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Van Morrison and "Them" issued "Gloria" as the B side of the Joe Williams classic and Bert Berns production "Baby, Please Don't Go" in 1964. The Shadows of Knight (Jim Sohns, Warren Rogers, Norm Gotsch, David Wolinski and Tom Schiffour), released

"When Will I Be Loved" was written by Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers (Don and Phil), who had a number eight hit with it in the summer of1960. Chet Atkins is on guitar and Floyd Cramer on piano. On the "Heart Like a Wheel" album Linda Maria

"Easy to be hard" was sung by Jill O'Hara as Sheila in the off-Broadway performance of Hair. This tribal-rock musical was a definite award winner: 1968 Best Musical Tony, 1969 Grammy for best score for an original cast show album and in 2009 the revival

According to wikipedia "American Woman" (Bachman, Cummings, Kale, Peterson) originated with a live jam at a curling rink concert in Waterloo, Ontario. Winnipeg group The Guess Who (Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings, Garry Peterson, Donnie McDougall and

When Connie Francis signed for the movie "Where the Boys Are" she contacted Neil Sedaka for a suitable song as they had composed her hit "Stupid Cupid". The original recording of "where the Boys Are" (Sedaka - Greenfield) was recorded July 12, 1960 in

John Denver (Deutschendorf) wrote "Leaving on a Jet Plane" in 1966. The original title of the song was "Babe, I Hate to Go" but Denver's then producer Milt Okun convinced him to change the title. That same year, Denver chose this song along with others

"Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots" was a teenage tragedy song that was a top-ten hit for The Cheers (Bert Convy, Sue Allen and Gil Garfild) in the fall of 1955. The Cheers members included Bert Convy who would later be the host of Tattletales.

Andy Kim and Jeff Barry composed and produced "Sugar, Sugar" for the Archies television show. Here is the Andy Kim version as co-composer. This is the product of a group of studio musicians managed by Don Kirshner. Ron Dante's lead vocals were

The song was originally created as "Leningrad Nights" in 1955 but at the request of the Soviet Ministry of Culture, the lyrics were changed along with the title to "Evenings in Moscow". In 1956, it was recorded by Vladimir Troshin, a young actor of

Alberta born Joni Mitchell (Roberta Anderson) wrote and recorded "Big Yellow Taxi" and charted with the single from the "Ladies of the Canyon" album. (from a 1996 interview with the Los Angeles Times): "I wrote 'Big Yellow Taxi' on my first trip to

The late Percy Sledge was lead singer for a group called The Esquires. Members of the group composed "When a Man Loves a Woman" (Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright). The song seems to have been recorded in different studios (FAME and Norala Studios) and

Brooklyn's Neil Diamond composed "I'm a Believer" first although it wasn't released as a single. It can be found on the albums: "Just for You", "September Morn" and "Classics". Neil has sung the song as a slower number in concert. Don Kirshner put the

"Ain't She Sweet" was written by veteran tunesmiths Milton Ager and Jack Yellen. Milton Ager wrote the melody for his daughter Shana Ager, who became well known as the political commentator Shana Alexander.

With lyrics by Gene Lockhart and music by the concert pianist Ernest Seitz, who had conceived the refrain when he was 12 we get "The World is Waiting for the Sunrise". Embarrassed about writing popular music, Seitz used the pseudonym "Raymond Roberts"

Cole Porters wrote the music and lyrics for the 1934 Broadway musical "Anything Goes". In the show it was sung by Ethel Merman. "You're the Top" and "I Get a Kick Out of You" were also in the show. Initially the show was called "Crazy Week" as a working

"Last Kiss" is a song released by Wayne Cochran in 1961 but it didn't achieve any kind of success. Wayne Cochran went into the ministry, in later years; he doesn't talk about his rock and roll years anymore. J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers had their

The tearjerker, "Daddy What If" was written by the musical side of Shel Silverstein. This renaissance man has given us many wonderful songs, cartoons and articles. Here he performs it live on "The Johnny Cash Show". The first recorded release is from

"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" was written by Paul Anka. The hit was recorded by Buddy Holly in 1958. The song was a posthumous success in early 1959 shortly after Buddy Holly was killed in a plane crash on February 3, 1959. The single was a two-sided

