‘Love Story,’ ‘The Twist,’ ‘Unchained Melody’ & More Re-Recorded Hot 100 Hits
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Taylor Swift writes a new chapter of chart history for “Love Story,” as her re-recording, “Love Story (Taylor’s Version),” soars in at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart (dated Feb. 27). It also opens at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song makes its second trip to both tallies, as “Love Story” led Hot Country Songs for two weeks in November 2008 before rising to No. 4 on the Hot 100 in January 2009.
The original was released from Swift’s second LP, 2008’s Fearless. The new take is from her forthcoming re-recording of the album, Fearless (Taylor’s Version). (Re-recordings of older songs or albums are treated separately from their originals, with independent chart histories for each version.)
“Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” is the second single ever to top Hot Country Songs in separate forms, after Dolly Parton’s iconic “I Will Always Love You” led in 1974 and, in a second take, in 1982.
On the Hot 100, Swift’s new entry is the latest to chart more than once as re-recorded in-studio by an artist that previously made it a hit.
Here’s a look at 20 other memorable such singles, listed chronologically by their updated versions (with thanks to the invaluable assistance of Paul Haney from Joel Whitburn’s Record Research).
“Every Beat of My Heart”
The Pips: No. 6 peak, 1961 / Gladys Knight and the Pips: No. 45, 1961
The group recorded two versions of its breakthrough hit, which debuted simultaneously (May 15, 1961). The single billed as by the Pips became the bigger of the two, marking the first of nine career top 10s for the collective or Knight solo.
“Patricia”
Perez Prado and His Orchestra: No. 2, 1958 / No. 65, 1962
Ricky Nelson’s “Poor Little Fool” famously topped the first Hot 100, dated Aug. 4, 1958. At No. 2 that week? “Patricia” (which led the final edition of predecessor chart the Top 100 the week before). Re-recorded, the instrumental returned to the Hot 100 four years later as “Patricia – Twist.”
“Walk – Don’t Run”
The Ventures: No. 2, 1960 / No. 8, 1964
Another early-rock era instrumental that revisited the Hot 100 after four years, the composition (titled “Walk-Don’t Run ’64” in its second form) marked the first of three top 10s for the band. “Hawaii Five-O,” the classic TV show’s theme song, surfed to No. 4 in 1969.
“Breaking Up Is Hard to Do”
Neil Sedaka: No. 1 (two weeks), 1962 / No. 8, 1976
The original became Sedaka’s first Hot 100 No. 1, and one of his first six top 10s in 1960-62. In 1975, he returned to the top 10 with the No. 1s “Laughter in the Rain” and “Bad Blood.” The next year, he continued his resurgence with a new, slower version of his first leader, his ninth and most recent top 10.
“Ode to Billie Joe”
Bobbie Gentry: No. 1 (four weeks), 1967 / No. 65, 1976
The song was adapted for the movie of the same name and charted a second time as “Ode to Billie Joe – Main Title.”
“Spirit in the Night”
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band: No. 97, 1976 / No. 40, 1977
Written by Bruce Springsteen, the song, which he first recorded for his debut 1973 LP Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., initially spent three weeks on the chart for Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, with lead vocals by Mick Rogers. The next year, the band’s second take, sung by Chris Thompson, brought the song to the top 40.
In between the two chart runs for the track, the band led in February 1977 with the Springsteen-penned “Blinded by the Light,” which he also premiered on his debut album.
“Peter Gunn”
Duane Eddy: No. 27, 1960 / The Art of Noise feat. Duane Eddy: No. 50, 1986
Over a quarter-century after the original hit the top 40, the instrumental from the 1958-61 TV series returned, also reaching No. 2 on Dance Club Songs and winning a Grammy Award for best rock instrumental performance.
“The Twist”
Chubby Checker: No. 1 (three weeks), 1960-62 / Fat Boys: No. 16, 1988
The legendary single became the first of two songs to top the Hot 100 more than a year apart (see the last entry on this list below for the other), in 1960 and again in 1962, runs that sparked its status as the chart’s all-time biggest hit. In 1988, Fat Boys further popularized the song, with an uncredited Checker reprising its call-to-the-dancefloor chorus (and shouting-out each act).
“What ‘The Twist’ gave us was, you’re dancing in front of her … she’s dancing in front of you. You had a chance to exploit your sexuality while being fully dressed,” Checker told Billboard in 2013. “Before, that wasn’t happening in music. And, we’ve been doing the same thing ever since.”
“Unchained Melody”
The Righteous Brothers: No. 4, 1965 (& No. 13, 1990) / No. 19, 1990
The pair’s standard returned to the Hot 100’s top 15 after 25 years, fueled by its usage in the box office smash Ghost. With the original available on vinyl (and favored by radio), the duo released a new version on cassette, with both appearing in the top 20, two spots apart, on Nov. 3, 1990.
“This Old Heart of Mine”
Rod Stewart: No. 83, 1976 / No. 10, 1990
A rare song that became a bigger hit once re-recorded, Stewart sent it to the Hot 100’s top 10 with additional vocals from Ronald Isley. The update also hit No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, as did follow-up and fellow Stewart remake “I Don’t Want to Talk About It,” after his original had reached No. 44 on AC in 1980.
