing The Impressions for a solo career.

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1960s, Pop

Crying in the Rain

First recorded (as a demo) by Carole King (1962).
Hit versions by The Everly Brothers (US #6/UK #6 1962), The Sweet Inspirations (US #112/R&B #42 1969), Tammy Wynette (C&W #18 1981), a-ha (US #26/UK #13 1990).

From the wiki: “‘Crying in the Rain’ was written by Howard Greenfield and Carole King, the only collaboration between the successful songwriters. Both worked for Aldon Music at the time of the song’s composition. On a whim, two Aldon songwriting partnerships decided to switch partners for a day – Gerry Goffin (who normally worked with King) partnered with Greenfield’s frequent writing partner Jack Keller, leaving King and Greenfield to pair up for the day. Despite the commercial success of this collaboration, King and Greenfield never wrote another song together.

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1930s, Pop

Try a Little Tenderness

First recorded by Ray Noble Orchestra (1932).
Hit versions by Ruth Etting (US #16 1933), Ted Lewis & His Band (US #6 1933), Aretha Franklin (US #100 1962), Otis Redding (US #25/R&B #4/UK #26 1966), Three Dog Night (US #29 1969).
Also recorded by Little Miss Cornshucks (1951), Sam Cooke (1964), Tom Jones (1969).
Also performed by The Commitments (1991), Paul Giamatti & Andre Braugher (2000).

From the wiki: “‘Try a Little Tenderness’ is a song written by Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly, a British songwriting team who often collaborated with a third composer – in this case the American, Harry Woods. The song was first recorded on December 8, 1932 by the Ray Noble Orchestra (with vocals by Val Rosing) followed in early 1933 by Ruth Etting’s first charting version. The song quickly became a standard. Subsequent productions were recorded by Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Frankie Laine, Earl Grant, Nina Simone, Etta James and others – including a discovery by Atlantic Records founder, Ahmet Ertegun: Little Miss Cornshucks.

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1970s, Pop

Second Avenue

Written and first recorded by Tim Moore (US #58 1974).
Other hit version by Art Garfunkel (US #34 1974).

From the wiki: “‘Second Avenue’ was written by multi-instrumentalist Tim Moore and first appeared on his 1973 solo album, Tim Moore. As the album’s third single, ‘Second Avenue’, was climbing the Billboard Hot 100, the album distributor, Paramount, abruptly ceased operations. The sudden release from contract spurred a Tim Moore bidding war between Clive Davis and David Geffen. By the time the deal went to Geffen, Art Garfunkel had released his competing version of ‘Second Avenue’. This ‘cover battle’ between the two versions effectively doomed both records’ chances of becoming sizable, individual hits.

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1970s, Pop

Gloria (Branigan)

First recorded by Umberto Tozzi (ITA #2/SUI #1/SPA #1/FRA #3 1979).
Other hit versions by Jonathan King (UK #65 1979), Laura Branigan (US #2/UK #6/CAN #1/AUS #1 1982).

NOTE: Not to be confused with ‘Gloria‘, by Them.

From the wiki: “‘Gloria’ was originally composed and written in Italian by Umberto Tozzi and Giancarlo Bigazzi (‘Self Control‘). Tozzi himself made the first recording of ‘Gloria’ in 1979. The original version of ‘Gloria’ was a love song as was the first English-language rendering of the song recorded by its English lyricist Jonathan King (‘Everyone’s Gone to the Moon’) to reach #65 UK in November 1979.

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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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1960s, Pop

Herod’s Song (from “Jesus Christ Superstar”)

First recorded (as “Try It and See”) by Rita Pavone (1969).
Hit album version by Mike D’Abo (from Jesus Christ Superstar) (1970).

From the wiki: “‘Try It and See’ was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice as their entry to represent England in the 1969 Eurovision Song contest. Instead, the original song ended up as the only English-spoken track on Rita Pavone’s Italian album, Rita. Lloyd Webber and Rice would rework the song and include it in their magna opus recording production Jesus Christ Superstar.

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1970s, Pop

Saving All My Love for You

First recorded by Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. (1978).
Hit version by Whitney Houston (US #1/R&B #1/UK #1 1985).

From the wiki: “‘Saving All My Love for You’ is a song written by Michael Masser (‘The Greatest Love of All‘) and Gerry Goffin (‘Take Good Care of My Baby‘, ‘(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman‘, ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You‘) with arrangement by Gene Page (Love Unlimited Orchestra). It was originally recorded by former 5th Dimension-aires Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. in 1978 for their album Marilyn & Billy.

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1960s, Pop

Bus Stop

First recorded by Herman’s Hermits (1966).
Hit version by The Hollies (US #5/UK #5/CAN #1/AUS #2 1966).
Also recorded by Graham Gouldman, songwriter (1968).

From the wiki: “‘Bus Stop’ was written by UK songwriter and future 10cc member Graham Gouldman, who also penned major hits for The Yardbirds (‘For Your Love‘) and Herman’s Hermits (‘No Milk Today’). In a 1976 interview Gouldman said the idea for the song had come while he was riding home from work on a bus. The opening lines were written by his father, playwright Hyme Gouldman. Graham continued with the rest of the song while riding to work – at a men’s outfitters – on the bus the next day.

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