Song | Artist/Date/Label | Remade by | |
---|---|---|---|
La Bamba | El Jarocho c.1929 Mexican Victor 76102 |
Andrés (aka Hermanos) Huesca, Ritchie Valens, Tokens, Trini Lopez, Los Lobos et al. |
Credited writer Alvaro Hernández Ortiz performed under the name El Jarocho.
La La La La La | Little Stevie Wonder 5-28-62 Tamla 54070 | Blendells, LaSalles |
La Mer (aka Beyond The Sea) | Roland Gerbeau & Pierre Guillemin Orch. 1945 French Sofradi 1273 | Charles Trenet (3-19-46), Benny Goodman, Bobby Darin |
Lady Godiva | Paul Jones 1966 on lp UK His Master's Voice 3586 My Way | Peter & Gordon |
Lady Marmalade | Eleventh Hour 1974 on lp 20th Century 435 Greatest Hits | LaBelle (8-74), Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya & Pink |
Land Of 1000 Dances | Chris Kenner 1963 Instant 3252 | Round Robin, Cannibal & Headhunters, Thee Midniters, Wilson Pickett, J. Geils Band |
Last Dance | Paul Jabara 1978 on lp Casablanca 7102 Keeping Time | Donna Summer |
Last Kiss | Wayne Cochran 9-18-61 Gala 117 | Wayne Cochran (1963 for King), J Frank Wilson (3 times in 1964; for LeCam, Tamara and Josie, 1969 [as "Last Kiss '69"]), Pearl Jam |
Last Thing I Needed, The (aka Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning) | Bill & Bonnie Hearne 1974 on lp Adelphi 4122/23 Texas Folk & Outlaw Music: Kerrville Festivals 1972-1976 (1983) | Bill & Bonnie Hearne (1976 for Moon Hill), Lost Gonzo Band, Willie Nelson |
Last Thing On My Mind, The | Tom Paxton 1964 on lp Elektra 7277 Ramblin' Boy | Vejtables, Kingston Trio, Neil Diamond, Peter, Paul & Mary, Dolly Parton & Porter Wagoner et el. |
Last Time, The see This May Be My Last Time |
Last Time I Saw Her, The | Gordon Lightfoot 12-67 on lp United Artists 6649 Did She Mention My Name? | Glen Campbell |
Last Word In Lonesome Is Me, The | Roger Miller 4-65 on lp Smash 27068/67068 The 3rd Time Around | Eddy Arnold, Terry Bradshaw |
Later Alligator (aka See You Later Alligator) | Bobby Charles c. 10-55 Chess 1609 | Bill Haley & Comets (12-12-55), Roy Hall |
Lavender Blue | Dinah Shore 12-12-47 Columbia 38299 | Burl Ives (12-16-48), Sammy Turner |
Lazy River (aka Up A Lazy River) | Hoagy Carmichael 11-20-30 Victor 23034 | Mills Bros., Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael (1955 for Coral), Bobby Darin, Si Zentner |
Leaning On The Lamp Post | George Formby 9-5-37 UK Regal Zonophone 2490 | George Formby (1950), Herman's Hermits |
Learnin' The Blues | Joe Valino 1955 (early, or late 1954) Gold Star 253 | Frank Sinatra (3-23-55), Julie London, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Valino (1970s for Debut) |
The tale of "Learnin' The Blues" is convoluted and still a bit mysterious. Credit for uncovering what is known goes to Drew Techner, Marc Myers and Joe Valino's niece Lisa Paolino. See Marc's August 5, 2008 entry on his site www.jazzwax.com.
Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress) | Linda Laurie 1973 MCA 40119 | Helen Reddy |
Leave My Woman Alone see Let That Liar Alone |
Leavin' It All Up To You (aka I'm Leaving It Up To You) | Don & Dewey 7-19-57 Specialty 610 | Dale & Grace, Donny & Marie Osmond |
Leaving On A Jet Plane see Babe I Hate To Go |
Legend In My Time, A (aka [I'd Be] A Legend In My Time) | Don Gibson 4-23-60 RCA Victor 7762 | Everly Bros., Roy Orbison, Don Gibson (1963, 1971), Ronnie Milsap |
Lemon Song see Killing Floor |
Lemon Tree | Will Holt & Dolly Jonah 11-60 on lp Atlantic 8051 On The Brink | Kingston Trio (1-15-61), Peter, Paul & Mary, Trini Lopez |
Leroy see Greaseball |
Let Her In | Gary Benson 1973 UK Birth 1001 | Gary Benson (1975 for UK State), John Travolta |
Let It Be Me | Jill Corey 1957 Columbia 40878 | Everly Bros. (12-15-59), Betty Everett & Jerry Butler, Glen Campbell & Bobbie Gentry, Willie Nelson, Dave Edmunds |
Let It Shine | Linda Hargrove 1973 on lp Elektra 75063 Music Is Your Mistress | Olivia Newton-John |
Let Love Come Between Us | Rubber Band 1966 Columbia 43796 | James & Bobby Purify, Delbert McClinton |
Let Me Bang Your Box, (I Love To Play Your Piano) (aka Baby Let Me Bang Your Box) | Toppers 1954 Jubilee 5136 | Johnny Dollar, Doug Clark & Hot Nuts |
Let Me Go, Devil! (aka Let Me Go, Lover!) | Wade Ray 7-2-53 RCA Victor 5440 | Georgie Shaw, Johnny Bond, Tex Ritter, Peggy Lee, Patti Page, Teresa Brewer, Joan Weber, Sunny Gale |
Let Me Serenade You see I Will Serenade You |
Let That Liar Alone (aka Leave That Liar Alone, aka Leave My Woman Alone) | Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet 8-10-38 Bluebird 7835 | Carlisles, Ray Charles, Everly Bros. |
Let The Four Winds Blow see Four Winds |
Let The Little Girl Dance | Carl Spencer & Video's 1958 Manhattan 507 | Billy Bland |
Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures) | James Rado, Lynn Kellogg & Melba Moore 5-6-68 on lp RCA 1150 Hair cast | 5th Dimension |
Let Your Love Flow | Gene Cotton 1975 ABC 12137 | Bellamy Bros. |
Let Your Yeah Be Yeah | Jimmy Cliff 1970 on lp Mango 9794 Reggae Greats (1974) | Pioneers, Brownsville Station, Al Campbell, Buckwheat Zydeco |
Let's Get Together (aka C'mon Everybody) | Eddie Cochran 10-9-58 on lp UK Liberty 1109 Cherished Memories (1962) | Eddie Cochran (Liberty 55166), NRBQ, Humble Pie, Sex Pistols, Stray Cats |
Let's Get Together Soon (aka Hope That We Can Be Together Soon) | Dusty Springfield 10-16-69 on lp Atlantic 8249 A Brand New Me | Harold Melvin & Blue Notes w/ Sharon Paige |
Let's Go Get Stoned | Coasters 4-21-65 Atco 6356...or Ronnie Milsap (Scepter 12109) or Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown (on lp Wand 678 Hold On, We're Coming) | Manfred Mann (rel. 9-65), Ray Charles (12-5-65), Lowell Fulsom, Amboy Dukes, Joe Cocker |
Mick Patrick, who wrote the liner notes for the UK CD compilation The Real Thing, The Songs of Ashford, Simpson & Armstead (Kent 318), gives the nod to the Coasters. I'm not sure what he based that on so, short of dates for the othersespecially Milsap'sit may not be definitive.
Co-writers Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson and Joshie Armstead worked for Scepter's publisher Flormar Music, which had first right of refusal on everything they did. "Let's Go Get Stoned" began as a joke phrase following an unproductive session. The next day, they made up more to go with it while in the publisher's office. To the writers' surprise, they were told to finish it and the tune would get sent to Ray Charles. Clearly it got to others first.
Let's Have A Party see Party |
Let's Live For Today | Rokes 3/4-67 RCA Victor 9199 | Living Daylights, Grass Roots, Slickee Boys, Lords Of The New Church |
"Let's Live For Today" shares some melodic elements with the Drifters' 1960 hit "I Count The Tears" (Atlantic 2087).
Let's Stick Together (aka Let's Work Together) | Wilbert Harrison 1962 Fury 1059/1063 | Wilbert Harrison (1969 for Sue), Canned Heat, Bryan Ferry, George Thorogood |
Let's Talk About Girls | Tongues Of Truth (aka Grodes) 1966 Current 112 | Chocolate Watch Band |
Let's Talk About Us | Jerry Lee Lewis 5-59 Sun 324 | Grady Chapman (7-17-59), Billy Lee Riley, Johnny Kidd & Pirates, Dave Edmunds, Otis Blackwell, Smithereens, Van Morrison & Linda Gail Lewis |
Let's Work Together see Let's Stick Together |
Liar | Argent 1969 Date 1659 | 3 Dog Night |
Liberty Valance, (The Man Who Shot) see Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The |
Life Turned Her That Way | Little Jimmy Dickens 9-3-64 Columbia 43243 | Mel Tillis, James Carr, Ricky Van Shelton |
Linda | Ray Noble w/ Buddy Clark 11-15-46 Columbia 37215 | Charlie Spivak & Orch., Jan & Dean |
Despite numerous reports to the contrary, the song "Linda" heard in the 1945 film The Story Of G.I. Joe is a different composition.
