Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: Peaches & Herb

(We’ll Be) United

First recorded by The Intruders (US #78/R&B #14 1966).
Hit version by Peaches & Herb (US #46/R&B #11 1968).

From the wiki: “The Intruders were one of the first groups to have hit songs under the direction of songwriters and record producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff (Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, The O’Jays), they had a major influence on the development of Philadelphia soul. In 1965, when Gamble and Huff first contemplated leaving the Cameo-Parkway record label to risk launching their own label, the vocalists on which they pinned all their hopes and venture capital were The Intruders.

“Gamble and Huff’s success with The Intruders helped convince Columbia Records to grant them the money to launch Philadelphia International. ‘(We’ll Be) United’ was the first charting song for The Intruders, peaking at #14 on the Billboard Soul chart, and #78 on the Billboard Hot 100, in 1966.

Love is Strange

First recorded by Bo Diddley (May 1956, released 2007).
Hit versions by Mickey & Sylvia (US #11/R&B #1 October 1956), Maddox Brothers & Rose (C&W #82 1957), Betty Everett & Jerry Butler (R&B #42 1964), The Everly Brothers (UK #11, 1965), Peaches & Herb (US #13/R&B #16 1967).
Also recorded by Wings (1971).

From the wiki: “The song was based on a guitar riff by Jody Williams. The song was written by Bo Diddley under the name of his wife at the time, Ethel Smith. The first recorded version of ‘Love Is Strange’ was performed by Diddley, who completed it in a session on May 24, 1956 with Williams on lead guitar.

“However, Diddley’s version was not released until its appearance in 2007 on I’m a Man: The Chess Masters, 1955-1958. (Diddley would maintain that he just never got around to releasing the record.)