THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

480-Yvonne Fair-It Should Have Been Me.

1976-Number 5 single.

Best Bit-At 2.20. With hindsight I would imagine that the Preacher probably regretted asking if anyone had any objections to this wedding.

‘It Should Have Been Me’ was written in 1963 by two of ‘Motown’ records long term employees, William ‘Mickey’ Stevenson (see also best songs 948,) and Norman Whitfield (1940-2008) (see also best songs 911-569-533-346 and 233.) The first recording of the song was in 1963 by Stevenson’s wife Kim Weston, with backing vocals provided by the Supremes, but the first charting version came in 1968 when Gladys Knight & The Pips took their recording to Number 40 on Billboard, both versions had instrumentation provided by the in house Motown band The Funk Brothers. In 1991 the Dance music artist ‘Adeva’ recorded the song, reaching Number 1 in the U.S. Dance chart, and making Number 48 in the UK top 75.

Yvonne Fair was born Flora Yvonne Coleman on October 21st, 1942, in Richmond, Virginia, United States, she died from pancreatic cancer on March 6th, 1994. She started her musical career as a member of the all girl ‘Pop,”Doo Wop’, and ‘Rock N’ Roll’ group ‘The Chantells’ in the late 1950’s, before joining the ‘James Brown Revue’ in 1961. Her first solo single release was on the ‘King’ record label in 1962, it was a James Brown composition called ‘I Found You,’ which failed to chart, but was later re-worked by Brown to become one of his signature songs ‘I Got You (I Feel Good’.) (see also best songs 270.) After working with Brown, with whom she also had a child with in 1965, she left the ‘King’ label, and signed with ‘Motown’ records, where she toured regularly with that labels top names, often opening for them. In the mid 1970’s Norman Whitfield worked with her on a series of Motown singles, which all became part of her one solo Album release ‘The Bitch Is Black’ in 1975. The Album included this song, which would prove to be her only charting single, reaching Number 5 in the UK, Number 10 in Australia, but only Number 85 in America on Billboard.

‘Then the preacher asked ‘Will there be silence please? If any objections to this wedding, speak now or forever hold your peace’, then I shouted.’