Lion Sleeps Tonight see Mbube |
Little Bird, The (aka This Little Bird) | John D. Loudermilk 4-17-61 on lp RCA 2539 Twelve Sides Of | Marianne Faithfull, Nashville Teens |
Little Bit More, A | Bobby Gosh 1973 on lp Paramount 6073 Sitting In The Quiet | Dr. Hook, Bobby Gosh (1978 for RCA) |
Little Bit O' Soul | Little Darlings 1965 UK Fontana 539 | Music Explosion |
Little Bitty Tear, A | Ray Sanders 5-4-60 Liberty 55267 | Burl Ives (2-15-61), Wanda Jackson (4-20-61) |
Little Boxes | Pete Seeger 4-26-63 on lp Broadside 302/Folkways 5302 Broadside Ballads Vol. 2 | Pete Seeger (6-8-63 for Columbia), Womenfolk, Malvina Reynolds, Devendra Banhart, Randy Newman, Elvis Costello, Rise Against |
Little Darlin' | Gladiolas 12-28-56 Excello 2101 | Diamonds (1-3-57) |
Little Drummer Boy see Carol Of The Drum |
Little Green Apples | Roger Miller 1-24-68 Smash 2148 | Patti Page, O.C. Smith |
Little Honda | Beach Boys 4-64 on ep Capitol R 5267 Four By The Beach Boys | Hondells, Yo La Tengo |
Little Latin Lupe Lu | Righteous Bros. 1963 Moonglow 215 | Kingsmen, Mitch Ryder & Detroit Wheels, Chancellors |
Little Lonely One | Jarmels 1961 Laurie 3085 | Tom Jones |
Little Miss Sad | Addrisi Bros. 1964 Valiant 6058 | Five Empressions (aka Five Emprees) (11-2-64) |
Little Old Wine Drinker (aka Little Ole Wine Drinker, Me) | Charlie Walker 3-21-66 Epic 10021 | Lefty Frizzell, Dean Martin, Robert Mitchum |
Little You, A (aka A Little You) | Chick Graham & Coasters 1964 UK Decca 11932 | Freddie & Dreamers |
Live | E-Types 11-22-66 on CD Sundazed KS-SC11026 Introducing (1996) | Merry-Go-Round |
Living Next Door To Alice | New World 1973 Rak 4514 | Smokie, Johnny Carver |
Living Together, Growing Together | James Sigheta & Shangri-La Chorus 1972 on lp Bell 1300 Lost Horizon ost | 5th Dimension |
Lizzie And The Rain Man | Kenny O'Dell 1972 Kapp 2178 | Bobby Goldsboro, Tanya Tucker |
Lizzie Borden | Paul Lynde, Patricia Hammerlee & Bill Mullikin 6-15-52 on lp RCA Victor 1008 New Faces Of 1952 cast | Chad Mitchell Trio |
Lonely Blue Boy see Danny |
Lonely Highway, The (aka The Lonely Surfer) | Del Ray & Roamers 1960 Capella 101 | Jack Nitzsche |
Del Ray & The Roamers' recording was reissued in 1961, credited to the Jayhawks (Argyle 1005).