Nick Lucas (Dominic Nicholas Anthony Lucanese) first sang "Painting the Clouds With Sunshine", "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" and he was the first to record "Together" (Buddy De Sylva - Lew Brown - Ray Henderson) in 1928, although not the first to have a

Neil Young's "Lotta Love" is from his "Comes a Time" album. Nicolette Larson provided background vocals for the album but did not sing on its "Lotta Love" track. "Lotta Love" served as lead single for Nicolette Larson's "Nicolette" album. Due to a delay

This version of Garry Bonner's "Happy Together" (Bonner - Gordon) was released in 1974. Produced by Canadian Bob Ezrin and arranged by Canada's Rick Wilkins. They were called The Crossfires, then the Tyrtles, next came The Turtles (originally Howard

Carmen Lombardo was the younger brother of bandleader Guy Lombardo. He was a vocalist and composer whose compositions included the 1928 classic "Sweethearts on Parade", which was number one for three weeks in 1929, "Ridin' Around in the Rain", written

"Our Winter Love" is a piano instrumental remake by Bill Pursell of a song written by Canadian songwriter Johnny Cowell. The song ultimately became one of the biggest selling recordings of 1963 and has carved out a small but meaningful niche for itself

"Mr. Tambourine Man" was composed in 1964, and performed by Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman), who released his original version on the 1965 album "Bringing It All Back Home". The Brothers Four (Bob Flick, John Paine, Mike Kirkland, and Dick Foley) were

"Seasons in the Sun" is an English-language adaptation of the song "Le Moribond" by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel. In 1959, McKuen released a novelty single with Bob McFadden, under the pseudonym Dor on the Brunswick label, called "The Mummy".

"I Go Pieces" was produced, arranged and written by Del Shannon in 1964. This R&B demo was sung by Lloyd Brown. Later that year Del Shannon cut the tune himself but it was rushed near the end of a three hour recording session so he recorded "I Go

The Coasters (Carl Gardner, Billy Guy, Bobby Nunn, Leon Hughes) were the original artists to record "Girls, Girls, Girls" in 1961. The single barely cracked the top one hundred in Billboard. The Elvis Presley movie came out in 1962 with "Return To

"Sometimes When We Touch" was written by Dan Hill (lyrics) and Barry Mann (music). Barry Mann wrote an incredible amount of hit material but had only one hit on which he sang: "Who Put the Bomp". Yet it was he who co-wrote this super ballad. It was on

Buzzy (William) Linhart co-authored "(You Got to Have) Friends" (Buzzy Linhart and Mark "Moogy" Klingman). Bette Midler and "Friends" reached the top forty with her cover in 1973. "Friends" is from her first album "The Devine Miss M". Co-produced by

The timeless Bobby Darin wrote and recorded "I'll Be There" as the B side to "Bill Bailey" in 1960. It barely broke into the top one hundred. Liverpool group Gerry (Marsden) and the Pacemakers (Gerry's brother Fred Marsden, Les Chadwick and Les Maguire)

Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock" comes from the 1970 album "Ladies of the Canyon". She wrote the song from what she had heard from then-boyfriend, Graham Nash, about the Woodstock Music and Art Festival. She had not been there herself, since she was told by a

Carl Emil Paul Lincke was a German composer and conductor. His composition "Glühwürmchen" (The Glow-Worm) originated in the 1902 operetta Lysistrata. It was originally translated into English by Lilla Cayley Robinson in the early 20th century was used in

"Until It's Time for You to Go" is from the 1965 album "Many a Mile" by Canadian First Nations singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie. This Canadian classic charted for Neil Leslie Diamond in 1975.

