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How Can I Be Sure
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Wikipedia article
"'How Can I Be Sure'" is a popular song written by Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati, and originally recorded by the Young Rascals for their 1967 album 'Groovin' with a single release in August 1967 affording the group their fourth Top 10 hit peaking at #4.
"How Can I Be Sure" reached #4 on the Hot 100 in 'Billboard' in October 1967, ranking as the most successful (Young) Rascals' hit featuring a lead vocal by Eddie Brigati. The single's B-side: "I'm So Happy Now" (also included on the 'Groovin' album), was written and sung by Rascals guitarist Gene Cornish. Featuring a unique guitar phase-out ending, it was the first Cornish-penned
song to appear on a Rascals single.
Background
Of a rock-oriented band such as the (Young) Rascals introducing a traditional pop-style song such as "How Can I Be Sure" Cavaliere has stated: "The only reason we were brave enough to do that was [because] the Beatles did 'Michelle' and 'Yesterday'." (Cavaliere had an especial awareness of the Beatles having toured Europe with them in 1963 when Cavaliere was a member of Joey Dee and the Starliters; also the Rascals would open for the Beatles at Shea Stadium 15 August 1965). The track features the sounds of a trumpet, bass, piano, drums, and strings, giving the feeling of cabaret music as well as a concertina, chosen to add the feel of a French caf. The song's musical styles include blue-eyed soul and pop.
"How Can I Be Sure" was one of several songs inspired by group founder Felix Cavaliere's girlfriend Adrienne Becchuri, a Pelham (New York) high school student Cavaliere met in 1966 the year he turned 24: (Felix Cavaliere quote:) "I fell madly in love with this woman who actually turned out to be a muse...[R]eally the only reason she was in my life [was to] spark that kind of emotion and feeling that generates those types of songs." Cavaliere and Buccheri remained a couple for a year, with Cavaliere first celebrating Buccheri in the blissful Rascals' hits "Groovin'" and "A Girl Like You", and then with the introspective "How Can I Be Sure" expressing doubts about the relationship he and Buccheri had recently become engaged, and despite the positive resolution of the song Cavaliere did in fact decide that he and Buccheri best part ((Felix Cavaliere quote:)I woke up one day and said: 'What the hell am I doing? I'm going out with a kid.'").
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Dusty Springfield version
"How Can I Be Sure" was covered by British singer Dusty Springfield and released as a non-LP single in September 1970. It was rumoured that this recording and single release may have been prompted by her well received performance of the song on the Des O'Connor Show in May 1970. Dusty was hopeful that this single would fare better than her then-recent American recordings which were met with relative indifference in the UK (aside from the US and UK Top 10 hit "Son of a Preacher Man").
Despite several promotional television and radio appearances and glowing reviews from the press, the single only spent one week in the UK Top 40 and only four weeks total on the chart. The song was issued specifically for the British market and would not be issued in America until the release of 'The Dusty Springfield Anthology' in 1997.
;Track listing
*Side A: "How Can I Be Sure" (2:47)
*Side B: "Spooky" (2:44)
"Spooky" is a cover of the Classics IV hit and was recorded in January 1968 but left unused for almost three years until it featured as the b-side to this single.
;Charts
David Cassidy version
{{Infobox song
| name = How Can I Be Sure
| cover = How_Can_I_Be_Sure_-_David_Cassidy.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = David Cassidy
| album = Rock Me Baby
| B-side = Ricky's Tune
| released = May 1972
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop
| length = 2:52
| label = Bell Records
| writer = Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati
| producer = Wes Farrell
| prev_title = Could It Be Forever
| prev_year = 1972
| next_title = Rock Me Baby
| next_year = 1972
| misc =
}}
Background
In 1972 "How Can I Be Sure" was recorded for the album 'Rock Me Baby' by David Cassidy (David Cassidy quote:) "Eddie Brigati and Felix Cavaliere [were] two of the great musical influences of my teenage years [when] I thought [the Rascals] were just about the best American pop band...[That song] brought back so many memories of that [time] for me." (Another Rascals' hit: the Cavaliere/ Brigati composition "I've Been Lonely Too Long", was also remade by Cassidy for 'Rock Me Baby': concurrent with the album's recording, Cassidy's producer Wes Farrell would acquire ownership of the entire Rascals song catalogue).'Van Nuys News' 9 June 1972 p. 44 Released as the album's first single, "How Can I Be Sure" became the second of Cassidy's three Top 30 solo hits on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 with a peak of #25, Cassidy's third Top 30 hit (and fifth and final Top 40 hit) being " "Lyin' to Myself" eighteen years later in 1990. On the 'Billboard' Easy Listening chart "How Can I Be Sure" peaked at #3."How Can I Be Sure" would afford Cassidy a #1 hit on both the Irish Singles Chart and also (for two weeks) the singles chart for the UK, being the second of Cassidy's overall 11 UK chart hits six of which would reach the Top Ten including his second #1 UK hit: the double A-side hit "Daydreamer"/"The Puppy Song" (#1 for three weeks in 1973). "How Can I Be Sure" also charted with more moderate impact in Australia (#16), Canada (#22), Germany (#33), and the Netherlands (#13).
;Track listing
*Side A: "How Can I Be Sure" (2:52)
*Side B: "Ricky's Tune" (3:24)
Chart history
Weekly chartsYear-end charts
Other versions
*In late 1967, American singer Lesley Gore recorded a version for her 8th studio album "Magic Colors". Intended to be released that December, the project was instead shelved, and would remain unreleased until 2011.
*In 1967 French singer Nicoletta sold two million copies of the song, rendered as "Je ne pense qu' t'aimer", the version which subsequently inspired Dusty Springfield's version. *Also in 1967 a distinct French-language rendering: "A Paris la Nuit", was recorded by Quebec singer Michel Pagliaro with his band "Les Chanceliers".
*Daryl Braithwaite, released a version in October 1994 as the lead from his album 'Six Moons: The Best of 19881994'. It peaked in Australia at #55 on the ARIA charts.
References
Category:1967 singles
Category:1970 singles
Category:1972 singles
Category:The Rascals songs
Category:Dusty Springfield songs
Category:David Cassidy songs
Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Songs written by Felix Cavaliere
Category:Songs written by Eddie Brigati
Category:1967 songs
Category:Atlantic Records singles
Category:Bell Records singles
Category:Philips Records singles
Category:Stax Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Wes Farrell
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