Practical MIDI

When I play with my duo we do a song by The Righteous Brothers called “Unchained Melody.” Not particularly one of my favorites, but my partner can reach the notes, so we do it. It’s my job to create the lyrics sheets with additional information that we can share with the audience. When I researched this song I found that this version was considered the best, although not the first…or second…or even third or fourth. Nope, The Righteous Brothers release was the fifth version of this song. That got me to thinking about other such occurrences, such as:

Who do you think of when you hear “Ain’t That A Shame?” Most folks would say Fats Domino, even though there were three other versions of this song, including versions by Pat Boone, The Four Seasons and Cheap Trick. Although Boone’s version reached higher on the charts, it’s the Fats Domino version most people remember.

“Baby It’s You” was first released by The Shirelles in 1962. The Beatles included their version on their Introducing The Beatles album the following year. But the most successful version was by a one-hit wonder group called Smith with lead singer Gayle McCormick in 1969.

A group called The Regents recorded a little ditty called “Barbara Ann” in 1961. It reached number 13 on the charts, but by then the group had already disbanded. Five years later The Beach Boys got hold of the song and took it all the way up to number 2. Not bad for a song that was first recorded only as a demo for one of The Regents’ sisters, Barbara Ann.

“Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.” Now there’s a song that’s been around the block. Neil Sedaka wrote and recorded the first version and had a number 1 hit with it in 1962. Lenny Welch took a stab at it in 1970 but only got up to number 34 with it. The Partridge Family tackled it in 1972, reaching only up to number 28. And here comes Neil Sedaka again, who re-recorded it, this time slower and jazzier. While it beat out the other two versions, he couldn’t top himself this time and stalled at the number 8 position.

In 1964 The Beach Boys wrote and recorded “Don’t Worry Baby” and took it up the charts to number 24. Along comes B.J. Thomas thirteen years later and took his version up to number 17. Meanwhile, in between the two versions, a local band (local to me, anyway) recorded the song on the RCA label and did all right locally, but didn’t chart nationally.

Some assessments of song success are subjective. Take for example the Buddy Holly penned song “Well All Right,” which Buddy recorded in 1958. Eleven years later Eric Clapton’s new band, Blind Faith, included a version on their one and only album. Jump ahead a dozen years or so and you’ll find the song on one of Santana’s albums. Now, to my ear the Santana version is by far the best, even though they borrowed some elements from the Blind Faith version.

Maybe it’s just me, but even though B.J. Thomas’s version of “Hooked On A Feeling” from 1969 only got up to number 5 on the charts, I like it much better than the version by Blue Suede that went all the way to number 1. Personally, I find it embarrassing to even be within earshot when these jokers start in with their "Ooga Chakka Ooga Ooga" background vocals.

I was still in high school when Robert Knight hit the charts with “Everlasting Love.” Catchy tune. He was able to score a number 13 hit with it in 1967. Seven years later Carl Carlton tried his hand at it and found himself with a number 6 hit. Another version came out in 1981 and went nowhere. Then Gloria Estefan recorded it in 1995 with similar results. Too bad for Robert Knight. Although his version is terrific, it’s the Carl Carlton version most people remember.

Ben E. King released “Stand By Me” in 1961 and reached the number 4 spot on the charts. Three more versions surfaced after that. Spyder Turner in 1967, John Lennon in 1975 and Mickey Gilley in 1980. None of those three came close to the original. The fifth recording of that song was again by Ben E. King. This time he reached the number 9 position on the charts. This effort was no doubt helped along by the movie of the same name that came out at that time.

The Beatles, more specifically Paul McCartney and a string quartet, recorded the first and best version of “Yesterday.” To date it has been recorded more than a thousand times by a thousand different artists. In fact, it has become the most recorded song in history but none of the other versions even came close to the original. So I guess this is the exception to the theme of this column.

Good job, Sir Paul.

©2009 Bill Bernico for CYBERMIDI.com Downwind Publications