You're the Best Thing That's Ever Happened to Me - Gladys Knight & The Pips (1974) 1/8/21

Back on 12/22/19, I highlighted “Midnight Plane to Houston,” a song written by Jim Weatherly after a conversation he had with actress/model Farrah Fawcett. (True Story!) Of course, after a name and lyric change, it became “Midnight Train to Georgia,” a MEGA hit by Gladys Knight & the Pips! You can read about it here: (https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCuuuk/posts/124927078980748 )

Gladys seemed to be the perfect vocal match for Jim Weatherly's music. She also scored with Jim's “Neither One of Us,” (#1 on the Soul Chart and #2 on the Hot 100 in 1973), which we highlighted on 8/29/20... (https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCuuuk/posts/206784934128295)...and today's “Great Song of 1974!”

“You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me” was originally recorded in 1973 by country star Ray Price, who took it all the way to #1 on the country charts in the US and Canada.

Gladys & the Pips then took the song, added their “signature sound” to it, and a year later, it was a hit all over again: #1 on Billboard's Soul Chart and #3 on the Hot 100, selling more than a million copies.

Pretty good track record for a song that Jim Weatherly said took him about a half hour to write!

“You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me:” a “Great Song of the '70s,” TWICE!

Gladys Knight & The Pips (1974):

Ray Price (1973):