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    • Before They Were Hits or We Did It First, Vol. 2

    01/01/2001

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    All Music Guide Review

    As the title suggests, this is the second installment in a collection featuring original versions of songs that became hits for others. Did you know that "Message to Michael," a hit for Dionne Warwick, first appeared as "Message to Martha" by Lou Johnson? Or that Judy Harriet's "Tall Paul" preceded Annette's? Betty Everett's "Shoop Shoop Song" was first recorded by Ramona King. How about "Suspicious Minds," the Elvis Presley hit that first entered the fray by a singer name Mark James, or the Dells' first take of "Higher and Higher," which Jackie Wilson recut with chart success? On most tunes there's not much difference between the original and the hit covers, with the only exceptions being renditions done years after the originals, such as Bill Medley's "Don't Know Much," a hit for Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide

    Track Listing

  • Track#
  • Title
  • Artist
  • time
  • 1
  • He's a Rebel
  • Carr, Vikki
  • 2
  • Dedicated to the One I Love
  • Five Royales
  • 3
  • Pied Piper
  • Changin Times
  • 4
  • Higher and Higher
  • Dells
  • 5
  • The Shoop Shoop Song
  • King, Ramona
  • 6
  • Suspicious Minds
  • James, Mark
  • 7
  • You've Made Me So Very Happy
  • Holloway, Brenda
  • 8
  • I've Been Hurt
  • Tams
  • 9
  • Greatest Love of All
  • Benson, George [Guitarist]
  • 10
  • Lollipop
  • Ronald & Ruby
  • 11
  • Mustang Sally
  • Rice, Mack
  • 12
  • Chapel of Love
  • Love, Darlene
  • 13
  • The River Is Wide
  • Forum
  • 14
  • Tall Paul
  • Harriet, Judy
  • 15
  • Nobody But Me
  • Isley Brothers
  • 16
  • Don't Know Much
  • Medley, Bill
  • 17
  • Bossa Nova Baby
  • Tippie & The Clovers
  • 18
  • His Latest Flame
  • Shannon, Del
  • 19
  • Message to Martha (Michael)
  • Johnson, Lou
  • 20
  • Save Your Heart for Me
  • Scott, Michelle
  • 21
  • Half Heaven, Half Heartache
  • Donner, Ral
  • 22
  • Can't You Hear My Heartbeat
  • Goldie & the Gingerbreads
  • 23
  • You're No Good
  • Everett, Betty
  • 24
  • You're the One
  • Clark, Petula
  • 25
  • That's What Friends Are For
  • Stewart, Rod

  • Credits



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