Lonely Night (Angel Face) | Neil Sedaka 1975 on lp Rocket 2157 The Hungry Years | Captain & Tennille |
Lonely Street | Carl Belew 11-10-56 4 Star 1701 | Andy Williams, Carl Belew (1960 for Decca) |
Lonely Surfer, The see Lonely Highway, The |
Long Black Limousine | Wynn Stewart c. 7-58 on lp Bear Family 15261 Wishfull Thinking: The Challenge years, 1958-1963 (1988) | Gordon Terry, Glen Campbell, Bobby Bare, Merle Haggard, Jody Miller, Elvis Presley |
Long Black Veil, The | Lefty Frizzell 3-3-59 Columbia 41384 | Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Kingston Trio, Bill Monroe, Fred Neil, The Band, Chieftains w/ Mick Jagger, Jerry Garcia, NRPS, Sir Douglas Quintet, Nick Cave & Bad Seeds, Mike Ness, Dave Matthews Band et al. |
Long Goodbye, The | Paul Brady 1999 on CD Compass 743042 Oh What A World (2000) | Brooks & Dunn, Ronan Keating |
Long Haired Lover From Liverpool | Christopher Kingsley 1969 Winro 112 | Little Jimmy Osmond w/ Mike Curb Congregation |
Long Lonely Nights | Lee Andrews & Hearts 1956 Gotham 324 (1981) | Lee Andrews & Hearts (1957 for Main Line/ Chess), Clyde McPhatter, Kitty Kallen, Bobby Vinton, Dells |
The 1981 issue of their original was on red vinyl, done by the Collectables label.
Long Tall Texan | Four Flickers 1959 Lee 1003 | Jerry Woodard (10-3-60), Murry Kellum, Beach Boys, Lyle Lovett, Doug Supernaw |
Long Time Gone | Tim O'Brien & Darrell Scott 11-99 on CD Howdy Skies 1003 Real Time | Dixie Chicks |
Look At Me Girl | Playboys Of Edinburg 1966 Pharaoh 142/Columbia 43716 | Bobby Vee (5-27-66) |
Look In My Eyes Pretty Woman | Mike Kennedy 1972 on lp ABC 754 Louisiana | Tony Orlando & Dawn |
Look Of Love, The | Stan Getz 12-2-66 on lp Verve 8752 What The World Needs Now | Dusty Springfield (1-29-67, 4-14-67), Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, Isaac Hayes, Diana Krall |
Look What They've Done To My Song Ma see What Have They Done To My Song Ma |
Lookin' For A Love | Valentinos 2-28-62 SAR 132 | J. Geils, Bobby Womack |
Looking Through The Eyes Of Love | Drifters 3-65 on CD UK Sequel 835 Anthology Six - The Good Life (1996) | Gene Pitney (rel. 7-65), Partridge Family |
Lotta Love | Neil Young c. 1977 on lp Reprise 2266 Comes A Time (1978) | Nicolette Larson (mid-1978), Red Hot Chili Peppers |
Despite some listings to the contrary, Young's version was not released as a single in the US.
Louie Louie | Richard Berry & Pharaohs 3-16-57 Flip 321 | Rockin' Robin Roberts, Kingsmen, Paul Revere & Raiders, Sandpipers,Toots & Maytals, Richard Berry (1983 for Rhino) et al. |
Love Being Your Fool | Charlie Whitehead 1974 Island 007 | Travis Wammack (as"[Shu-Doo-Pa-Poo-Poop] Love Being Your Fool"), Jerry Reed, Staple Singers |
Love Bug Crawl | Jim Bullington 1957 Wednesday (no #) | Jimmy Edwards (later 1957, for Mercury) |
Love Child | Syreeta 9-19-68 on CD UK Kent Soul TOP 455 Rita Wright Years: Rare Motown 1967-1970 (2016) | Supremes (9-17 to 20-68), Sweet Sensation |
Love Hurts | Everly Bros. 7-13-60 on lp Warner Bros. 1395 A Date With | Roy Orbison (2-27-61), Everly Bros. (1964), Gram Parsons with Emmylou Harris, Nazareth, Jim Capaldi |
Love In Vain Blues (aka Love In Vain) | Robert Johnson 6-20-37 Vocalion 04630 | Rolling Stones |
Love Is A Wonderful Thing | Isley Bros. 1966 Veep 1230 | Michael Bolton |
Love Is Blue (as "L'amour est bleu") | Vicky (Leandros) 2-2-67 French Polydor 66 548 | Paul Mauriat, Marty Robbins, Claudine Longet, Al Martino, Jeff Beck |
Love Is Strange | Bo Diddley 5-24-56 on CD Hip-O Select 923102 I'm A Man: The Chess Masters 1955-1958 (2007) | Mickey & Sylvia (10-17-56), Buddy Holly, Everly Bros., Wings, Kenny Rogers |
Why Diddley's recording wasn't issued at the time is unclear. It does seem to be technically inferior to many of his other cuts though.
