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: Linda Creed

1980s, Pop

Hold Me

First recorded (as “In Your Arms”) by Diana Ross (1982).
Hit version by Teddy Pendergrass & Whitney Houston (US #46/MOR #6/R&B #5/UK #44 1984).

From the wiki: “‘Hold Me’, originally titled ‘In Your Arms’, was written by Linda Creed & Michael Masser (‘The Greatest Love of All‘), and was first recorded by Diana Ross for her 1982 album Silk Electric.

“In 1984, the song was recorded as a duet by Teddy Pendergrass and Whitney Houston. That recording was released simultaneously as a single in 1984 by both Pendergrass (from his album Love Language) and Houston (from her self-titled debut album, Whitney).”

Read more →

1970s, Pop, Soul

Betcha By Golly, Wow

First recorded (as “Keep Growing Strong”) by Connie Stevens (1970).
Hit versions by The Stylistics (US #3/R&B #2/UK #13 1972), Prince (US #31/R&B #10/UK #11 1996).

From the wiki: “Thom Bell and Linda Creed wrote the song that was originally recorded by Connie Stevens as ‘Keep Growing Strong’ and released on the Bell Records label in 1970 with no chart impact. But, the composition scored a hit when it was covered by the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics in 1972 peaking in the US Top 10 and UK Top 20. (Surprisingly, Bell produced both the Stevens’ and Stylistics’ recording sessions.)

Read more →

1970s, Pop

The Greatest Love of All

Originally recorded by George Benson (US #24/R&B #2/UK #27 1977).
Other hit version by Whitney Houston (US #1/R&B #3/UK #8/AUS #1 1985).

From the wiki: “‘The Greatest Love of All’ was written by Michael Masser (‘Touch Me in the Morning’, ‘Saving All My Love for You‘) and lyricist Linda Creed (‘You Are Everthing’, ‘Betcha By Golly, Wow‘). The song was written and recorded to be the main theme of the 1977 film The Greatest, a biopic of the boxer Muhammad Ali, and was first recorded by George Benson for the film.

“Creed wrote the lyrics in the midst of her struggle with breast cancer. The words describe her feelings about coping with great challenges that one must face in life, being strong during those challenges whether you succeed or fail, and passing that strength on to children to carry with them into their adult lives. Creed eventually succumbed to the disease in April 1986 at the age of 37; at the time her song was an international hit by Houston.

Read more →