Only Sixteen
| "Only Sixteen" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Sam Cooke | ||||
| B-side | "Let's Go Steady Again" | |||
| Released | May 1959 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Recorded |
January 4, 1959 Rex Productions (Los Angeles, California) | |||
| Genre | Rhythm and blues, soul, pop | |||
| Length | 2:00 | |||
| Label | Keen | |||
| Writer(s) | Sam Cooke | |||
| Producer(s) | Bumps Blackwell | |||
| Sam Cooke singles chronology | ||||
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"Only Sixteen" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released in May 1959. The song was a top 15 hit on Billboard 's Hot R&B Sides chart, and also charted within the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. It the UK it was covered, and taken to No. 1, by Craig Douglas.
Background
"Only Sixteen" was inspired by the sixteenth birthday of Lou Rawls' stepsister, Eunice.[1] The song was originally intended for actor Steve Rowland, who often hung around the Keen studio. Rowland asked Cooke to write a song for him, and Cooke borrowed the bridge from an earlier song of his, "Little Things You Do". Rowland's manager disliked the song, and Cooke re-recorded it for himself.[1][2]
Craig Douglas (Top Rank, UK #1, 1959) and Al Saxon (Fontana, 1959) covered the song. The Supremes recorded it on their 1965 album We Remember Sam Cooke, and Dr. Hook released a version in 1976.
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes to the 2003 compilation Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964.[1]
- Sam Cooke – vocals
- Clifton White – guitar
- René Hall – guitar
- Adolphus Asbrook – bass guitar
- Charles Blackwell – drums
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Sam Cooke's version:
| Chart (1959) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[3] | 23 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[4] | 28 |
| US Hot R&B Sides (Billboard)[4] | 13 |
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964 (liner notes). Sam Cooke. US: ABKCO Records. 2003. 92642.
- ↑ Guralnick, Peter (2005). Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke. New York: Back Bay Books, p. 280-81. First edition, 2005.
- ↑ "Sam Cooke - Artist - Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Sam Cooke – Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
External links
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