"What Am I Living For" is a song written by Fred Jay and Art Harris and performed by Chuck Willis featuring the Reggie Obrecht Orchestra and Chorus. It reached No. 1 on the U.S. R&B chart and #9 on the U.S. pop chart in 1958. Chuck Willis’s version was the first rock and roll record released in stereo, "engineered by Tom Dowd of Atlantic Records".

Other charting versions

Ernest Tubb Ernest Dale Tubb (February 9, 1914 – September 6, 1984), nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. His biggest career hit song, " Walking the Floor Over You" (1941), ...

released a version of the song which reached No. 19 on the U.S. country chart in 1959. *

Conway Twitty Harold Lloyd Jenkins (September 1, 1933 – June 5, 1993), better known by his stage name Conway Twitty, was an American singer and songwriter. Initially a part of the 1950s rockabilly scene, Twitty was best known as a country music performer. ...

released a version of the song which reached No. 26 on the U.S. pop chart in 1960. *

Percy Sledge Percy Tyrone Sledge (November 25, 1940 – April 14, 2015) was an American R&B, soul and gospel singer. He is best known for the song " When a Man Loves a Woman", a No. 1 hit on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and R&B singles charts in 196 ...

released a version of the song which reached No. 91 on the U.S. pop chart in 1967. *Twitty re-released a version of the song which reached No. 59 on the U.S. country chart in 1971. *

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

released a version of the song which reached No. 20 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart and #54 on the U.S. pop chart in 1971.

Other versions

* Jack Scott released a version of the song as a single in 1960, but it did not chart. *

Ernie Freeman Ernest Aaron Freeman (August 16, 1922 – May 16, 1981) was an American pianist, organist, bandleader, and arranger. He was responsible for arranging many successful rhythm and blues and pop records from the 1950s to the 1970s. Birth and fa ...

released a version of the song as a single in 1962, but it did not chart. *

Carl McVoy Carl McVoy (January 3, 1931 – January 3, 1992) was an American pianist. Career McVoy was cousin to the younger Jerry Lee Lewis. He had been to New York City with his father, who had been a minister there. McVoy got hooked on boogie-woogie whil ...

released a version of the song as a single in 1962, but it did not chart. *

Kitty Wells Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a barrier to women in country music with her 1952 hit recording " It Wasn't God ...

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, Voc ...

released a version of the song on her 1962 album ''Queen of Country Music''. *

Billy Fury Ronald Wycherley (17 April 1940 – 28 January 1983), better known as Billy Fury, was an English singer, musician, songwriter, and actor. An early star of rock and roll, he equalled the Beatles' record of 24 hits in the 1960s and spent 332 we ...

released a version of the song on his 1963 album ''Am I Blue''. It was produced by

Dick Rowe Richard Paul Brutton Rowe (9 June 1921 – 6 June 1986) was a British music executive and record producer. He was head of A&R ( Singles) at Decca Records from the 1950s to the 1970s, and produced many top-selling records during that period. ...

. *

Wanda Jackson Wanda LaVonne Jackson (born October 20, 1937) is an American singer and songwriter. Since the 1950s, she has recorded and released music in the genres of rock, country and gospel. She was among the first women to have a career in rock and roll, ...

released a version of the song on her 1963 album ''Love Me Forever''. It was produced by Ken Nelson. *

Millie Small Millicent Dolly May Small CD (6 October 1947 – 5 May 2020) was a Jamaican singer and songwriter who is best known for her 1964 hit "My Boy Lollipop". The song reached number two in both the UK and US charts and sold over seven million ...

released a version of the song as the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

to her 1964 single "Sweet William". *

The Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...

released a version of the song on their 1965 album '' Beat & Soul''. It was produced by

Dick Glasser Richard Eugene Glasser (December 8, 1933 – July 10, 2000) was a singer, songwriter, and record producer. Biography Glasser was born in Canton, Ohio, the third of eleven children and the oldest of five boys: subsequent to graduating Minerv ...

. *

The Animals The Animals (also billed as Eric Burdon and the Animals) are an English rock band, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early 1960s. The band moved to London upon finding fame in 1964. The Animals were known for their gritty, bluesy sound and ...

released a version of the song on their 1966 album '' Animalisms''. It was produced by Tom Wilson. *Filipino singer Eddie Peregrina released a version of the song in 1966, later released on his 1968 album of the same name. In 1977, he later recorded a Filipino version of the song titled "Nabubuhay Ako, Dahil Sa Iyo" on his 1977 compilation album, ''Hanggang Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan'', released posthumously. Almost four decades later, singer April Boy Regino sang a Filipino version of the song titled "Paano ang Puso Ko?" as theme of the 1997 film of the same name. * Rodger Collins released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1967 single "Hands Off My Girl". * Danny and The Velaires released a version of the song as a single in 1967, but it did not chart. *

Z. Z. Hill Arzell J. Hill (September 30, 1935 – April 27, 1984),Dahl, Bill. "Z.Z. Hill" Allmusic.com. Retrieved 29 March 2014. known as Z. Z. Hill, was an American blues singer best known for his recordings in the 1970s and early 1980s, including his 198 ...

released a version of the song on his 1967 album ''A Whole Lot of Soul''. * Archie Campbell and Lorene Mann released a version of the song on their 1968 album ''Archie and Lorene Tell It Like It Is''. It was produced by Bob Ferguson. *

Solomon Burke Solomon Vincent McDonald Burke (born James Solomon McDonald, March 21, 1936 or 1940 – October 10, 2010) was an American singer who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues as one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s. He has been ...

released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1969 single "

Proud Mary "Proud Mary" is a song written by John Fogerty and first recorded by his band Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was released by Fantasy Records as a single from the band's second studio album, '' Bayou Country'', which was issued by the same re ...

