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.

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, at the age of 51. Yvonne Fair started her music career as a member of the all girl African/American ‘Pop,’ and ‘Doo-Wop,’ and ‘Rock ‘N Roll’ group ‘The Chantels’ for a short while 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 (1933-2006) (see also best songs 880-349-270 and 88) 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 James Brown, with whom she 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 1972 she had a small part as a singer in the Motown produced biographical musical drama film ‘Lady Sings the Blues.’ In the mid 1970’s Norman Whitfield (1940-2008) (see also best songs 911-777-569-533-346 and 233) 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. By the 1980’s Yvonne Fair had retired from recording, and would occasionally perform in small clubs and bars around Los Angeles. She also worked as Dionne Warwick’s (see also best songs 224) wardrobe coordinator. Prior to starting her music career, she had been married, and had a child with Leroy Fair. Her second marriage was to the American R&B vocalist Sammy Strain, who was a member of both Little Anthony and the Imperials, (see also best songs 338) and the O’Jays (see also best songs 648.) Sammy Strain is one of the few artists in music history that is a double ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ inductee, having been inducted with the O’Jays in 2005, and the Imperials in 2009. Yvonne Fair’s daughter Venisha Brown, whom she had with James Brown, struggled with drug addiction, and was arrested multiple times, she died from complications from pneumonia on September 19th, 2018, at the age of 53.

The discography of Yvonne Fair includes one studio Album ‘The Bitch Is Black,’ from 1975, and 13 singles released between 1962-1975, of which her first three singles were ‘with the James Brown Band.’ Her only charting single is ‘It Should Have Been Me,’ which was also her final single release, which reached Number 85 in America on the Billboard Hot 100, Number 5 in the UK, and Number 10 in Australia.

‘It Should Have Been Me’ was originally written in 1963 by William ‘Mickey’ Stevenson, and Norman Whitfield, who were both long term employees at ‘Motown’ records. The first recording of the song was in 1963 by Stevenson’s wife Kim Weston, with backing vocals by ‘The Supremes,’ (see also best songs 1001-411-212 and 148) and instrumentation by ‘The Funk Brothers’ (see also best songs 948-650-569-480-414-382-212-148 and 28.) The first hit version of the song was the 1968 recording by Gladys Knight & The Pips, which reached Number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, once again the instrumentation was provided by The Funk Brothers, and also the ‘Detroit Symphony Orchestra,’ who have provided music on other Motown recordings. In 1975 The Funk Brothers completed the treble when once again providing the instrumentation on the Yvonne Fair version, which was produced by Norman Whitfield, and was one of seven previous singles that had been issued by Yvonne Fair, and collected for her ‘The Bitch Is Black’ Album. In 1991, the American singer ‘Adeva’ released a ‘House Music’ version of ‘It Should Have Been Me,’ which reached Number 48 in the UK.

‘It Should Have Been Me’ was co-written by William ‘Mickey’ Stevenson, (see also best songs 948 and 346) who was born on January 4th, 1937, in Detroit, Michigan, United States, after spending his formative years recording ‘Doo-Wop,’ and ‘Gospel Music,’ he joined ‘Motown’ in 1959, the year it was founded. He was head of the ‘A&R’ department there during the ‘glory’ years of the mid 1960’s, and was also responsible for organising and establishing the company’s in-house studio band, which came to be known as ‘The Funk Brothers.’ Other ‘classic’ Motown songs co-written, or co-produced by William ‘Mickey’ Stevenson, include Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston’s ‘It Takes Two,’ (1966-Billboard Number 14 & UK Number 16) Jimmy Ruffin’s ‘What Becomes of the Brokenhearted,’ (1966-Billboard Number 7 & UK Number 8) and Stevie Wonder’s ‘Uptight (Everything’s Alright’) (1965-Billboard Number 3 & UK Number 14.)

‘Then the preacher asked, ‘Will there be silence, please? If any objections to this wedding speak now or forever, forever hold your peace.’ Then I shouted, it should have been me, you know that it should have been me.’