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And now: a "Great Song of the '70s" that's something completely different: a blues standard, with an interesting back story.
In 1955, composer Arthur Hamilton was contacted by an old schoolmate, singer Julie London, who asked if he would write a torch song for Ella Fitzgerald to sing in a film called "Pete Kelly's Blues," which was bring directed by her then-husband Jack Webb (of "Dragnet" fame).
The song was ultimately rejected.
Instead, Julie herself was urged to record the song by singer/actor Bobby Troup (later of TV's "Emergency"), who she subsequently married after divorcing Webb.
Julie's sultry version was a million-selling Top 10 hit, reaching #9 on the charts in late 1955. In 2016, it was added to the National Recording Registry of recordings that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States."
But let's back up a bit...first, to 1961, when Ella's version of the song from her album, "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie" was released to universal acclaim, but was never released as a single.
And then in 1970, Joe Cocker recorded and released an up-tempo LIVE version of "Cry Me a River" that treated the "torch song" as if a torch had lit it on fire!
Joe's version reached #11 on Billboard's Hot 100, and was unlike just about everything else on Top 40 radio at the time!
(TRIVIA: Joe was backed by some mighty big names, including Leon Russell on both Keyboards AND guitar, and Rita Coolidge on vocals.)
Since then, the song has been covered by several artists, including Barbra Streisand, Merle Haggard, Aerosmith, Rick Astley, and Michael Buble'.
But Julie London, Ella Fitzgerald, and Joe Cocker set the standard for every version (of the standard) that came thereafter.
"Cry Me a River:" a "Great Song of 1955, 1961, and 1970.
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