How Can I Be Sure
| "How Can I Be Sure" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Young Rascals | ||||
| from the album Groovin' | ||||
| B-side | "I'm So Happy Now" | |||
| Released | August 28, 1967 | |||
| Format | 7" single | |||
| Genre | Soul, Pop | |||
| Length | 2:50 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Writer(s) | Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati | |||
| Producer(s) | The Young Rascals | |||
| The Young Rascals singles chronology | ||||
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"How Can I Be Sure" is a popular song written by Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati, and originally recorded by The Young Rascals on their 1967 album Groovin'. It became their fourth Top 10 hit in the United States, peaking at No. 4. This was the group's highest charted record with Eddie Brigati singing lead vocals. The song featured the sounds of an accordion in the background, as well as a trumpet, bass, piano, drums, and strings, giving the feeling of cabaret music.
The lyrics of the chorus go:
- How can I be sure?
- In a world that's constantly changing,
- How can I be sure?
- ... I'll be sure with you.
The song came out of the experience with transcendental meditation that the Rascals were involved in.
That same year, French singer Nicoletta sold two million copies of the song, as "Je ne pense que t'aimer", the version which subsequently inspired Dusty Springfield's version.
That same year Quebec singer Michel Pagliaro (lead singer of the band Les Chanceliers) released a cover of this song in French ("A Paris la Nuit").
The Rascals single's B-side, "I'm So Happy Now" (also included on the Groovin' album), was written and sung by Rascals guitarist Gene Cornish. Featuring a unique guitar phase-out ending, it was the first Cornish-penned song to appear on a Rascals single.
Dusty Springfield version
| "How Can I Be Sure" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Dusty Springfield | ||||
| from the album The Dusty Springfield Anthology | ||||
| B-side | Spooky | |||
| Released | September 4, 1970 | |||
| Format | 7" 45 RPM | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 2:43 | |||
| Label | Philips Records | |||
| Writer(s) | Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati | |||
| Producer(s) | Johnny Franz, Dusty Springfield | |||
| Dusty Springfield singles chronology | ||||
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"How Can I Be Sure" was covered by British singer Dusty Springfield and released as a non-LP single in September 1970. It was rumoured that this recording and single release may have been prompted by her well received performance of the song on the Des O'Connor Show in May 1970. Dusty was hopeful that this single would fare better than her then-recent American recordings which were met with relative indifference in the UK (aside from the US and UK Top 10 hit "Son of a Preacher Man").
Despite several promotional television and radio appearances and glowing reviews from the press, the single only spent one week in the UK Top 40 and only four weeks total on the chart. The song was issued specifically for the British market and would not be issued in America until the release of The Dusty Springfield Anthology in 1997.
- Tracklist
- Side A: "How Can I Be Sure" (2:43)
- Side B: "Spooky" (2:42)
"Spooky" is a cover of the Classics IV hit and was recorded in January 1968 but left unused for almost three years until it featured as the bside to this single.
- Charts
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 36 |
David Cassidy version
| "How Can I Be Sure" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by David Cassidy | ||||
| from the album Rock Me Baby | ||||
| B-side | Ricky's Tune | |||
| Released | 1972 | |||
| Format | 7" 45 RPM | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 2:52 | |||
| Label | Bell Records | |||
| Writer(s) | Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati | |||
| Producer(s) | Wes Farrell | |||
| David Cassidy singles chronology | ||||
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"How Can I Be Sure" was revived in 1972 with a version from David Cassidy, which became a major hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending two weeks at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in September and October 1972.[1]
- Tracklist
- Side A: "How Can I Be Sure" (2:52)
- Side B: "Ricky's Tune" (3:24)
- Charts
| Chart (1972) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[1] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 25 |
Other versions
The song has also been covered by artists including P.F. Sloan, Helen Reddy, Gloria Estefan, Percy Faith, Shelby Lynne, Lesley Gore, Akiko Yano, Nicoletta and Tony Hadley in his album Passing Strangers (2006).
| Preceded by "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" by Slade |
UK number one single September 30, 1972 for two weeks |
Succeeded by "Mouldy Old Dough" by Lieutenant Pigeon |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 278. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.