/ATV’s "Musical Notes" #22 - Brook Benton
Jul 25, 2008
Sony/ATV’s "Musical Notes" #22
A fortnightly newsletter highlighting some of the many classic songs in the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalog.
From Alan Warner, Creative Consultant
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On his new Atco/Rhino album, Simply Red’s frontman Mick Hucknall salutes bluesman Bobby Bland, and sings an emotive version of Brook Benton’s composition...
I’LL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
A list of Brook’s key Sony/ATV compositions is in our latest newsletter.
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SUMMERTIME REGGAE
IN THE SUMMERTIME is the song written by Ray Dorset who led the British group Mungo Jerry to an international hit with it originally in 1970.
"In the summertime when the weather is fine
You can stretch right up and touch the sky
Now when the weather is fine
You got women, you got women on your mind"
Dancehall reggae singer Shaggy along with Rayvon revived the song in 1995 on his
'Boombastic’ album’ and it entered the UK chart that July, becoming a #5 smash success.
Reggae songs have often had chart potential in the summer months and are well worth reviving during the upcoming holiday season.
The infectious remake of Neil Diamond’s RED RED WINE by British reggae group UB40 entered the UK charts in August ’83, eventually hitting #1 there in early September. It was a hit for UB40 in the US but not until five years later – in 1988!
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Stories behind classic Sony/ATV songs:
#6: IT’S JUST A MATTER OF TIME
"Someday, someway, you’ll realize that you’ve been blind
Yes darling, you’re going to need me again
It’s Just A Matter Of Time"
Co-written and sung by Brook Benton
"It’s Just A Matter Of Time" is one of a series of standout ballads co-written and recorded by the late, great Brook Benton. Born in Camden, South Carolina in 1931, Brook possessed a silky smooth baritone voice and, when produced by Clyde Otis at Mercury Records aided by swirling string arrangements by Belford Hendricks, he became one of the leading R&B & Pop singers of the late 50’s and 60’s. That song later crossed over and became a major country smash on no less than three different occasions: by Sonny James in 1970, by Glen Campbell in ’86 and by Randy Travis in ’89.
In fact, Alabama’s own Sonny James (known affectionately during his thirty year career as ‘The Southern Gentleman") was so successful with his revival of "It’s Just A Matter Of Time" that he went on to top the country charts nine months later with one more of Brook’s hits: "Endlessly".
Another song with proven success in various markets is the evocative "Looking Back" which gave Nat King Cole a Top 10 R&B & Hot 100 seller in the spring of ’58. Check out how easily the song turns into a rousing gospel statement by The Blind Boys Of Alabama. Similarly, "Looking Back" also resonates over a reggae rhythm as in the version by Jamaican singer John Holt.
On a lighter note, Brook’s folk-based "Boll Weevil Song" was a huge seller in ’61. And Clyde Otis’s pairing of Brook with the legendary Dinah Washington resulted in two unforgettable duet performances of which "A Rockin’ Good Way" is outstanding; the two singers memorably trading not only lines in the song but also humorous asides. Bonnie Tyler & Shakin’ Stevens successfully revived the duet in the UK in 1984.
Here’s a list of key Brook Benton songs published by Sony/ATV:
THE BOLL WEEVIL SONG (BB/Clyde Otis)
By Brook Benton (Mercury/Universal: 1961) US #2 R&B, #3 Pop, #1 AC, UK #30
ENDLESSLY (BB/Clyde Otis)
"Higher than the highest mountain
And deeper than the deepest sea
That’s how I will love you,
Oh darling, Endlessly"
By Brook Benton (Mercury/Universal: 1959) US #3 R&B, #12 Pop, UK #28
By Sonny James (Capitol/EMI: 1970) US #1 Country
By Mavis Staples (Volt/Concord: 1972) US #30 R&B
By Eddie Middleton (Epic/Sony BMG: 1977) US #38 Country