". *

Wilbert Harrison Wilbert Huntington Harrison (January 5, 1929 – October 26, 1994) was an American rhythm and blues singer, pianist, guitarist and harmonica player. Biography Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Harrison had a Billboard #1 record in 1959 with ...

released a version of the song on his 1969 album ''Let's Work Together''. It was produced by

Juggy Murray Juggy Murray (November 24, 1923 – February 8, 2005) was an American record label owner, producer and singer-songwriter. He co-founded Sue Records which launched the career of Ike & Tina Turner. Subsidiary labels under the Sue were Symbol, B ...

. *

Johnny Tillotson Johnny Tillotson (born April 20, 1938) is an American singer-songwriter. He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored nine top-ten hits on the pop, country, and adult contemporary ''Billboard'' charts, including " Poetry ...

released a version of the song on his 1969 album '' Tears on My Pillow''. 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 ...

. *

Andy Williams Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified and three platinum certified. He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hos ...

released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1969 single " A Woman's Way". It was produced by

. * Bill Phillips released a version of the song on his 1970 album ''Little Boy Sad''. It was produced by

Owen Bradley William Owen Bradley (October 21, 1915 – January 7, 1998) was an American musician and record producer who, along with Chet Atkins, Bob Ferguson, Bill Porter, and Don Law, was one of the chief architects of the 1950s and 1960s Nashville sou ...

. *

Lon Satton Lon Satton (born Alonzo Louis Lee Staton; February 11, 1927 – October 30, 2020) was an American singer and actor based in the United Kingdom. He is widely-known for originating the role of Poppa in the Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical ''Starlight ...

released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1970 single "Someone Is Standing Outside". * Jimmy Capps released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1972 single "Free Wheelin'". *

Sonny James Jimmie Hugh Loden (May 1, 1928February 22, 2016), known professionally as Sonny James, was an American country music singer and songwriter best known for his 1957 hit, " Young Love", topping both of the early versions of today's ''Billboard'' ...

released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1973 single "Surprise, Surprise". * Little Joe Y La Familia Inc. released a version of the song as the B-side to their 1975 single "Paso Del Norte". *

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (April 18, 1924 – September 10, 2005) was an American singer and multi-instrumentalist from Louisiana. He won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1983 for his album, ''Alright Again!''. Early life Br ...

released a version of the song on his 1989 album ''Standing My Ground''. *

Carl Perkins Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)#nytimesobit, Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennes ...

released a version of the song on his 1993 album ''This Old House''. *

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...

released a version of the song on his 1996 album '' Phantom Blues''. It was produced by John Porter. * Alan Price and The Electric Blues Company released a version of the song on their 1996 album '' A Gigster's Life for Me''. *

Jimmy Clanton Jimmy Clanton (born September 2, 1938) is an American singer who became known as the " swamp pop R&B teenage idol". His band recorded a hit song "Just a Dream" which Clanton had written in 1958 for the Ace Records label. It reached number f ...

released a version of the song on his 1997 compilation album ''Go, Jimmy, Go!: The Very Best of Jimmy Clanton''. * The Band released a version of the song on their 2001 re-release of the album ''

Moondog Matinee ''Moondog Matinee'' is the fifth studio album by Canadian/American rock group the Band, released in 1973. It consists entirely of cover material reflecting the group's love of R&B and blues music, with one exception in their interpretation of th ...

''. * Julie Hanify, David Mahler, and Larry Polansky released a version of the song on their 2005 album ''Too Late''. *

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

released a version of the song on his 2006 album '' Pay the Devil''. * Gene Taylor Blues Band featuring

Dave Alvin David Albert Alvin (born November 11, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He is a former and founding member of the roots rock band the Blasters. Alvin has recorded and performed as a solo artist since the late 1980s a ...

released a version of the song on their 2008 album ''Live!!! 605 Boogie!!!'' *

Dawn McCarthy Faun Fables is an American band based in Oakland, California. Faun Fables is a concept and vehicle for Dawn McCarthy, who was inspired to write the original material while traveling after leaving the New York City music scene in 1997. Faun Fable ...

and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy released a version of the song on their 2013 album '' What the Brothers Sang''. * Pine Leaf Boys released a version of the song on their 2013 album ''Danser''. It was produced by Joel Savoy. * Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver released a version of the song on their 2017 album ''Life Is a Story''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:What Am I Living For 1958 songs 1958 singles 1959 singles 1960 singles 1962 singles 1967 singles 1971 singles Chuck Willis songs Ernest Tubb songs Conway Twitty songs Percy Sledge songs Ray Charles songs Ernie Freeman songs Kitty Wells songs Billy Fury songs The Everly Brothers songs The Animals songs Solomon Burke songs Johnny Tillotson songs Andy Williams songs Bill Phillips (singer) songs Sonny James songs Carl Perkins songs Taj Mahal (musician) songs Alan Price songs The Band songs Van Morrison songs Will Oldham songs Millie Small songs Song recordings produced by Ken Nelson (American record producer) Song recordings produced by Tom Wilson (record producer) Song recordings produced by Bob Ferguson (musician) Song recordings produced by Jimmy Bowen Song recordings produced by Owen Bradley Atlantic Records singles MGM Records singles ABC Records singles Imperial Records singles Hi Records singles