Posted on 12/30/2024 12:23:06 PM PST by nickcarraway
The much-covered song had its origins at the end of World War II.
Late in 1957, Sam Cooke was making his fans swoon. The smooth, stylish pop of “You Send Me” had just been No.1, and was about to spread Cooke’s name internationally, early in 1958.
In an explosion of activity on the US charts, he also charted in November with George Gershwin’s “Summertime,” then again in the week before Christmas with the double-sided “I’ll Come Running Back To You” and “Forever.” Then, on December 30, 1957, he entered Billboard’s Best Sellers In Stores chart with yet another hit, “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons.”
The song had its origins at the end of World War II, when the writing credits were assigned to Ivory “Deek” Watson and William “Pat” Best, founder members of the Ink Spots and the Four Tunes respectively. Later, it was judged that Best had written “Reasons” on his own. It was first recorded by another group in which Watson featured, the Brown Dots, and then there were hit versions recorded by Eddy Howard, Dinah Shore and Charlie Spivak. But the most famous one in the pre-rock’n’roll era was by Nat King Cole, who took it to No.1 in 1946.Cooke’s version was very much in the same style as his “You Send Me” smash, with close harmonies behind his authoritative and suave lead vocals. “Cooke revives the old Nat King Cole hit…in easy-going, salable style,” wrote Billboard’s review. After opening at No.50 on that last chart of 1957, his single would go as high as No.17, while the B-side, “Desire Me,” made a showing in its own right, at No.47.
Subsequently, Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells recorded their version of “Reasons” for the Together album, and there were other 60s covers by John Leyton, the Righteous Brothers and José Feliciano. Later interpretations came from Rufus Thomas, Linda Ronstadt, Natalie Cole, B.B. King, and countless others.
My sister, God bless her, was a music lover. She had her hand kissed in the 1950’s by a member of the Kingston Trio.
When it came to Sam Cooke, she ecstatically rhapsodized over his voice, inflections, and overall amazing singing talent. After hearing her amazing descriptions of Cooke’s voice, I listened to Cooke differently.
Sad that he was caught up in the dysfunctional and dangerous black culture of drugs, guns, and death.
Black singers both male and female have been so good at portraying the intense connections between the sexes in these kinds of songs. But then you look at their culture and how they handle (or don’t) their relationships in real life involving family and each other, and it’s a whole ‘nother one-eighty.
Sam Cook was my favorite soul singer in the 60’s. What a voice!
In the 1960's, the Democrats passed laws to destroy the family, starting with black families.
It amazed me that so-called conservatives will go to any length to protect big government, and horrible Democrat laws. But there it is.
Sam Cooke also wrote some of his hits. A great talent.
**Sad that he was caught up in the dysfunctional and dangerous black culture of drugs, guns, and death.**
I do believe the prostitute that ran off with his wallet is still alive.
My dad recognized one of The Kingston Trio in a Payless Drug Store in Coos Bay, OR in the early ‘70s.
I was in college during the late 50’s. Love, romance, slow dancing etc used to be an actual thing in those days. Sam’s “You Send Me” was big as was Percy Faith’s “Theme From a Summer Place”. Domenic’s “Volare” too. Is there anything remotely resembling this type of music anymore?
Another great music talent with another bad personal life. The manner of his death says it all.
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