Spanish Harlem (song)
"Spanish Harlem" | ||||
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Single by Ben E. King | ||||
from the album Spanish Harlem | ||||
A-side | "First Taste of Love" (original 1960 release) | |||
B-side | "First Taste of Love" (later releases) | |||
Released | December 1960 | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 2:53 | |||
Label | Atco | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller | |||
Ben E. King singles chronology | ||||
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"Spanish Harlem" is a song recorded by
The song has been covered by a number of artists including Aretha Franklin, whose version reached number two on Billboard's pop chart.
The song was ranked number 358 on
Background
Leiber credited Stoller with the arrangement in a 1968 interview;
The riff to the song was originally conceived by Spector and his then-girlfriend Beverly Ross. She was apparently shocked to discover the same riff a few months later in the version sung by King.[4] [5]
Ben E. King's "Spanish Harlem" was originally released as the B-side to "First Taste of Love".
Aretha Franklin version
"Spanish Harlem" | ||||
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Single by Aretha Franklin | ||||
from the album Aretha's Greatest Hits | ||||
B-side | "Lean on Me" | |||
Released | July 9, 1971 | |||
Recorded | 1971 | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 3:30 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin, Tom Dowd | |||
Aretha Franklin singles chronology | ||||
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In July 1971,
Charts
Chart (1971) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] | 4 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[14] | 25 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[15] | 5 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] | 1 |
14 | |
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[18] | 6 |
US Best Selling Soul Singles (Billboard)[19] | 1 |
US Billboard Hot 100[20] | 2 |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[21] | 6 |
Cliff Richard versions
Charts
Chart (1962–64) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[24] | 1 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[25] | 28 |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[26] | 1 |
Laura Nyro version
On her 1971 covers album Gonna Take a Miracle, singer-songwriter Laura Nyro performed a version with backing vocals by the group Labelle.[27]
Other recordings
- Volume 2 - Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass (1963)[28]
- If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears - The Mamas & the Papas (1966)
References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 325.
- ^ "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. April 7, 2011. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
- ^ a b Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 14 – Big Rock Candy Mountain: Rock 'n' roll in the late fifties. [Part 4] : UNT Digital Library" (audio). Pop Chronicles. Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
- ISBN 9780988945913.
- ^ Billboard. November 21, 1960. p. 53. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 325.
- ^ a b "The Official Charts Company - Spanish Harlem (song)". The Official Charts Company. May 3, 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Whitburn (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 215.
- ^ "Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard.
- ^ Whitburn (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 97.
- ISBN 978-1502500007. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin – Spanish Harlem" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin – Spanish Harlem" (in French). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7787." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin – Spanish Harlem" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Aretha Franklin – Spanish Harlem" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ "Cliff Richard & The Shadows: Spanish Harlem". Offizielle Deutsche Charts.
- ^ "Cliff Richard - Das ist die Frage aller Fragen".
- ^ "Cliff Richard – Das ist die Frage aller Fragen" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ^ "Cliff Richard & The Shadows – Spanish Harlem" (in French). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Cliff Richard & The Shadows – Spanish Harlem" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 5, 2023.