A Song for You
"A Song for You" | |
---|---|
Song by Leon Russell | |
from the album Leon Russell | |
Released | May 1970 |
Format | Vinyl, LP, Album |
Genre | Vocal |
Length | 4:08 |
Label | Shelter Records(US) A&M Records(UK) |
Songwriter(s) | Leon Russell |
Producer(s) | Leon Russell |
"A Song for You" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Andy Williams | ||||
from the album You've Got a Friend | ||||
B-side | "You've Got a Friend" | |||
Released | August 1971 | |||
Genre | Vocal | |||
Length | 3:12 | |||
Label | Columbia 45434 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Leon Russell | |||
Producer(s) | Dick Glasser | |||
Andy Williams singles chronology | ||||
|
"A Song for You" is a song written and originally recorded by rock singer and pianist Leon Russell for his first solo album Leon Russell, which was released in 1970 on Shelter Records. A slow, pained plea for forgiveness and understanding from an estranged lover, the tune is one of Russell's best-known compositions. Russell not only sings and plays piano on the recording, but also plays the tenor horn that is accompanying,[1] it has been performed and recorded by over 200 artists, spanning many musical genres. Elton John has called the song an American classic.[2][3]
One of the first versions of the song that brought it broader attention was by Andy Williams, whose single peaked at #29 on the adult contemporary chart and #82 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971.[4] Ray Charles recorded a version that earned him the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
On January 17, 2018, "A Song For You" was added to Grammy Hall of Fame.[5][6]
Charts[edit]
Chart (2005) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Smooth Jazz | 19 |
Chart (2008) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[7] | 61 |
Cover versions[edit]
A Song for You covered from 1970 to 2019:[8][9][10]
Year | Artist | Album | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1970 | Leon Russell | Leon Russell | First release. Not released as a single |
1971 | Merry Clayton | Merry Clayton | Also on The Best Of Merry Clayton from 2013 |
1971 | Donny Hathaway | Donny Hathaway | |
1971 | Lena Horne | Nature's Baby | |
1971 | Bill Medley | A Song for You | |
1971 | Jaye P. Morgan | The 1950s chanteuse had her final Billboard chart song in 1971 with this tune ("Bubbling Under #105) | |
1971 | Helen Reddy | I Don't Know How to Love Him | |
1971 | Judy Stone | Pure Stone | |
1972 | The Carpenters | A Song for You | Not released as a single they also performed this song live on a Bob Hope TV Special that aired on October 5, 1972[11][12] |
1972 | Cher | Foxy Lady | she also performed the song on the Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour |
1972 | Billy Eckstine | Senior Soul | |
1972 | Buddy Greco | It's My Life | |
1972 | Jack Jones | A Song for You | |
1972 | Peggy Lee | Norma Deloris Egstrom from Jamestown, North Dakota | |
1972 | Carmen McRae | The Great American Songbook | |
1972 | The Politicians | The Politicians featuring McKinley Jackson | |
1973 | Björn Skifs & Blåblus | Pinewood rally | |
1973 | Vikki Carr | Live at the Greek Theatre | |
1973 | Woody Herman | Giant Steps | |
1973 | Morgana King | New Beginnings | |
1973 | Don Lane | Don Lane | |
1973 | Lill Lindfors | Kom igen! | |
1973 | Willie Nelson | Shotgun Willie | He also performed it in the 1980 movie Honeysuckle Rose, and it appears on the movie's soundtrack. |
