Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: Melissa Manchester

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.”

Don’t Cry Out Loud

First recorded (as “We Don’t Cry Out Loud”) by The Moments (R&B #79 1976).
Also recorded by Peter Allen (1977).
Hit versions by Elkie Brooks (UK #12 1978), Melissa Manchester (US #10 1978), Rita Coolidge (JPN 1979).

From the wiki: “‘Don’t Cry Out Loud’ is a song written in 1976 by Peter Allen (‘I’d Rather Leave While I’m in Love‘) with lyricist Carole Bayer Sager (‘Arthur’s Theme’, ‘That’s What Friends Are For‘). Bernadette Peters, who toured with Allen in 1989, has stated that Allen told her that ‘his mother taught him to always put your best face on’ in response to Allen’s father committing suicide when Allen was 14 years old. The references to ‘baby’ in the song refer to Allen’s younger sister.