Even my music knowledge was put to the test with this weeks 1HIT-1DER. For almost 47 years I thought this was the original version only to find out that it was a cover of Dee Dee Warwicks 1966 original that only peaked at #88 nationally. NJ native Madeline Bell who was living in London at the time recorded her Billboard #26 peak song Im Gonna Make You Love Me after her good friend Dusty Springfield passed on it. The song did nothing in England & the tapes were sent to the U.S. where a label executive liked it & sent it to radio stations & it took off in January 1968. Bell was a background singer for Springfield & Dusty returned the favor on this single. Another cover version was released that Summer but didnt chart. A few months later the brilliant MOTOWN arrangers & producers decided to change it to a duet & have their two top groups record it. The result was a #2 Billboard & #1 Cashbox peak as well as reaching #1 locally on both WIBG & WFIL for the Supremes & Temptations. I also learned that this song has a Philly connection as legendary producer Kenny Gamble was a co-writer.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 00:32:15 +0000
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