1973 | Houston Person | A Song for You | |
1973 | Lou Rawls | Live at the Century Plaza | |
1973 | Al Wilson | Show and Tell | |
1974 | Petula Clark | Royal Albert Hall | Also on her compilation album Open Your Heart in 2009[13] |
1974 | Aretha Franklin | Let Me in Your Life | Lyric altered from "10,000 people watching" to "Millions of people watching" |
1974 | Denis King | All In Love Is Fair | |
1974 | Mari Nakamoto | Three Blind Mice | |
1974 | Freda Payne | Payne & Pleasure | |
1974 | Tony Ronald | Juntos | |
1974 | Telly Savalas | Some Broken Hearts | |
1974 | The Temprees | Temprees | |
1974 | Maxine Weldon | Some Singin | |
1975 | George Baker | Song for You | |
1975 | Barbara Cook | Barbara Cook at Carnegie Hall | |
1975 | Mina | La Mina | Sung in Italian as "Quasi Come Musica" |
1975 | Fausto Papetti | 21a Raccolta | |
1975 | The Temptations | A Song for You | Not released as a single |
1975 | Phil Woods | Images | |
1976 | Joe Cocker | Stingray (album) | |
1976 | Ronnie Dyson | The More You Do It | |
1976 | Anna Leah | Reborn | |
1976 | Lou Rawls | Naturally | |
1976 | Donna Summer | Recorded at NBC Studios in Burbank, California Summer often sang this as the encore during tours from 1977 to 1979[14], and again in 1983. | |
1978 | Ron Carter | A Song for You | |
1978 | Earl Coleman | A Song for You | |
1978 | Betty Wright | Betty Wright Live | |
1979 | Wendel Adkins | Live At Whiskey River | |
1979 | Tadao Hayashi | Finger Trip II | |
1979 | Salena Jones | Stormy With Luv | |
1979 | Sylvester | Living Proof | |
1982 | Willy Heynen & Ingrid Pollet | The Long Years | |
1984 | Anita O'Day | A Song For You | |
1986 | Elton John | he performed this song as an intro to a medley of his own songs "Blue Eyes" & "I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues" on Tour | |
1987 | Nancy Wilson | Forbidden Lover | |
1990 | Dianne Mower | A Song for You | |
1990 | Talk of Night | Talk of Night | |
1991 | British Electric Foundation and Mavis Staples | Music of Quality & Distinction Volume 2 | |
1993 | Michael Ball | Song For You | |
1993 | Ray Charles | My World | He recorded a version of the song on his 1993 album My World. Released as a single, it reached #4 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, and won him a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. Charles also performed the song at New York's Beacon Theatre on April 9, 2003, as part of Willie Nelson's 70th birthday tribute (released on DVD as Willie Nelson and Friends: Live & Kickin'). Leon Russell sang the first verse, Willie Nelson sang the second verse, and Charles sang the remainder of the song in this unforgettable performance. Nelson, who stood nearby during Charles' performance, was moved to tears. |
1993 | Norman Connors | Remember Who You Are | |
1993 | Mike Garson | The Oxnard Sessions, Vol. 2 | |
1993 | Devon Sinclair | Songs From The Heart | |
1994 | Damian Hall and Aaron Hall | Straight to the Point | |
1994 | Shirley Horn | I Love You, Paris | she recorded her version on March 7, 1992 in Paris, France[15] |
1994 | Vince Jones | Kate Ceberano and Friends a Kate Ceberano album | |
1996 | Diahann Carroll | At The Montreux Jazz Festival | |
1996 | Cæcilie Norby | My Corner of the Sky | |
1996 | Dusty Springfield | Something Special | recorded on November 19, 1971 for her 1972 album "See All Her Faces"[16] |
1997 | Kimiko Itoh | The Time of My Life | |
1998 | Gerald Levert | New York Undercover: A Night at Natalie’s | |
