the Shirelles
The Shirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves), Doris Coley (later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McFad ...
,
the Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a folk rock vocal group formed in Los Angeles, California, which recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968. The group was a defining force in the music scene of the counterculture of the 1960s. The group consisted of Am ...
and Bitty McLean. Pauling was the guitarist of the "5" Royales, the group that recorded the original version of the song, produced by Bass, in 1957. Their version was re-released in 1961 and charted at number 81 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
The Shirelles version
A cover version recorded by American girl group
the Shirelles
The Shirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves), Doris Coley (later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McFad ...
reached number 83 in 1959. This version was re-released in 1961 and reached number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and number two on ''Billboard''s Hot R&B Sides. The song was subsequently included on their 1961 album '' Tonight's the Night''.
The Mamas & The Papas version
In
1967
Events
January
* January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair.
* January 5
** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...
, a subsequent and slightly more popular cover version by
the Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a folk rock vocal group formed in Los Angeles, California, which recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968. The group was a defining force in the music scene of the counterculture of the 1960s. The group consisted of Am ...
Record Retailer
''Record Retailer'' was the only music trade newspaper for the UK record industry. It was founded in August 1959 as a monthly newspaper covering both labels and dealers. Its founding editor was Roy Parker (who died on 27 December 1964). The titl ...
'' chart. The lead singer on the Mamas & the Papas version was
Michelle Phillips
Michelle may refer to:
People
*Michelle (name), a given name and surname, the feminine form of Michael
* Michelle Courtens, Dutch singer, performing as "Michelle"
* Michelle (German singer)
* Michelle (Scottish singer) (born 1980), Scottish ...
. It was the first time that Phillips was given the lead over
Cass Elliot
Ellen Naomi Cohen (September 19, 1941 – July 29, 1974), known professionally as Mama Cass and later on as Cass Elliot, was an American singer and voice actress. She was a member of the singing group the Mamas & the Papas. After the group brok ...
. The song was also included on the group's 1967 album '' The Mamas & The Papas Deliver''.
While the song mixes of the group's singles differ significantly from their album counterparts with some frequency ("Words of Love" and "Creeque Alley," in particular, feature overdubbed instruments that don't appear on the album versions of the songs), "Dedicated To The One I Love" used the same mix for both single and album. However, there are differing versions of the song available.
*The mono single and mono album versions are identical. In them, Michelle's voice is double-tracked, but mixed down into the 'sound' of one voice. Cass's vocals are more prominent on these, as is the piano accompaniment. The cold ending features all four group members in signature harmony.
*The stereo album mix moves the piano to the back of the mix, and Mama Cass' voice is further blended into the others'. This is particularly prevalent at the end of the song, where Cass is all but absent.
''
Cash Box
''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an onli ...
'' called the single a "groovey, harmonic, soft rock venture that is sure to please all of the group’s many fans."
The group appeared on ''
The Ed Sullivan Show
''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...
'' in 1967 to perform both this song and the single to follow, "Creeque Alley". Although the single has a running time of 2:56, and the group performed the song in its entirety, edited versions of the song appear on internet video sites with a much shorter running time.
Personnel
According to the AFM contract sheet, the following musicians played on the track.
* John Phillips - session leader; guitar
*
Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine (born Harold Simon Belsky; February 5, 1929 – March 11, 2019) was an American drummer and session musician, thought to be among the most recorded studio drummers in the music industry, claiming over 35,000 sessions and 6,000 singles. ...
Larry Knechtel
Lawrence William Knechtel (August 4, 1940 – August 20, 2009) was an American keyboard player and bassist who was a member of the Wrecking Crew, a collection of Los Angeles-based session musicians who worked with such renowned artists as Simon & ...
- keyboards
*
Joe Osborn
Joseph Osborn (August 28, 1937 – December 14, 2018Denny Doherty
* Tommy Tedesco - guitars
Charts
Other versions
*1965:
Johnny Preston
John Preston Courville, known professionally as Johnny Preston (August 18, 1939 – March 4, 2011), was an American rock and roll singer, best known for his international number one hit in 1960, "Running Bear".
Life and career
Born in Port Arth ...
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 compan ...
of his single "Running Bear '65".
*1965:
Reparata and the Delrons
Reparata and the Delrons were an American girl group. They are best known for their 1965 recordings "Whenever a Teenager Cries" and "Tommy", for the 1968 European hit " Captain of Your Ship" and for Reparata's 1975 solo hit "Shoes".
History 1962 ...
covered the song on their LP ''Whenever a Teenager Cries''.
*1967:
The Lettermen
The Lettermen are an American male pop vocal trio. The Lettermen's trademark is close-harmony pop songs with light arrangements. The group started in 1959. They have had two Top 10 singles (both No. 7), 16 Top 10 singles on the Adult Contempor ...
released a version of the song on their album ''Spring!
*1968:
The O'Kaysions
The O'Kaysions are an American pop band from Kenly, North Carolina that first formed in 1959. They are best known for their 1968 million-seller " Girl Watcher".
