"Looking Back" is a song written by

Brook Benton Benjamin Franklin Peay (September 19, 1931 – April 9, 1988), better known as Brook Benton, was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960 ...

, Belford Hendricks, and Clyde Otis and performed by

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...

. It reached #2 on the U.S. R&B chart and #5 on the U.S. pop chart in 1958. The single's B-side, "Do I Like It?" reached #67 on the U.S. pop chart in 1958. The song was ranked #31 on ''Billboard's'' Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1958.

Other charting versions

*Cole re-released a version of the song in 1965 which reached #27 on the

adult contemporary chart The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by sta ...

and #123 on the U.S. pop chart. * Joe Simon released a version of the song as a single in 1969 which reached #42 on the U.S. R&B chart and #70 on the U.S. pop chart.

Other versions

Dinah Washington Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, who has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s songs". Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performe ...

released a version of the song as the B-side to her 1960 single "We Have Love". *

Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, and NASCAR racing driver. Robbins was one of the most popular and succ ...

released a version of the song on his 1962 album ''Marty After Midnight''. *

Jan Howard Jan Howard (born Lula Grace Johnson; March 13, 1929 – March 28, 2020) was an American country music singer and songwriter. As a singer, she placed 30 singles on the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Hot Country Songs, country songs chart, w ...

featuring

The Jordanaires The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Vocal ...

released a version of the song on her 1962 album '' Sweet and Sentimental''. *

released a version of the song on his 1962 album ''Lie to Me - Brook Benton Singing the Blues''. * Jewel Brown released a version of the song as the B-side to her 1962 single "I Ain't Givin' Up Nothing". *

Mary Wells Mary Esther Wells (May 13, 1943 – July 26, 1992) was an American singer, who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s. Along with The Supremes, The Miracles, The Temptations, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and the F ...

released a version of the song on her 1963 album ''

Two Lovers and Other Great Hits ''Two Lovers and Other Great Hits'' is an album released by Motown singer Mary Wells, the third album she released while recording for the label. It debuted on the Billboard album chart March 16, 1963 reaching #49, remaining on the chart for eig ...

''. *

Earl Grant Earl Grant (January 20, 1931 – June 10, 1970) was an American pianist, organist, and vocalist popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Career Grant was born in Idabel, Oklahoma. Though he would be known later for his keyboards and vocals, Grant also p ...

released a version of the song on his 1966 album ''Sings and Plays Songs Made Famous by Nat Cole''. *

Carla Thomas Carla Venita Thomas (born December 21, 1942) is an American singer, who is often referred to as the Queen of Memphis Soul. Thomas is best known for her 1960s recordings for Atlantic and Stax including the hits "Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)" (1 ...

released a version of the song on her 1966 album ''Carla''. * Ruth Brown released a version of the song on her 1969 album ''Black is Brown and Brown is Beautiful''. * Nancy Wilson released a version of the song on her 1969 album '' Nancy''. *

Gene Vincent Vincent Eugene Craddock (February 11, 1935 – October 12, 1971), known as Gene Vincent, was an American musician who pioneered the styles of rockabilly and rock and roll. His 1956 top ten hit with his backing band the Blue Caps, " Be-Bop-a-Lula ...

released a version of the song on his 1970 album ''The Day the World Turned Blue''. * Conway Twitty released a version of the song on his 1972 album ''20 Greatest Hits by Conway Twitty''. *

Inez Andrews Sister Inez Andrews, born Inez McConico (April 14, 1929 – December 19, 2012) and better known as Inez Andrews, was an American gospel singer. Her soaring, wide-ranging voice — from contralto croon to soul-wrenching wail — made her a pillar ...

released a version of the song on her 1973 album ''Lord, Don't Move the Mountain''. *

Gregory Isaacs Gregory Anthony Isaacs OD (15 July 1951 – 25 October 2010)Thompson, p. 127. was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in ''The New York Times'', described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae".Miles, Milo (1992),RECORDI ...

covered the song in 1974. New Orleans artist Irma Thomas released a version of this song on her 1979 album “Safe With Me” and it received considerable airplay on the local radio stations, especially those using an oldies format. *

Bobby Bland Robert Calvin Bland (born Robert Calvin Brooks; January 27, 1930 – June 23, 2013), known professionally as Bobby "Blue" Bland, was an American blues singer. Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with the blues and R&B. He was descr ...

released a version of the song on his 1984 album ''You've Got Me Loving You''. He also released it as a single the same year, but it did not chart. * Maria Muldaur released a version of the song on her 1986 album ''Transblucency''. *

Don Williams Donald Ray Williams (May 27, 1939 – September 8, 2017) was an American country singer, songwriter, and 2010 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He began his solo career in 1971, singing popular ballads and amassing seventeen number ...

released a version of the song on his 1987 album ''Traces''. * Ray Price released a version of the song on his 1988 album ''Just Enough Love''. *

Johnny Adams Laten John Adams Jr. (January 5, 1932 – September 14, 1998), was an American blues, jazz and gospel singer, known as "The Tan Canary" for the multi-octave range of his singing voice, his swooping vocal mannerisms and falsetto. His biggest ...

released a version of the song on his 1998 album ''Man of My Word''. *

The Blind Boys of Alabama The Blind Boys of Alabama, also billed as The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, and Clarence Fountain and the Blind Boys of Alabama, is an American Gospel music, gospel group. The group was founded in 1939 in Talladega, Alabama, and has featured a ch ...

released a version of the song on their 2003 album ''I Brought Him with Me''.

References

1958 songs 1958 singles 1965 singles 1969 singles Songs written by Brook Benton Songs written by Clyde Otis Nat King Cole songs Dinah Washington songs Marty Robbins songs Jan Howard songs Brook Benton songs Mary Wells songs Ruth Brown songs Gene Vincent songs Conway Twitty songs Bobby Bland songs Don Williams songs Ray Price (musician) songs Johnny Adams songs Capitol Records singles Songs written by Belford Hendricks {{1950s-single-stub