Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: Chuck Jackson

1960s, Pop

I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself

First recorded by Chuck Jackson (1962, released 1984).
First released by Tommy Hunt (1962).
Hit versions by Dusty Springfield (UK #3/IRE #5/AUS #16/NETH #5 1964), Dionne Warwick (US #26/R&B #20/CAN #26 1966), White Stripes (ALT #25/UK #13/AUS #54/NZ #34 2003).

From the wiki: “‘I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself’ was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and was first recorded by by Chuck Jackson (‘Any Day Now‘) in 1962 in a session produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, with Burt Bacharach arranging and conducting.

“Jackson’s version was shelved and remained unreleased until it appeared on a 1984 compilation titled Mr. Emotion. The same backing track and Bacharach arrangement was then used later the same year when Tommy Hunt (‘Any Day Now‘) covered the song. Hunt’s version was released as single in May 1962, but it did not chart.

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1960s, R&B

Any Day Now

First recorded (as “Lover”) by Tommy Hunt (unreleased 1961).
Hit versions by (as “Any Day Now (My Wild Beautiful Bird)”) by Chuck Jackson (US #23/R&B #2 1962), Elvis Presley (B-side US #3 1969), Ronnie Milsap (US #14/C&W #1/CAN #1 1982), Luther Vandross (2001).
Also recorded by Alan Price Set (1965), Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels (1966).

From the wiki: “‘Any Day Now’ was written by Burt Bacharach and Bob Hilliard in 1961. Co-writer Bacharach (‘Alfie‘,’Make It Easy On Yourself‘,’Message to Michael‘) had orchestrated and recorded the song’s backing track a year before presenting it to Chuck Jackson, formerly of the Del Vikings (‘Come Go With Me‘).

“In the interim, producer Luther Dixon made use of the same backing track to record the arrangement of the song with former Flamingos singer Tommy Hunt (‘I Only Have Eyes For You’, The Flamingos; ‘I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself‘), titled ‘Lover’, using a set of completely different, and uncredited, lyrics. Hunt’s 1961 recording, believed to have been recorded within days of his leaving the Flamingos, went unreleased by Stardust Records (backed with another unreleased track, Big Maybelle’s ‘How Do You Feel Now’).

“When it came time to record Jackson, parts of Hunt’s original singing were still audible at the end of Jackson’s hit version.

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