Career
The group first formed under the name The Kays in 1959, and scored a Top 10 ...
released a version of the song on their debut album, ''Girl Watcher'' and as the B-side of their single, "Love Machine".
*1972:
The Temprees The Temprees are an American soul vocal trio from Memphis, Tennessee, most popular during the 1970s. The band released several albums on We Produce Records, an offshoot of Stax Records. In 1972, the band performed in front of more than 100,000 fan ...
' version reached number 17 on ''Billboard''s Soul Singles chart and number 93 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
*1973:
Ruben and the Jets
Ruben and the Jets was an American rock and roll band from Los Angeles, California. The band originated as an alias for The Mothers of Invention, Frank Zappa's band, to release ''Cruising with Ruben & the Jets'' (1968). Later, musician Rubén Gu ...
released it on their album '' For Real!''
*1981: Bernadette Peters recorded a version, which reached number 65 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
*1994: Bitty McLean recorded a reggae remake, which reached number 6 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 ...
.
*1996:
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...
Holly Cole
Holly Cole (born November 25, 1963) is a Canadian jazz singer and actress. For many years she performed with her group The Holly Cole Trio.
Background
Cole was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her father, Leon Cole, was a noted radio broadcaste ...
included the song on her album ''Romantically Helpless''.
*2001: Rosie & the Originals recorded an ''a cappella ''version for their album ''Angel Baby Revisited''.
*2007: Renée Geyer recorded a version on her album '' Dedicated''.
*2013:
Wilson Phillips
Wilson Phillips is an American pop group formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The group consists of Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson, the daughters of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, and Chynna Phillips, the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of ...
included it on their album ''Dedicated''.
The song in popular culture
* In the 1980s, a version of the song was used in a
Kellogg's
The Kellogg Company, doing business as Kellogg's, is an American multinational food manufacturing company headquartered in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. Kellogg's produces cereal and convenience foods, including crackers and toa ...
Special K commercial.
* In an episode of the television show ''China Beach'', the actress Chloe Webb, portraying a USO touring backup singer, offers a tender and emotional version of the song to a fatally injured soldier as a last request as he is dying.
* In '' DTV'', in 1984, the Mamas & the Papas' version of the song was set to ''
Sleeping Beauty
''Sleeping Beauty'' (french: La belle au bois dormant, or ''The Beauty in the Sleeping Forest''; german: Dornröschen, or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess cu ...
''.
* The song was used in a scene in the 1986 film ''
House
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air cond ...
''.
* In 1992, the long-running CBS nighttime soap opera ''
Knots Landing
''Knots Landing'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on CBS from December 27, 1979, to May 13, 1993. A spin-off of ''Dallas'', it was set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles and initially centered on the lives ...
'', in which Michelle Phillips starred, named an episode "Dedicated to the One I Love", in which the Mamas & the Papas' version of the song is played in the background.
* ''
The Shirelles
The Shirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves), Doris Coley (later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McFad ...
'' version is used in '' Homicide: Life on the Street (season 5)'' , episode 17 episode titled "Kaddish".
* The song was used in the last scene and fade-out of the 2002 movie ''
Morvern Callar
''Morvern Callar'' is a 1995 experimental novel by Scottish author Alan Warner. Published as his first novel, its first-person narrative—written in a Scottish dialect—explores the life and interests of the titular character following the sud ...
''.
* In 2005, the song was covered by the final 10 of the second season of ''
New Zealand Idol
''New Zealand Idol'', also known as ''NZ Idol'', was the New Zealand version of the Idol series originated as the hit British TV series '' Pop Idol''. New Zealand first saw the ''Idol'' format when TV2 aired '' American Idol 2'', which garnered ...
''.
* The Mamas & the Papas' version is played at the end of the last scene and during the credits of the 2014 movie '' The One I Love''.
* In 2017, the Netflix series trailer for their movie ''
Okja
''Okja'' (; ) is a 2017 science-fantasy action-adventure film directed by Bong Joon-ho with a screenplay by Bong and Jon Ronson from a story by Bong. The film is about a young girl who raised a genetically modified "super pig" (the titular Okja ...
'' is set to a re-edited version of the Mamas and the Papas' version.
* The song was used in a scene in the 2018 film ''
Mid90s
''Mid90s'' (stylized as ''mid90s'') is a 2018 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Jonah Hill, in his feature directorial debut, inspired by Hill's own childhood in the mid-1990s. It stars Sunny Suljic, Lucas Hedges a ...
''.
* The Mamas and Papas' version of the song runs over the closing credits to episode 5 of season 3 of the streaming television series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which centers on the fictional friendship between Miriam Maisel and Lenny Bruce.
* The Mamas and Papas' version of the song is played in Schitt's Creek during the last scene of Season 6, Episode 8.
* The Temprees’ version runs over the closing credits of Atlanta Season 3, Episode 5.