"Desafinado" (Portuguese meaning: out of tune) was composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Apparently one of the reasons "Tom" Jobim wrote Desafinado was because he was aware that he was not a good singer, hence Desafinado (Out of Tune) was written. The song

"Diane" (Rapee - Pollack) was composed for the 1927 silent movie "Seventh Heaven". In the silent era, theatres provided live accompaniment on piano, organ or even full orchestra. James Melton sang the lyric first. It was he who started the tradition of

The traditional children's song "Looby Lou" (Massey - Robinson) is the third track on the Donald Dame album "Children's Favourites, Volume 1: Original Recordings 1926 - 1952". This was recorded with the Alexander Cores Orchestra. Something different

Ellie Greenwich was one of three composers on "I Can Hear Music" (Ellie Greenwich - Jeff Barry - Phil Spector). This is from the 1973 album "Let it be Written, Let it be Sung". In 1985 a Broadway show "Leader of the Pack" dedicated to songs co-written by

Fats Domino recorded "My Girl Josephine" (Domino - Bartholomew) in 1960 and peaked at number fourteen on the pop chart. It was on Fat's album "A Lot of Dominos" along with "Walkin' to New Orleans". Jerry Jaye's cover "Hello Josephine" was done on one

This is Roger Cook singing "I Believe in You" (Roger Cook - Sam Hogin). Roger Cook has composed too many hits to list while Sam Hogin gave us Shania Twain's "Dance With the One That Brought You" and lots of other country hits. Former member of the

When the inventive Roger Miller wrote "Fair Swiss Maiden" it was titled simply "Swiss Maid", then he recorded the song and changed the title. Del Shannon's (Charles Weedon Westover) version called "The Swiss Maid" was released in 1962 and crawled to

There are many rock and roll anthems like Johnny B Goode, We Will Rock You, Born to be Wild, etc. but I had no idea the Duane Eddy "polka" Rebel 'Rouser would be the basis for a tune with that title. "The national anthem of rock'n'roll" come from a live

Composer Jimmy Webb was first to record "The Highwayman" for his 1977 album "El Mirage" produced, arranged, and conducted by George Martin, . Among his bona fide hits: Up, Up and Away", "Didn't We", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman",

Original lead for The Impressions, "The Iceman", Jerry Butler co-wrote and recorded "He Will Break Your Heart" (Jerry Butler - Calvin Carter - Curtis Mayfield) in 1960 peaking at number seven on the pop chart and topping the R&B chart. Produced by

One of the most influential pop music duos consisted of brothers Don and Phil Everly. The Everly Brothers were raised in a musical family and are members of both The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Cadence and Warner

Tommy James and the Shondells (Eddie Gray, Ron Rosman, Mike Vale and Peter Lucia) "I Think We're Alone Now" (Ritchie Cordell) peaked at number four in 1967. The Tommy James book "Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride" is a most interesting read.

The mid fifties was the era of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, and Empire Records saw a way of cashing in by emphasizing the youth of the singers especially their group The Preludes. They became The Youngsters (Charles Everidge, Herman Pruitt, Robert

Howard Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael wrote and recorded "Georgia On My Mind" (Hoagy Carmichael - Stuart Gorrell) in 1930. Included on this recording are Bix Beiderbecke, Eddie Lang, Jack Teagarden and Jimmy Dorsey, Ray Charles was born in Georgia and in

The Contours (Billy Gordon, Billy Hoggs, Hubert Johnson, Joe Billingslea, Sylvester Potts, and Hugh Davis) "Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)" (Berry Gordy Jr.) was their only Top 40 single but they did it twice with the same tune. First in 1962 when

Simon & Garfunkel's "A Hazy Shade of Winter" (Paul Simon) is found on the "Bookends" album issued in 1968. The single peaked in the top fifteen in 1966 when it was supposed to be on an earlier album. The 1987 movie "Less Than Zero" soundtrack

Composer Ken Hirsch has worked with writers as diverse as Howard Greenfield, Hal David, Doc Pomus, Gerry Goffin, Phil Cody, Paul Williams, carole bayer Sager and Ron Miller. "I've Never Been To Me" was one of those ventures. This was recorded at

The Young Rascals' (Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati, Gene Cornish and Dino Danelli) album "Groovin'" contains "How Can I Be Sure" (Felix Cavaliere - Eddie Brigati) and it features Eddie Brigati on lead vocal. The song peaked at number four in 1967. The

"You Won't See Me" is from the classic Beatle's Rubber Soul album and recorded on the last night of the sessions, November 11,1965 in just two takes. Though credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was written by Paul McCartney. From the 1974 LP "Love Song", "You

Mary Martin and Robert Preston starred in the 1966 David Merrick Broadway production "I Do! I Do!" and there was the introduction of "My Cup Runneth Over" (Harvey Schmidt - Tom Jones). Robert Preston won a 1967 Tony for Best Performance by a Leading

"Both Sides, Now" is a song by Joni Mitchell. Her recording first appeared on the album Clouds, released in 1969. She re-recorded the song in a more lush and orchestrated version for the album Both Sides Now released in 2000 and we'll hear that version.

