Cupid (Sam Cooke song)
"Cupid" is a song by American singer Sam Cooke, released on May 16, 1961. It charted at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 20 on the Hot R&B Sides chart; the track performed best in the United Kingdom, peaking at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. The song is featured on Cooke's greatest hits album, The Best of Sam Cooke (1962). Cooke's producers had asked him to write a song for a girl they had seen on a Perry Como TV show—but once they heard her sing, they kept "Cupid" for Cooke himself.
"Cupid" | ||||
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Single by Sam Cooke | ||||
from the album The Best of Sam Cooke | ||||
B-side | "Farewell My Darling" | |||
Released | May 16, 1961 | |||
Recorded | April 14, 1961 | |||
Studio | RCA, Hollywood, California | |||
Genre | Rhythm and blues | |||
Length | 2:30 | |||
Label | RCA Victor | |||
Songwriter(s) | Sam Cooke | |||
Producer(s) | Hugo & Luigi | |||
Sam Cooke singles chronology | ||||
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"Cupid" | ||||
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Single by Johnny Nash | ||||
from the album Hold Me Tight | ||||
A-side | "Hold Me Tight" (original) | |||
B-side | "People in Love" (reissue) | |||
Released | 1969 | |||
Recorded | 1969 | |||
Genre | Reggae, rocksteady | |||
Length | 3:29 | |||
Label | JAD | |||
Songwriter(s) | Sam Cooke | |||
Producer(s) | Johnny Nash, Arthur Jenkins | |||
Johnny Nash singles chronology | ||||
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"Cupid" | ||||
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Single by Tony Orlando and Dawn | ||||
from the album To Be with You | ||||
B-side | "You're Growin' on Me" | |||
Released | January 1976 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:02 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Songwriter(s) | Sam Cooke | |||
Producer(s) | Dave Appell, Hank Medress | |||
Tony Orlando and Dawn singles chronology | ||||
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"Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time" | ||||
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Single by The Spinners | ||||
from the album Love Trippin' | ||||
B-side | "Pipedream" "Body Language" (Germany/Sweden) | |||
Released | May 1980 | |||
Genre | R&B, disco | |||
Length | 3:55 (single version) 5:32 (album version) | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Sam Cooke ("Cupid"), Michael Zager ("I've Loved You for a Long Time") | |||
Producer(s) | Michael Zager | |||
The Spinners singles chronology | ||||
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Personnel on the recording included Cooke's session regulars Clifton White and Rene Hall on guitar, Clifford Hills on bass, Earl Palmer on drums and Joseph Gibbons on guitar and banjo.
"Cupid" was ranked at number 452 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004 and at number 458 in 2010. AllMusic critic Bill Janovitz described the track as a "perfect pop song" which combines "Latin, R&B, jazz, and mainstream pop elements".[1]
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Chart (2008) | Peak position |
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Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 49 |
Cover versions
- In 1964, Johnny Rivers covered the song on his live album In Action.[19]
- In 1965, The Supremes covered the song on their tribute album We Remember Sam Cooke.[20]
- In 1970, Johnny Nash's rocksteady and reggae version, released in late 1969, peaked at number 39 on the Hot 100 on January 24, 1970. In the United Kingdom, this version peaked at number 6 in May 1969.[21] It was the B-side to his hit song "Hold Me Tight".
- In 1975, Gary Glitter covered the song on his album G.G..
- In 1976, Dawn's cover peaked at number 22 on the Hot 100 on March 20–27, 1976 and number two on the Easy Listening chart.
- In 1980, the song was covered, in a medley with Michael Zager's "I've Loved You For a Long Time", by The Spinners. This version went to number four on July 19 - August 2, 1980, on the Hot 100, thus becoming the highest-charting version on the Hot 100, and number five on the R&B chart.[22]
- Otis Redding was also known for covering a number of Cooke's songs including "Cupid". His cover was included on the 1993 box set Otis! The Definitive Otis Redding.
Other
- This song's melody is interpolated in the Carly Rae Jepsen song "Tiny Little Bows" from the album Kiss.[23]
References
- Janovitz, Bill. "Cupid - Sam Cooke". AllMusic. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
- "Sam Cooke - Artist - Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
- Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 5, 1961
- "Sam Cooke – Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
- The 100 Best-Selling Singles of 1961
- "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. January 17, 1970. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. January 31, 1970. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Cupid". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. April 17, 1976. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. April 17, 1976. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- Flavour of New Zealand, 11 June 1976
- "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- RPM Adult Contemporary, August 2, 1980
- Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 225.
- Musicoutfitters.com
- 1980: The Top 100 Soul/Funk/Disco Singles
- Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1980
- "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 333. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 545.
- "Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Tiny Little Bows' - Discover the Sample Source". WhoSampled. Retrieved June 2, 2021.