Fifty Years Ago: Aretha Holds Two Spots On Billboard's Top 15 Pop Chart:

[Boogiedown]

September 14, 1968:

At No.14:

[Boogiedown]

and at # 6:

[Boogiedown]

THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT was the intended hit , but radio stations flipped the record and played I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER too. I don't know how Billboard decided to share a single chart position when a record had a hit "a" and "b" side , or to instead split the charting of the two songs--- as they did here?


Research [[wiki) reveals an interesting twist . When Dionne Warwick's original version of I SAY LITTLE PRAYER was released , it was backed by a "b" that would take on a life of its own : THE THEME FROM THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. Both sides would become Top Five Hits , making it one of the biggest double-sided hits of the rock era.

[motony]

"The House That Jack Built" was originally by someone else on a small label.

[Boogiedown]

"The House That Jack Built" was originally by someone else on a small label.

I looked for a version on youtube but no luck.

Burt Bacharach invested ten takes on I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER, usually three were enough for Dionne's songs, but even then he wasn't satisfied. The song got shelved for over a year before Scepter insisted it get included on an album. When DJs began playing it off the LP , it got pressed into a single.

Aretha's version happened when she and her back-ups, The Sweet Inspirations, were goofing around with the song during spare time in the studio, and realized there might be something there.

thank you wiki

[reese]

[Boogiedown]

Wow thanks Reese! Aretha didn't have to do a lot of reinterpreting on this one did she. Already sounded "Ree".
Even the whews already used in it.

"But I ain't got jack" lol!

[reese]

Wow thanks Reese! Aretha didn't have to do a lot of reinterpreting on this one did she. Already sounded "Ree".
Even the whews already used in it.

"But I ain't got jack" lol!

I was surprised that Aretha's version was rather similar to the original as she usually puts on her own spin on her remakes.

[marv2]

September 14, 1968:

At No.14:

You're really starting to make me feel real old! This song was on the radio often as I was just starting the 3rd Grade and now you're telling me that was 50 years ago? OMG! LOL!

[Boogiedown]

You're really starting to make me feel real old! This song was on the radio often as I was just starting the 3rd Grade and now you're telling me that was 50 years ago? OMG! LOL!

You remember hearing it when you were just starting third grade eh? well at least your memory's good ! lol!


also: SAY A LITTLE PRAYER was Aretha's biggest UK hit of her career , until she dueted with George Michael in '87.