Love Is The Answer | Utopia w/ Todd Rundgren 1977 Bearsville 0321 | England Dan & John Ford Coley |
Love Land | Al Hibbler 6-23-58 Decca 9-30752 | Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band |
Love Letters | Dick Haymes 3-2-45 Decca 18699 | Dick Brown, Ketty Lester, Elvis Presley |
Dick Brown's version (Guild 140) was also recorded in 1945, possibly prior to Haymes', but an authoritative date has been elusive.
Love Letters In The Sand | Ted Black w/Tom Brown 8-27-31 Victor 22799
Majestic Dance Orchestra w/ Helen Roland 8-27-31 | Gene Austin (9-9-31), Radiolites (aka Benny Goodman, 9-18-31), Pat Boone, Patsy Cline, Leon Redbone |
Assuming the dates are correct for both of these "originals," it's quite a coincidence they were cut the same day!
Love Me | Willie And Ruth 2-54 Spark 105 | Elvis Presley |
Love Me | Bee Gees 3-30 & 4-23, 25-76 on lp RSO 3003 Children Of The World | Yvonne Elliman |
Love Me For A Reason | Johnny Bristol 1974 on lp MGM 4959 Hang On In There Baby | Osmonds |
Love Me To Pieces | Janis Martin 1-9-57 RCA Victor 6832 | Jill Corey |
Love Me With All Your Heart | Ames Bros. 1962 Epic 9530 | Newports, Ray Charles Singers, Vikki Carr (in Spanish), Johnny Rodriguez, Engelbert Humperdinck |
The Ray Charles Singers, who had a # 3 hit with this song, are not related to the soul/jazz piano player Ray Charles.
Love Of The Common People | Four Preps 11-23-66 Capitol 5819 | Waylon Jennings (2-15-67), Everly Bros. (9-14-67), Winstons, Nicky Thomas, Paul Young |
Love On A Rooftop | Ronnie Spector 1987 Columbia 38 07300 | Desmond Child, Cher |
Love On A Two Way Street | Lezli Valentine 1968 All Platinum 2308 | Moments |
Love Song | Lesley Duncan 1969 Date 1677 | Elton John (3-70), Lesley Duncan (1971 for Columbia), Elton John w/ Lesley Duncan (1976) |
Love Song, A | Loggins & Messina 1973 on lp Columbia 32540 Full Sail | Anne Murray, Kenny Loggins |
Love TKO | David Oliver 1980 on lp Mercury 3831 Here's To You | Teddy Pendergrass, Womack & Womack, Michael McDonald |
Love Will Keep Us Together | Neil Sedaka 1973 on lp UK MGM 2315-248 The Tra La Days Are Over | Captain & Tennille |
Loveless Love (aka Careless Love) | Ernest Hare 1-4-21 Edison 50767/on cylinder Edison Blue Amberol 4298 | Noble Sissle (c. 1-15-21 for Pathe/Actuelle, 1931 for Brunswick), Ernest Hare (unknown date on Vocalion 14160), Katherine Handy (1-22), Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra (1-23-25), Bessie Smith (5-26-25, as "Careless Love Blues"), Lonnie Johnson (many times, first in 1928), Billie Holiday, W.C. Handy, Fats Domino, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Dr. John, Madeleine Peyroux et el. |
Love's Been Good To Me | Kingston Trio 10-9-64 on lp Decca 74613 Nick-Bob-John | Rod McKuen, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash |
Love's Made A Fool Of You | Buddy Holly 8-58 on lp Coral 57450 Showcase (1964) | Crickets (post-Buddy Holly, 2-4-59), Bobby Fuller Four, The Bunch |
Lover Please | Rhythm Steppers w/ Jim Boyer 1960 Louis 103 | Dennis Turner (1961), Clyde McPhatter, Billy Swan, Arthur Alexander |
Lovesick Blues | Elsie Clark 3-21-22 Okeh 4589 | Jack Shea, Emmett Miller (1925, 1928), Rex Griffin, Hank Williams, Sonny James, Patsy Cline, Frank Ifield, Linda Ronstadt, George Strait et al. |
Lovin' Things, The | Artie Schroeck 1967 Columbia 43997 | Bobby Rydell, Marmalade, December's Children (7-13-68), Grass Roots |
Lovin' You | Lovin' Spoonful 1966 on lp Kama Sutra 8054 Hums Of The Lovin' Spoonful | Bobby Darin (10-31-66) |
Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again) | Waylon Jennings 12-7-70 on lp RCA Victor 4487 The Taker/Tulsa | Kris Kristofferson (1-22-71), Roger Miller, Tompall & the Glaser Bros. |