The original title of "Among My Souvenirs" (Leslie - Wright) was "Souvenirs" as recorded first in 1927 by the Kit-Cat Band who were in reality Al Starita's Orchestra with Ted Heath on trombone and vocalist Eddie Collis. In 1959, Connie Francis

The British television series "Danger Man" was broadcast in the U.S. as "Secret Agent Man". The American theme was co-composer by P.F. Sloan (Philip Gary Schlein), featured here with his take on the tune, "Secret Agent Man" (P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri).

The Lovin' Spoonful (John Sebastian, Zal Yanovsky, Steve Boone and Joe Butler) recorded some truly wonderful material, not the least of which is "Daydream" (John Sebastian). Here is the demo followed by the hit issue. The 1966 single reached the top

"Concrete and Clay" (Tommy Moeller - Brian Parker) was composed by members of Unit Four Plus Two (Tommy Moeller, Brian Parker, David Meikle and Peter Moules). This vocal group was joined by the "Plus Two" of Russ Ballard on guitar and Bob Henrit on

Columbia Records issued Mahalia Jackson "For My Good Fortune" (Bobby Stevens - Otis Blackwell) as a single in 1958. The "Queen of Gospel" started her singing at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in New Orleans and issued the debut album "The World's Greatest

The Will-O-Bees (Janet Blossom, Steven Porter and Robert Merchanthouse) were first to record "Make Your Kind of Music" (Barry Mann - Cynthia Weil) in 1968. From the album "Bubblegum, Lemonade, and ... Something for Mama" Ellen Naomi Cohen aka Mama Cass

Oshawa's Johnny Cowell published "Walk Hand in Hand" in 1956. The biggest-selling version recorded was sung by Mr. Cyd Charisse, Alvin Morris aka Tony Martin, reaching #2 in the UK and #10 on the United States Billboard chart in 1956. A later recording

We start with the Bee Gees version that was not released until well after the Samantha Sang hit. It's from their album "1979 Tour" and on the 2001 greatest hits album. Fellow Australian singer Samantha Sang sang her only hit that peaked in the top five

In 1967 the incredibly talented Laura Nyro (Nigro) released her debut album “More Than A New Discovery” and among those tracks were “Wedding Bell Blues”, “And When I Die” and “Stoney End”. In 1969 the album was re-released as “Laura Nyro” then released

In 1971 Lally Stott wrote "Chirpy, Chirpy, Cheep, Cheep" and had a top twenty hit with it in France while it was a minor hit in other countries. Scottish group Middle of The Road (Sally Carr, Ken Andrew, Ian McCredie and brother Eric McCredie) topped

"Hot Diggity" is based on Frenchman Alex-Emmanuel Chabrier's 1883 composition "España". M. Chabrier was friends with painters Edgar Degas, Claude Monet and Édouard Manet. Perry (Pierino) Como's "Hot Diggity" (Al Hoffman - Dick Manning) topped the chart

Nashville A Team member and one of the performers responsible for the Nashville Sound, the self-taught pianist, studio musician and performer Floyd Cramer composed and recorded "Fancy Pants". Al Hirt's "Fancy Pants" is a track from his 1965 album "That

Written in 1971 "How Long" by J. D. (John David) Souther came out on his debut album "John David Souther" the next year. Yes this is the same "Souther" from the celebrated Souther Hillman Furay Band. Along with "How Long" J.D. co-wrote "Best of My Love",

Barbara Mason recorded and hit with "Yes, I'm Ready" (Barbara Mason) and reached Billboard's Top Ten in the summer of 1965. It came from the "Yes, I'm Ready" album. Teri DeSario with K.C. (Harry Casey) hit the top ten with their "Yes, I'm Ready" issue

