"Treasure of Love" is a song written by Joe Shapiro and Lou Stallman and performed by Clyde McPhatter and
the Drifters
The Drifters are several American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal groups. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The second group of Drifters, formed in ...
. It was featured on their 1956 album ''Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters''. "Treasure of Love" reached No. 1 on the U.S. R&B chart, No. 16 on the U.S. pop chart. Overseas, the song went to No. 27 on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
cover version
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
of the song as a single in 1956, but it did not chart. It was arranged by
Dick Jacobs
Dick Jacobs (29 March 1918 – 20 May 1988) was an American musician, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, music director and an artists-and-repertoire director for several record labels (Coral, Decca, Brunswick and Springboard). He h ...
.
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Pat Boone
Patrick Charles Eugene Boone (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer and actor. He was a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He sold more than 45 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and appeared in mo ...
released a version of the song on his 1957 EP ''"Pat" on Mike''.
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Tommy Steele
Sir Thomas Hicks (born 17 December 1936), known professionally as Tommy Steele, is an English entertainer, regarded as Britain's first teen idol and rock and roll star.
After being discovered at the 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho, London, Steele reco ...
Johnny Burnette
John Joseph Burnette (March 25, 1934 – August 14, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter of rockabilly and pop music. In 1952, Johnny and his brother, Dorsey Burnette, and their mutual friend Paul Burlison formed the band that became ...
released a version of the song on his 1961 album ''Johnny Burnette Sings''.
* Ruth Brown released a version of the song on her 1962 album ''Along Came Ruth''. It was arranged by
Jerry Kennedy
Jerry Glenn Kennedy (born 10 August 1940)Cusic, Don. (1998) "Jerry Kennedy". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. Paul Kingsbury, ed. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 277–278. is an American record producer, songwriter and guitar pla ...
.
* Jill Jackson released a version of the song as a single in 1965, but it did not chart. It was produced by
Jimmy Bowen
James Albert Bowen (born November 30, 1937) is an American record producer and former rockabilly singer. Bowen brought Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood together, and introduced Sinatra to Mel Tillis for their album, ''Mel & Nancy.''
Early life ...
and arranged by
Bill Justis
William Everett Justis Jr. (October 14, 1926 – July 16, 1982) was an American pioneer rock and roll musician, composer, and musical arranger, best known for his 1957 Grammy Hall of Fame song, " Raunchy". As a songwriter, he was also often credi ...
.
* B. J. Thomas released a version of the song as a single in 1966, but it did not chart.
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Ronnie Hawkins
Ronald Cornett Hawkins (January 10, 1935 – May 29, 2022) was an American singer-songwriter, long based in Canada, whose career spanned more than half a century.
His career began in Arkansas, United States, where he was born and raised. He ...
released a version of the song on his 1971 album ''The Hawk''. It was produced by
Tom Dowd
Thomas John Dowd (October 20, 1925 – October 27, 2002) was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. He was credited with innovating the multitrack recording method. Dowd worked on a veritable "who's who" of recording ...
.
* John Holt released a version of the song on his 1972 album ''Pledging My Love''.
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Mel Carter
Mel Carter (born April 22, 1939, Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American singer and actor. He is best known for his 1965 million-selling recording, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me".
Biography
At age 16 Carter studied singing with vocalist Little Jimmy Sc ...
released a version of the song as a single in 1973, but it did not chart. It was produced by Bob Marcucci.
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Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
Richard Anthony Hewson
Richard Anthony Hewson (born 17 November 1943) is an English producer, arranger, conductor and multi-instrumentalist, who created the studio group RAH Band.
Career
Hewson began in the late 1960s as an arranger, and has worked with musicians s ...
and Richard and arranged by Hewson.
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The Persuasions
The Persuasions are an American a cappella group that began singing together in Brooklyn, New York in the mid-1960s.
The Persuasions were formed in Brooklyn in 1962, singing a cappella under corner streetlights and in subway corridors. Their ...
released a version of the song on their 1984 album ''No Frills''.
* Dion released a version of the song on his 1986 album ''Velvet and Steel''.