1998 | Marie Carmen Koppel | TAXA Kronehits | |
1998 | Jimmy Spencer | Song For You | |
1998 | Binghamton Crosbys | Super Bos | |
1998 | Sanne Salomonsen with Chris Minh Doky | In a New York Minute | |
1998 | Lainie Kazan | In the Groove | |
1999 | Peabo Bryson | Unconditional Love | |
1999 | Natalie Cole | Snowfall on the Sahara | |
1999 | Pilita Corrales | A Song for You | |
1999 | Vincent Wolfe | Trust the Vibe | |
2000 | Sakura [Japanese Act] | Room 508 | |
2001 | City High | City High | |
2001 | Merv Griffin | It's Like a Dream | |
2001 | Harumi Igarashi | A Song for You | Japan |
2001 | Tchello Palma | Song for you | |
2001 | Neal Schon | Voice | |
2001 | Three Mo' Tenors | A Song for You | |
2002 | Eden Atwood | My Ideal | |
2002 | Jeremy Monteiro Trio | A Song For You, Karen | |
2002 | Kenny Rankin | Song for You | |
2002 | Andy Snitzer | Over Crystal Green | |
2002 | Colm Wilkinson | Some Of My Best Friends Are Songs | |
2002 | Will & Rainbow | Sugar | |
2003 | Ann Nesby | Church: Songs of Soul and Inspiration | |
2003 | Lynette Washington | LIVE! At Harlem's Kennedy Center | |
2003 | David Cassidy | A Touch of Blue | |
2003 | Renée Geyer | Tenderland | |
2003 | Randy Waldman | You Raise Me Up | |
2004 | Big Daddy 'O' | Deranged Covers | |
2004 | Jasper Steverlinck | It Must Be Love | |
2004 | Bogdan Hołownia | Tales | |
2005 | Herbie Hancock feat. Christina Aguilera | Possibilities | It received airplay on U.S. smooth jazz radio and was also nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 2006 Grammy Awards. The duo performed a live rendition at the ceremony that year. |
2005 | Michael Bublé | It's Time | Also on 2019 NBC TV Special Album |
2005 | Simply Red | Simplified | Released as part of a double A-side single in January 2006. |
2005 | Lady Kim | Everything Must Change | |
2005 | Peter Gallagher | 7 Days in Memphis | |
2006 | Janine Gilbert-Carter | A Song For You | |
2006 | Sam Harris | Always | |
2006 | Jitka Zelenková | Pod kůží | Czech |
2006 | Kind of Like Spitting | The Thrill of the Hunt | |
2006 | Michael Lington | Song for You | |
2007 | B. J. Thomas | Love to Burn | |
2007 | Claire Martin | He Never Mentioned Love | |
2007 | Nolwenn Leroy | Histoires Naturelles Tour | |
2007 | Joseph Williams | Smiles and Tears | |
2007 | Little Annie&Paul Wallfisch | Acoustic Room 47 | |
2007 | Elliott Yamin | Elliott Yamin | Performed the song in both his audition for American Idol and in one of his final performances. It was also named number three in Entertainment Weekly's 10 all-time best American Idol performances. The song is also on Yamin's debut album. |
2007 | Marek Napiórkowski | When Good Things Happen to Bad Pianos | |
2008 | Bizzy Bone feat. DMX & Chris Notez | A Song for You | Samples Donny Hathaway's 1971 rendition. The music video includes Chris Notez playing a grand piano in front of a big manor singing his lyrics in the chorus, Bizzy Bone, DMX and sometimes Chris Notez singing in a dimly lit big room. Bizzy Bone is seen singing the song in front of a tombstone, which appears to be the gravesite of rapper Eazy-E. |
2008 | Beyonce Knowles | Tours | Beyonce performed Song For You on her 2006, 2008 and 2012 tours. |
2008 | Eriko Ishihara | Unforgettable | |
2008 | Jessy J | Tequila Moon | |
2008 | Vitamin String Quartet | VSQ Performs Michael Buble | |
2008 | Rhonda Burchmore | Cry me a River | |
2008 | Jane McDonald | Jane – UK No. 7 | |