Rick Nelson's "I Rise, I Fall" (Paul Hampton) is from the 1963 album "Rick Sings For You". Between the Imperial and Decca labels Rick had fourteen singles released that year although "I Rise, I Fall" was not issued as a single. An entertainer who

"Just Like Me" (Rick Dey) was issued by the Wilde Knights" (Rich Brown, Rick Dey, Dean Adair, Roger Huycke) in 1965. The Wilde Knights issued only a couple of singles. They had played under the names of The Furys and Pipers IV from 1962-63. Stars of

Once a member of The Three Chuckles when they had a top twenty hit with "Runaround", Teddy (Alessandro) Randazzo wrote and recorded "Pretty Blue Eyes" (Randazzo - Bobby Weinstein). Emmy winner Steve Lawrence (Sidney Liebowitz) peaked in the top ten

Based on the fiddle tune "The Eighth of January", the date the battle was fought, high school principal and history buff Jimmie Driftwood (Morris) wrote "The Battle of New Orleans" and recorded it in 1958 for his album "Newly Discovered Early American

Singer/composer and actor Hughie Lewis (Hugh Anthony Cregg III) and his group the News released the well received album "Sports" in 1984 and the second single from that album was "I Want a New Drug" (Hayes - Lewis). The song peaked at number six on

In 1967 Bob Dylan recorded the demo of "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)" but actual commercial copies of that session didn't show up until the 1975 "Basement Tapes" album. Dylan's version here was issued on the 1970 LP "Self Portrait". Manfred

The late Keith Whitley recorded the album "Don't Close Your Eyes" complete with the track "When You Say Nothing At All" (Paul Overstreet - Don Schlitz) in 1988 and the original topped the country chart. Alison Krauss and Union Station (Dan Tyminski, Ron

"The Whistling Gypsy" aka "The Gypsy Rover" was supposedly composed by Dublin songwriter Leo Maguire around 1950 although it can be disputed that this was a traditional song called "The Raggle Taggle Gypsy". The Clancy Brothers serve their version here.

Thomas "Fats" Waller recorded "Lookin' For Another Sweetie (Confessin')" (Chris Smith - Sterling Grant) in 1929. Two years later Al Neiburg rewrote the lyric and suddenly the music was composed by Doc Dougherty and Ellis Reynolds. Australia's yodelling

"Up, Up and Away" (Jimmy Webb) was recorded in 1967 on the album "Happy Is The Sunshine Company". A version as Linda Kaye Henning (Betty Jo on Petticoat Junction) and The Sunshine Company was shelved until 2011 when the cd "The Girls From Petticoat

Hildegarde (Hildegarde Loretta Sell) with Patrick et son Orchestre and "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" (Anna Sosenko) featuring a solo by the incredible Django Reinhardt. The 1935 recording was made in Paris and featured here in it's entirety simply for

CBC radio host Ed McCurdy composed the anti-war classic " Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream". It's has been recorded in seventy-six languages. In November 1989, as Tom Brokaw stood on top of the Berlin Wall, he directed his NBC-TV cameras towards the

The chart topping "You Can't Hurry Love" (Holland–Dozier–Holland) by The Supremes (Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson) was released in 1966 and produced by the talented composers. It's from the number one Billboard chart LP "Supremes A Go-Go"

The talented Jackie DeShannon recorded "I Can Make It With You" (Chip Taylor) shortly before the Pozo-Seco Singers and took the tune into the top sixty. The Pozo-Seco Singers (Don Williams, Susan Taylor and Lofton Kline) version of "I Can Make It With

Off the top is the NASCAR driver and Grammy winner Marty Robbins (Robinson) demo of "Ruby Ann" (L. Emerson - R. Bellamy - R. Bellamy) followed by the hit version. The song topped the country chart in 1962 before crossing over to the pop top twenty and

Self-taught musician, composer and session guitarist, Tim Moore's first solo album was "Second Avenue" in 1974 which obviously featured the single. When it was released his record company closed up shop and despite getting charted the single didn't climb