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Never Give You Up
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Wikipedia article
"'Never Give You Up'" was a single by Jerry Butler that reached no. 20 in the 'Billboard' chart in 1968. It was written by Gamble & Huff. Butler was also credited as co-composer. The song has also been covered by Eddie Floyd, Buddy Greco, Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers, Leonard Julien III, Rod Stewart and The Black Keys.
Background
The credited composers on the single are Gamble, Huff and Butler. The single was released on Mercury 72798 in April 1968.45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/record/72798 Artist: Jerry Butler Never Give You Up, Catalogue: 72798]
The song spent 14 weeks on the Hot 100 chart, eventually peaking at no. 20 on July 6, 1968.Billboard - [https://www.billboard.com/artist/jerry-butler/chart-history/hsi/ Jerry Butler | Chart History, Hot 100, Never Give You Up] It also peaked at no. 16 in Canada the same month.https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5849&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5849.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5849 This track was also recorded at the Cameo Parkway Reco Arts studio in Philadelphia and featured musicians who would later go on to play on many groups' hit records recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia for such artists as The Spinners, The Stylistics and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. The personnel on the session included Norman Harris and Bobby Eli on guitar, Ronnie Baker on bass, Leon Huff on piano, and Earl Young on Drums and Vince Montana on vibes. The session was engineered by Joe Tarsia and arranged by Bobby Martin.[https://soulfuldetroit.com/archives/1019-APR%20MAY%2004/4177.html?1085453823 Soulful Detroit ]
Other versions
1960s
Thee Midnighters had their version of the song as the B side of their "Chicano Power" single which was released around 1967 - 1968.45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/artist/thee-midniters Thee Midniters - Discography]'Standard Catalog of American Records', By Dave Thompson - [https://books.google.com/books?id=cWmSCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA1251&dq=Thee+Midnighters+Never+Give+You+Up&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj7suushOPYAhUCS7wKHbg_ARYQ6AEILTAB#v=onepage&q=Thee%20Midnighters%20Never%20Give%20You%20Up&f=false Page 1251 THREE MIDNIGHTERS, 45s, WHITTIER]Eddie Floyd covered the song which appeared on his 1968 Stax album, 'I've Never Found A Girl'.Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/Eddie-Floyd-Ive-Never-Found-A-Girl/release/555371 Eddie Floyd I've Never Found A Girl] A version by Shirley And The Shirelles was recorded. It was included as the B side of single "Go Away And Find Yourself" which was released on Bell in 1969.45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/artist/shirley-and-the-shirelles/us Shirley And The Shirelles - Discography, US] Buddy Greco recorded a version of the song which appeared as the B side of his single, "Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon", released on Wand Records in 1970.45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/record/wn10 Artist: Buddy Greco, Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon Catalogue: WN 10] It was also on his 'Let the Sunshine In' album which was previously released on Scepter Records SPS 579 in 1969.Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/Buddy-Greco-Let-The-Sunshine-In/release/8043095 Buddy Greco Let The Sunshine In] A group called The Road had a version on their self-titled album in which was released on Kama Sutra in 1969.Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/Road-The-Road/release/6479462 The Road The Road]
1970s to 1980s
In 1977, a single by Bonnie Bramlett and Dobie Gray was released on Capricorn 2089 039.45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/record/2089039 Artist: Bonnie Bramlett And Dobie Gray Never Give You Up, Catalogue: 2089 039] Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers recorded a version which appeared on their 1979 'Bustin' Loose' album.Spotify - [https://open.spotify.com/track/2zOMwonAx2EUYTYqbb5WWV Never Gonna Give You Up, By Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers]1990s to 2010s
The 2005 album 'Push Comes to Shove' by rapper M.E.D. featured the song "Never Give U Up", produced by Oh No, who built the instrumental backing around a portion of the Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers version of "Never Give You Up". Leonard Julien III recorded the song and it appeared on his 'Reflections of Soul' album which came out on Modeste Records in 2007.Soul Express - [http://www.soulexpress.net/leonardjulien.htm Soul Express Album of the Month in August 2008, LEONARD JULIEN III, 'Reflections of Soul' - 'Ismo Tenkanen', Soul Express Editor]Rod Stewart recorded the song as well and it appears on the RCA 88697603432 release of his 2009 'Soulbook' album.AllMusic - [https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/soulbook-mr0003010835 Rod Stewart, 'Soulbook', '(CD - RCA #88697603432)'] The Black Keys recorded a version which appeared on their 'Brothers' album which was released in 2010.AllMusic - [https://www.allmusic.com/song/never-gonna-give-you-up-mt0036110351 The Black Keys, 'Never Gonna Give You Up', Composed by Jerry Butler / Kenny Gamble / Leon Huff] Their version was also used in the Series 3 Episode 4 of the BBC series 'Luther', which starred Idris Elba.BBC - [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b037lc89 Luther, Episode 4, Series 3 Episode 4 of 4] Tony Strong & the Philly Soul recorded a version that was included on their 2012 album "It Aint Over".Soul Express, March 2013 - [http://www.soulexpress.net/deep1_2013.htm INTRODUCING... TONY STRONG & THE PHILLY SOUL *]
References
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