2008 | Leon Jackson | Song for You | |
2008 | Gordon | Song for You | |
2008 | Lisa Yvonne Ferraro | Live at Fallingwater | |
2009 | Nikoletta Szőke | Song for You | |
2009 | Tommy Mitchell | Song for You | |
2009 | Barbara Blue | LIVE Volume 3 | |
2009 | Lucky Peterson | Organ Soul Sessions: The Music Is the Magic | |
2009 | Whitney Houston | I Look to You | She performed it in 1991 live for the troops at the Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston concert and then later recorded a studio version for her 2009 album. |
2009 | Zakk Wylde | Performed a rendition at the November 19, 2009, Gibson / Les Paul Tribute concert held at The Ryman auditorium in Nashville. | |
2009 | Ernestine Anderson | A Song for You | |
2010 | Neil Diamond | Dreams | |
2010 | Angelica | Best of Love and Ballad Songs | |
2010 | Ahmir | The Covers Collection - Vol. #2 | |
2010 | Steve Dobrogosz | Steve Dobrogosz with Anna Christoffersson | |
2010 | Ruby Wilson | A Song For You | |
2010 | Kirk Whalum | Everything Is Everything: The Music of Donny Hathaway | |
2011 | Amy Winehouse | Lioness: Hidden Treasures | Released posthumously |
2011 | Térez Montcalm | Here's to You - Songs for Shirley Horn | |
2011 | Tomas Nicholas | Audible Spectrumn | |
2011 | Jim Brickman | A Song for You | |
2011 | Gino Paoli | Quasi come musica (A Song for You) | Italian |
2011 | Karel Gott | Zpívám jednu píseň dál a dál (A Song for You) | Czech |
2011 | Heather Sullivan | In the Dead of Night | |
2011 | Larry Braggs | "Jus' Sangin'" | |
2012 | Elkie Brooks | Powerless | |
2012 | Søren Bebe Trio | A Song for You | |
2012 | Jam Hsiao | Mr. Jazz A Song For You | |
2012 | Lalah Hathaway | 2012 Tour | Donny Hathaway's daughter |
2012 | Jesse Campbell | A Song for You | |
2012 | Katy Setterfield | A Song for You | |
2012 | Han Hee-jun | American Idol Top 9 Season 11 | |
2012 | Sussan Kameron | Música para Enamorar | |
2012 | Max Mutzke and Klaus Doldinger | Durch Einander | |
2012 | Darren Percival | A Song for You | |
2012 | The Dear Abbeys | Proclamation | |
2012 | Hugo Race | No But It's True | |
2012 | Peter Asplund | Afterglow | |
2013 | Alias | A Song for You | |
2013 | Darryl Jordan | A Song for You | Single |
2013 | Eels | A Song for You | Single |
2013 | Richard Wellington | Give It a Chance | |
2013 | Richard Poon | Legends | |
2013 | Rie fu | Rie fu Sings the Carpenters | |
2013 | Black Label Society | Attributes | |
2013 | Steffen Morrison | The Blind Auditions | |
2013 | Sorea Band | A Song For You | |
2013 | Ruben Hein | A Song For You | |
2013 | Coco O | Quadron | |
2014 | Caroline Chevin | A Song for You | Single |
2014 | Ranee Lee | What's Going On | |
2014 | Chris Morgan | A Song For You | |
2014 | Delvin Choice | The Voice Performance | |
2014 | Roh Ji hoon | A Song for You | |
2014 | Dee Daniels | Intimate Conversations | |
2014 | Dee Daniels | Intimate Conversations | |
2014 | David and Devine | A Song for You | Single |
2014 | Damien Lawson | The Voice Performance | |
2014 | Justin Vernon of Bon Iver | Occasionally performed the song live, most notably during a performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon | |
2015 | Rob Taylor | The Voice Performance | |
2015 | Jarrod Lawson | Live at The Jazz FM Awards | |
2015 | Keiko Lee | Love XX | |
2015 | Tomco AV | A Song For you | Single and Live |
2015 | Telly Leung | The Voice Performance | |
2016 | Maimouna Youssef | Mumu Fresh | |
2016 | Isabella Taviani | Carpenters Avenue | |
