Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: Dusty Springfield

1960s, Pop

Goin’ Back

First recorded by Goldie (1966).
Hit versions by Dusty Springfield (UK #10/AUS #9/SNG #6 1966), The Byrds (US #89 1967).
Also recorded by Carole King (1970 |1980), Larry Lurex aka Freddie Mercury (1973).

From the wiki: “Billed as ‘Goldie’ (of Goldie & the Gingerbreads), Genya Raven released the original version of the classic Carole King-Gerry Goffin composition “Goin’ Back” in the spring of 1966. However, this single was withdrawn within a week by producer Andrew Loog Oldham, due to disagreements with Goffin and King over altered lyrics. King then decided to record “Goin’ Back” herself, but ultimately she offered it to Dusty Springfield instead who would record it three months later, making the UK Top-10 singles chart immediately in the wake of her UK #1 hit ‘You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me‘.

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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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1980s, Pop

Any Other Fool

First recorded by Dusty Springfield (recorded ca. 1989, released 1997).
Hit version by Sadao Watanabe & Patti Austin (US #6 1990).

From the wiki: “‘Any Other Fool’ was written by Diane Warren (‘Set the Night to Music‘, ‘Because You Loved Me’) and Robbie Buchanan. It was first recorded in late 1988 or early 1989 by Dusty Springfield for a planned inclusion on her album, Reputation.

“But, Springfield was said to have been upset that Warren had also given the song to someone else when it had been promised to her. She then chose not to include her own recording when Reputation was released in 1990. But, in 1997, when the album was repackaged and re-released (only in the UK), as Reputation and Rarities, Springfield’s recording of ‘Any Other Fool’ was included as a bonus CD track.

“That ‘someone else’ were Sadao Watanabe and Patti Austin, whose recording of ‘Any Other Fool’ was released as a single on Dec. 9, 1989 from Watanabe’s Front Seat album. Their single peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 on Feb. 24, 1990, spending a total of 23 weeks on the chart.”

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1960s, Soul

A Brand New Me

First recorded by Jerry Butler (1969).
Hit version by Dusty Springfield (US #24/MOR #3 1970).

From the wiki: “Written by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Jerry Butler, ‘A Brand New Me’ was first recorded by Butler in 1969. Dusty Springfield would cover the song later that year, adding it as the title track to her album A Brand New Me. It is Springfield’s only album on which every song was produced by the same production team: Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Gamble also co-wrote every track on the album, and the Gamble-Huff duo would go on to have success with many groups and singers in the 1970s, including Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, The O’Jays, MFSB and The Three Degrees. The single, ‘A Brand New Me’, would be Springfield’s last Top 40 chart success until her 1987 collaborations with Pet Shop Boys (‘What Have I Done to Deserve This?’) and Richard Carpenter (‘Something in Your Eyes’).”

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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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1970s, Soul

Hope That We Can Be Together Soon

First recorded as “Let’s Get Together Soon” by Dusty Springfield (1970).
Hit version by Sharon Paige with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (US #42/R&B #1 1975).

From the wiki: “‘Hope That We Can Be Together Soon’ was written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff and was first recorded by Dusty Springfield (as ‘Let’s Get Together Soon’) for her 1970 album A Brand New Me (which was also produced by Gamble and Huff) but not released as a single. It scored a hit, though. when in 1975 it was covered and released by Sharon Paige with Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes as the second promotional single from the album To Be True.”

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1950s, Country

Silver Threads and Golden Needles

First recorded by Wanda Jackson (B-side 1956).
Hit versions by The Springfields (US #20/C&W #16 1962), Linda Ronstadt (1969 |re-recorded US #68/C&W #20 1974).

From the wiki: “‘Silver Threads and Golden Needles’ was written by Jack Rhodes and Dick Reynolds. The song was first recorded by Wanda Jackson in 1956, and was released as the B-side to the single ‘Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad’ which did not chart.

“The Springfields (featuring a pre-solo Dusty Springfield) released ‘Silver Threads’ as their third UK single but it flopped in their home country. But, released as their first US single in 1962, it became a Stateside hit; their only appearance in the US Top 40 and the first single of U.K.-origin to crack the U.S. Top-20.

“Linda Ronstadt recorded and released two versions of the song: the first, on her 1969 solo debut album Hand Sown … Home Grown; the second, a country-pop crossover version for her 1973 Don’t Cry Now album. The latter resulted in a country Top-20 hit while also charting on the Billboard Hot 100.”

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1960s, Rock

Hi De Ho

Co-written by Carole King and first recorded (as “That Old Sweet Roll”) by The City (1969).
Hit version by Blood, Sweat & Tears (US #14 1970).
Also recorded by Dusty Springfield (1969), Carole King (1980).

From the wiki: “‘Hi De Ho’, originally titled ‘That Old Sweet Roll (Hi De Ho)’, was co-written by Carole King (with Gerry Goffin) and first recorded by the band City, Carole King’s late-1960s band with Danny Kortchmar and Charles Larkey. It appeared on the only album recorded by The City, Now That Everything’s Been Said.

“Dusty Springfield covered ‘That Old Sweet Roll’ during the same In Memphis sessions that also produced her hit single, ‘Son of a Preacher Man’. The Springfield recording was released in 1969 as the B-side to the single ‘Willie & Laura Mae Jones’, but was not included on the original album release. It is now included as a bonus track on the CD version of In Memphis.

“Blood, Sweat & Tear’s 1970 recording of the song, now titled ‘Hi De Ho’, would chart into the US Top 20.

“King would re-record ‘Hi De Ho’ in 1980 for her Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King album.”

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1960s, Pop

Wishin’ and Hopin’

First recorded by Dionne Warwick (FRA #39 1963).
Hit versions by Dusty Springfield (US #6 1964), The Merseybeats (UK #13 1964).
Also recorded by The (UK) Eagles (1964).

