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THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER

Posted by: In: Other 21 Jun 2021 Comments: 0

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

644-Aretha Franklin-I Say a Little Prayer.

1968-Number 4 single.

Best Bit-At 2.02. In the words of Green Gartside,’Each time I go to bed, I pray like Aretha Franklin.’ (see also best songs 554)

‘I Say a Little Prayer’ was written by the legendary songwriting team of Burt Bacharach (music,) and Hal David (1921-2012) (lyrics.) The song was originally recorded by Dionne Warwick (see also best songs 224) who took her version to Number 4 on Billboard in 1967. A year later the song was recorded by Aretha Franklin (see also best songs 366) for the ‘B’side of ‘The House That Jack Built,’ but ‘I Say a Little Prayer’ was favoured by radio stations and began receiving all of the air play. Franklin’s version reached Number 10 on Billboard, and also became, at that time her biggest UK hit, when making Number 4.

Both versions have the American R&B girl group ‘The Sweet Inspirations’ in common, as they were in on rehearsals when Warwick was recording her version, and can be heard performing backing vocals on Franklin’s recording. ‘The Sweet Inspirations’ (see also best songs 882) at that time were Cissy Houston, the mother of Whitney, Estelle Brown, Sylvia Shemwell, and Myrna Smith (1941-2010.) The song has also been a hit in the UK for two other artists. In 1988 Tim Simenon using his alias ‘Bomb the Bass’ took his electronic dance version, featuring the singer Maureen, to Number 10, and a reggae version by Diana King, which was featured prominently in the 1997 comedy film ‘My Best Friends Wedding,’ reached Number 17 in 1997.

Burt Bacharach (see also best songs 902-815-740 and 224) never wanted the Dionne Warwick version to be released, he has said,’I think I made the tempo a little too fast, I didn’t want the record to come out, but got overridden. I’m glad that I got overridden’.He has also stated that he much prefers the Aretha Franklin arrangement, and production of the song by Jerry Wexler. As for how the song was inspired, Hal David wrote the lyrics with the intention to convey a woman’s concern for her man who is serving in the Vietnam War.

‘The moment I wake up, before I put on my makeup, I say a little prayer for you.