2016 | Dami Im | Classic Carpenters | |
2016 | Boys Republic | BR: Evolution | |
2016 | Cheyenne Jackson | Renaissance | |
2016 | Susan and Mike Mattison | Live From The Swamp, Vol. 2:Orpheum Theatre | |
2017 | Vanessa Ferguson | The Voice Performance | |
2017 | Samuel Storm | The Story | |
2017 | Lea Salonga | Bahaghari [Rainbow] | |
2017 | Victor Oladipo | Songs for You EP | |
2017 | Aisha De Haas | Broadway Sessions | Live - Single |
2018 | The Mark-Almond Band | Unplugged (Circa 1971) | |
2018 | Greetje Kauffeld | A Song For You | |
2018 | Adrian Christian | A Song For You | |
2018 | Steve Tyrell | A Song for You | |
2018 | Nam Woo-hyun | A Song for You | Korean |
2018 | Daniel Evans | The X Factor finalists British | |
2018 | James Graham | The Four Performance | |
2018 | Dalton Harris | A Song for You | |
2018 | Adam Sick | The X Factor finalists | |
2019 | Diana Rouvas | The Voice Performance | |
2019 | Tony Monaco | The Definition of Insanity | |
2019 | NU'EST | A Song For You | Korean |
2019 | Shawn Sounds | The Voice Performance | |
2019 | Kodi Lee | America's Got Talent (season 14) | |
2019 | H.E.R. | A Love Letter to Mom | Live
H.E.R. |
2019 | Kate Ceberano and Paul Grabowsky | Tryst | first single from the album |
References[edit]
- ^ "Leon Russell - Best Of Leon (Vinyl, LP, Compilation) | Discogs". Discogs. February 25, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
- ^ The Encyclopedia of Country Music, 2012: "In 1970 Russell released his self-titled debut solo album, including such enduring songs as 'Delta Lady' and 'A Song for You,' both written for versatile vocalist Rita Coolidge. He followed with Leon Russell and the Shelter People (1971) and ..."
- ^ discogs.com A Song for You
- ^ "Billboard Singles". All Media Guide / Billboard. Retrieved 2010-03-01. Italic or bold markup not allowed in:
|publisher=
(help) - ^ NewsOK.com Leon Russell's 'A Song For You' added to Grammy Hall Of Fame, by Nathan Poppe, January 17, 2018
- ^ Tulsa World News, Leon Russell song selected for Grammy Hall of Fame, By Jimmie Tramel, Jan. 18, 2018
- ^ "Billboard Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
- ^ stargayzing.com, When a “Song” Becomes a “Copyright”: Leon Russell’s A Song For You, June 18, 2013
- ^ whosampled.com, A Song For You
- ^ Cover Versions, A Song for You by Leon Russell
- ^ The Carpenters (3 February 2013). "A Song for You Live". YouTube: Beverwyk.
- ^ "Bob Hope TV Special on NBC: 10/05/72". Rewatch Classic TV. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ Clark, Petula. "Open Your Heart: A Love Songs Collection" (Album Notes). Collectors' Choice Music. 2009.
- ^ Summer, Donna (18 January 2018). "Live: Leon Russell's A Song for You". YouTube: Cal Vid.
- ^ Horn, Shirley. "I Love You, Paris". Allmusic. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ Springfield, Dusty (April 1996). "A Song for You". Second Hand Songs. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
External links[edit]
- Ballads
- Pop ballads
- Columbia Records singles
- Virgin Records singles
- 1970 singles
- 1971 singles
- 1972 singles
- 2005 singles
- 2006 singles
- 2008 singles
- Songs written by Leon Russell
- Leon Russell songs
- Andy Williams songs
- Christina Aguilera songs
- Donny Hathaway songs
- The Temptations songs
- Nancy Wilson (jazz singer) songs
- The Carpenters songs
- Simply Red songs
- Carmen McRae songs
- Ronnie Dyson songs
- 1970 songs
- City High songs
- Ray Charles songs