From the wiki: “Wishin’ and Hopin” was written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, and was first recorded by Dionne Warwick as the B-side of her 1963 single ‘This Empty Place’ and for her debut album, Presenting Dionne Warwick. The single charted only in France, peaking at #39, but Warwick’s was the recording Dusty Springfield heard and which prompted her to complete her own version in 1964. The track was included on Springfield’s solo album debuts in the UK (A Girl Called Dusty) and the US (Stay Awhile/I Only Want to Be with You). It was Bacharach himself who encouraged Dusty, who was ambivalent about her recording, to release it as a single.

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1960s, Pop

I Only Want to Be with You

First recorded by Dusty Springfield (US #12/UK #4 1964).
Other hit versions by Bay City Rollers (US #12/UK #4 1976), The Tourists (US #83/UK #4 1979), Samantha Fox (US #31/UK #16 1989).

From the wiki: “‘I Only Want to Be with You’ was written by Mike Hawker and Ivor Raymonde, and was the first solo single released by British singer Dusty Springfield. Although she recorded the song while still a member of The Springfields, it was released in November 1963 – three weeks after The Springfields’ final concert. Bay City Rollers released a version in December 1976 that reached #12 in the US. The song was also a #4 hit in the UK for The Tourists, who were the group Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart were in before they formed Eurythmics. A 1989 cover version of this was the last hit for British singer Samantha Fox.”

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1960s, Pop

(They Long to Be) Close to You

First released (as “They Long to Be Close to You”) by Richard Chamberlain (1963).
Also recorded by Dionne Warwick (1963 |B-side 1964), Dusty Springfield (1964, released 1967), Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass (1968, released 2005).
Hit version by the Carpenters (US #1/UK #6/CAN #1 1970).

From the wiki: “‘(They Long to Be) Close to You’ is a popular song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It was first released by Richard Chamberlain and released as a single in 1963 as ‘They Long to Be Close to You’ (without parentheses). However, it was the single’s flip side, ‘Blue Guitar’, that became a hit.

“Dusty Springfield recorded an early version of ‘Close to You’ in 1964, which was originally scheduled to be released as the follow-up single to ‘I Just Don’t Know What To Do with Myself’. However, it wasn’t until 3 years later, in 1967, that her version was released – as an album track – on Where Am I Going? (in the UK) and The Look of Love (in the US).

“Dionne Warwick, Bacharach-David’s go-to vocalist, had been the first to record ‘(They Long to Be) Close to You’ – as a demo – in 1963. She re-recorded the song with a Bacharach arrangement for her 1964 album Make Way for Dionne Warwick, and Warwick’s version was released as the B-side of her 1965 single ‘Here I Am’.

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1960s, Pop

You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me

First performances (as “Io Che Non Vivo (Senza Te)”) by Pino Donaggio (ITA #1 1965) and Jody Miller (1965).
First (English-language) recording by Willeke Alberti (1965).
Hit versions by Dusty Springfield (US #4/UK #1 1966), Elvis Presley (US #11/UK #9 1970), Guys ‘n Dolls (UK #5 1976), The Floaters (US #28 1977).

From the wiki: “‘Io Che Non Vivo (Senza Te)’ was introduced at the 1965 Sanremo Festival by Pino Donaggio – who’d co-written the song with Vito Pallavicini – and his team partner Jody Miller (‘He’s So Fine‘, ‘Never Let Her Go‘): the song took seventh place at San Remo and, as recorded by Donaggio, reached #1 in Italy in March 1965.

“Willeke Alberti was a Dutch singer and actress, starting her career at the early age of eleven in the musical Duel om Barbara, recording her first single in 1958 together with her entertainer father, Willy Alberti. Willeke and her father had a television show between 1965 and 1969. Her singing career from 1970 onwards was less active. In 1994, she returned to the state to representd the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song ‘Waar is de zon?’ (‘Where is the sun?’).

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1970s, Pop

I Just Fall in Love Again

First recorded by The Carpenters (1977).
Also recorded by Dusty Springfield (1978).
Hit version by Anne Murray (US #12/C&W #1/UK #58/CAN #1 1979).

From the wiki: “‘I Just Fall in Love Again’ was written by Larry Herbstritt, with co-writers Steve Dorff, Harry Lloyd, and Gloria Sklerov. It was first recorded by the Carpenters and later covered by Dusty Springfield, whose arrangement inspired Anne Murray to record her own cover.

“The Carpenters’ arrangement was included on the duo’s 1977 album Passage. On the Carpenters’ official web site, Richard Carpenter notes that he felt the song was perfect for his sister Karen’s voice and felt their version had hit-single potential. However, A&M Records decided not to release it as a promotional single because it was considered too long for Top 40 radio stations to play at the time and could not be abridged.

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1960s, Soul

I’m Gonna Make You Love Me

First recorded by Dee Dee Warwick (US #88/R&B #13 1966).
Also recorded by Jerry Butler (1967), Jay & the Techniques (1968).
Hit versions by Madeline Bell (US #26/R&B #32 1968), Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations (US #2/R&B #2/UK #3 1968).

From the wiki: “Written by Philly Soul songwriters Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff (‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’, ‘Love Train’, ‘Now That We Found Love‘), and producer Jerry Ross (‘Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie‘, ‘Sunny‘), ‘I’m Gonna Make You Love Me’ was originally a Top-20 R&B hit for Dee Dee Warwick in 1966. It was released as the follow-up single to her Top-10 hit ‘I Want To Be With You’. Co-writer Ross produced the track while Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson provided background vocals. Warwick’s recording reached #13 R&B and crossed over to the Billboard Top 100 in December 1966.

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