Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

Help support this site! Consider clicking an ad from time to time. Thanks!

 
« Go Back to Previous Page «  

Tagged: Eddie Floyd

634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)

Co-written and first recorded by Eddie Floyd (1966).
Hit versions by Wilson Pickett (US #13/R&B #1/UK #36 1966), Tina Turner & Robert Cray (NETH #14/BEL #23 1986).
Also recorded by Ry Cooder (1980), Tower of Power & Huey Lewis (2009), Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (2012).

From the wiki: “‘634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)’ was written by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper (of Booker T. & the MGs), in the spirit of ‘Beechwood 4-5789’ by The Marvelettes (US #17/R&B #7 1962).

“First recorded by Floyd, ‘634-5789’ was later covered in 1966 by Wilson Pickett whose recording went US Top-15 hit and #1 R&B that year.

“The song has since been covered by many performers including Otis Redding, Ry Cooder, and Tower of Power (feat. Huey Lewis). Bruce Springsteen also performs the song live on many occasions. Tina Turner and Robert Cray covered ‘634-5789’ in 1986 as a duet, recorded live as part of her Break Every Rule TV special in the UK, and a subsequent single release saw some European chart success in the Netherlands and Belgium.”

Knock on Wood

Co-written and first recorded by Eddie Floyd (US #28/R&B #1 1966).
Other hit versions by Otis Redding & Carla Thomas (US #30/R&B #8/UK #35 1967), David Bowie (1974 UK #10/IRE #4), Ami Stewart (US #1/UK #6/CAN #1/ 1979).

From the wiki: “Written by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper, ‘Knock on Wood’ was first recorded in 1966 by Eddie Floyd. According to Floyd, the line ‘It’s like thunder, lightning, the way you love me is frightening’ was inspired by a thunderstorm that was occurring the afternoon the song was written with Cropper, the famed Stax guitarist, in a Memphis hotel room.