“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”
Elton John & Kiki Dee: No. 1 (four weeks), 1976 / Elton John & RuPaul: No. 92, 1994
Right from the start … the song became John’s sixth Hot 100 No. 1. In 1993, he released his Duets album, featuring a new version with RuPaul, as well as another chart hit with Dee: “True Love” rose to No. 21 on AC.
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun”
Cyndi Lauper: No. 2, 1984 / No. 87, 1995
Lauper reimagined her debut hit, retitled “Hey Now (Girls Just Want to Have Fun),” with a reggae splash and a sample of Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love.” The composition stands as both Lauper’s first and most recent Hot 100 entry.
“Hard to Say I’m Sorry”
Chicago: No. 1 (two weeks), 1982 / AZ Yet feat. Peter Cetera: No. 8, 1997
Cetera sang the original by Chicago, as well as on R&B group AZ Yet’s top 10 remake. AZ Yet and Cetera found a successful formula, as their reworking of Chicago’s Cetera-sung “You’re the Inspiration,” a No. 3 hit in 1985, hit No. 77 later in 1997 (with Cetera and the group reversing lead and featured billings).
“I Honestly Love You”
Olivia Newton-John: No. 1 (two weeks), 1974 / No. 67, 1998
Before Olivia Rodrigo and her current juggernaut “Drivers License,” two other Olivias oversaw the Hot 100: Olivia, as featured on 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop,” for nine weeks in 2005, and Olivia Newton-John, with five No. 1s.
The latter’s first leader returned 24 years later, also becoming a country chart hit twice: It reached No. 6 on Hot Country Songs in 1974 and, as re-recorded, No. 16 on Top Country Singles Sales in 1998.
“Roxanne”
The Police: No. 32, 1979 / No. 59, 1998
Speaking of Olivia Rodrigo, an earlier breakthrough hit became synonymous with “red light(s)” lyrics. Nearly two decades after “Roxanne” arrived as The Police’s first Hot 100 entry, “Roxanne ’97 – Puff Daddy Remix” charted, as credited to Sting & The Police. It followed Puff Daddy and Faith Evans’ 11-week leader “I’ll Be Missing You” (featuring 112), which reworks The Police’s 1983 eight-week No. 1 “Every Breath You Take.”
Similarly, the group took “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” to No. 10 in 1981 and “Don’t Stand So Close to Me ’86” to No. 46 five years later. Plus, Sting’s “I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying” reached No. 94 in 1996 before Toby Keith’s remake with Sting hit No. 84 in 1997 (and No. 2 on Hot Country Songs in early 1998).
“Candle in the Wind”
Elton John: No. 6, 1988 / No. 1 (14 weeks), 1997-98
Originally recorded for John’s 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (but not released as a single in the U.S.), it first reached the Hot 100’s top 10 via his live version. With revised lyrics in tribute to the late Princess Diana, “Candle in the Wind 1997,” recorded in-studio and backed with then-new song “Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” became John’s biggest career hit.
“Drift Away”
Dobie Gray: No. 5, 1973 / Uncle Kracker feat. Dobie Gray: No. 9, 2003
The song was written by Mentor Williams, brother of singer-songwriter and actor Paul Williams. In 2019, the latter mused of its origin on Billboard’s Chart Beat Podcast, “He reached into the center of his chest, and he wrote his truth.”
“Because of You”
Kelly Clarkson: No. 7, 2005 / Reba McEntire duet with Kelly Clarkson: No. 50, 2007
Originally a Hot 100 top 10 for Clarkson, her update with McEntire brought the song to the Hot Country Songs top tier, reaching No. 2.
“Physical”
Olivia Newton-John: No. 1 (10 weeks), 1981-82 / Glee Cast feat. Olivia Newton-John: No. 89, 2010
A second Newton-John No. 1 returned to the Hot 100 thanks to a re-recording. It’s one of 60 covers of Hot 100 leaders that the Glee Cast charted (among its 207 total entries, the most among non-solo acts).
“All I Want for Christmas Is You”
Justin Bieber duet with Mariah Carey: No. 86, 2011 / Mariah Carey: No. 1 (five weeks), 2019-21
Reflecting that re-recorded hits have dotted the Hot 100 from its 1958 start to this year, Carey’s Christmas classic, first released in 1994, dented the chart thanks to her “SuperFestive!” Bieber duet, while her original solo version has now spent the most time at No. 1 among holiday hits. It’s one of two carols that she’s charted twice: “Oh Santa!” hit No. 100 in 2011 and her recent update featuring Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson jingled to No. 76 in December.
This week, Carey charts yet another remake of one of her biggest hits: “We Belong Together (Mimi’s Late Night Valentine’s Mix),” a 14-week Hot 100 in its original form in 2005, debuts on R&B Digital Song Sales, among other charts.
via https://www.DMT.NEWS/
Gary Trust, Khareem Sudlow, DMTDaily