Other versions incl: Randy Crawford (Warner Bros/WMG), Dobby Dobson (Trojan/Universal), The Upsetters (Trojan/Universal)
FOR MY BABY (BB/Clyde Otis)
By Brook Benton (Mercury/Universal: 1961) US #2 R&B, #28 Pop
By Cal Smith (Decca/Universal: 1972) US #58 Country
I’LL TAKE CARE OF YOU (BB)
"I know you’ve been hurt by someone else
I can tell by the way you carry yourself
But if you let me, here’s what I’ll do
I’ll Take Care Of You"
By Bobby Bland (Duke/Universal: 1960) US #2 R&B
BY O.V. Wright (Back Beat/Universal: 1969) US #43 R&B
Other versions incl: Mick Hucknall (Atco/Rhino/WMG)
IT’S JUST A HOUSE WITHOUT YOU (BB/Clyde Otis/Teddy Randazzo/Cirino Colacrai)
By Brook Benton (Mercury/Universal: 1961) US #8 AC, #45 Pop
IT’S JUST A MATTER OF TIME (BB/Clyde Otis/Belford Hendricks)
By Brook Benton (Mercury/Universal: 1959) US #1 R&B, #3 Pop
By Sonny James (Capitol/EMI: 1970) US #1 Country, #31 AC
By Glen Campbell (Atlantic America/WMG: 1986) US #7 Country
By Randy Travis (Warner Bros/WMG: 1989) US #1 Country
Other versions incl: Solomon Burke (Atlantic/WMG), Little Anthony &
The Imperials (Veep/EMI), Tammy Wynette (Epic/Sony BMG),
Timi Yuro (Liberty/EMI), Tom Jones (UK Decca/Universal)
KIDDIO (BB/Clyde Otis)
By Brook Benton (Mercury/Universal: 1960) US #1 R&B, #7 Pop, UK #41
Other versions incl: John Lee Hooker (Virgin/EMI)
LIE TO ME (BB/Margie Singleton)
By Brook Benton (Mercury/Universal: 1962) US #3 R&B, #13 Pop
Other versions incl: Larry Wren (50 States)
LOOKING BACK (BB/Clyde Otis/Belford Hendricks)
"Looking Back over my life
I can see where I caused you strife
But I know, yes I know,
I’d never make that same mistake again"
By Nat King Cole (Capitol/EMI: 1958) US #2 R&B, #5 Pop
By Nat King Cole (Capitol/EMI: 1965 re-recording) US #27 AC
By Joe Simon (Sound Stage 7: 1969) US #42 R&B, #70 Pop
By Jerry Foster (Cinnamon: 1974) US #51 Country
Other versions incl: Sam Cooke (Sar/Abkco), John Holt (Trojan/Universal), The Blind Boys Of Alabama (Vee-Jay)
A LOVER’S QUESTION (BB/Jimmy Williams)
"Does she love me with all her heart?
Should I worry when we’re apart?
It’s A Lover’s Question, I’d like to know"
By Clyde McPhatter (Atlantic/WMG: 1958) US #1 R&B, #6 Pop
By Otis Redding (Atco/UMG: 1969) US #20 R&B
By Del Reeves (United Artists/EMI: 1970) US #14 Country
By Loggins & Messina (Columbia/Sony BMG: 1975) US #89 Pop
By Jacky Ward (Mercury/Universal: 1978) US #3 Country
Other versions incl: Lou Rawls & Phoebe Snow (Manhattan/EMI), Johnny Burnette (Liberty/EMI), Johnnie Ray (Liberty/EMI), Ernestine Anderson (Mercury/Universal)
A ROCKIN’ GOOD WAY (TO MESS AROUND AND FALL IN LOVE)(BB/Clyde Otis/Luchi DeJesus)
"Now that you’ve kissed me and you rocked my soul
Don’t come around knockin’ rock and roll
‘Cause that’s A Rockin’ Good Way, That’s A Rockin’ Good Way,
That’s A Rockin’ Good Way To Mess Around And Fall In Love"
By Dinah Washington & Brook Benton (Mercury/Universal: 1960) US #1 R&B, #7 Pop
By Shakin’ Stevens & Bonnie Tyler (Epic/Sony BMG: 1984) UK #5
Other versions incl: Priscilla Brown & The Spaniels (Vee-Jay), Bob & Marcia (Trojan/Universal), Peaches & Herb (Date/Sony BMG)
SO CLOSE (BB/Clyde Otis/Luther Dixon)
By Brook Benton (Mercury/Universal: 1959) US #5 R&B, #38 Pop
THANK YOU PRETTY BABY (BB/Clyde Otis)
By Brook Benton (Mercury/Universal: 1959) US #1 R&B, #16 Pop
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PLEASE DON’T STOP THE MUSIC!
Old & new Sony/ATV songs were featured in the recently completed 6th season of ABC Television’s smash-hit show "Dancing With The Stars". Cyndi Lauper’s TRUE COLORS (Steinberg/Kelly) was danced as a Rumba, Little Richard’s rocker RIP IT UP (Blackwell/Marascalco) was featured as a Jive, Rihanna’s DON’T STOP THE MUSIC (Eriksen/Storm/Hermansen/Jackson) became a Cha Cha, Colbie Caillat’s BUBBLY (Caillat/Reeves) was a Foxtrot, John Mayer’s SAY (Mayer) was a Rumba and Flo Rida’s LOW was also a Cha Cha.
http://www.sonyatv.com/en-au/index.php/articles/233
