How Can I Be Sure

Of a rock-oriented band such as the (Young) Rascals introducing a traditional pop-style song such as "How Can I Be Sure" Cavaliere has stated: "The only reason we were brave enough to do that was [that] the Beatles did 'Michelle' and 'Yesterday'." (Cavaliere had an especial awareness of the Beatles, having toured Europe with them in 1963 when he was a member of Joey Dee and the Starliters; the Rascals would also open for the Beatles at Shea Stadium 15 August 1965).[1] The track features the sounds of a trumpet, bass, piano, drums, and strings, suggesting the sounds of cabaret music as well as a concertina, chosen so as to add to the song the vibe of a French café. The song's musical styles include blue-eyed soul and pop.[2][3]

"How Can I Be Sure" was one of several songs inspired by group founder Felix Cavaliere's girlfriend Adrienne Becchuri, a Pelham (New York) high school student Cavaliere met in 1966, the year he turned 24: (Felix Cavaliere quote:) "I fell madly in love with this woman who actually turned out to be a muse...[R]eally the only reason she was in my life [was to] spark that kind of emotion and feeling that generates those types of songs."[4] Cavaliere and Buccheri remained a couple for a year, with Cavaliere first celebrating Buccheri in the blissful Rascals' hits "Groovin'" and "A Girl Like You", and then with the introspective "How Can I Be Sure" expressing doubts about the relationship — he and Buccheri had recently become engaged — and despite the positive resolution of the song Cavaliere did in fact discover that she was too young ((Felix Cavaliere quote:)"I woke up one day and said: 'What the hell am I doing? I'm going out with a kid.'").[4]

"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.

Track listing

• Side A: "How Can I Be Sure" (2:47)
• Side B: "Spooky" (2:44)

"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 B-side to this single.

Charts

• In late 1967, American singer Lesley Gore recorded a version for her 8th studio album, Magic Colors. Intended to be released that December, the project was instead shelved, and would remain unreleased until 2011.
• In 1967 French singer Nicoletta sold two million copies of the song, rendered as "Je ne pense qu'à t'aimer", the version which subsequently inspired Dusty Springfield's version.
• Also in 1967 a distinct French-language rendering, "A Paris la Nuit", was recorded by Quebec singer Michel Pagliaro with his band Les Chanceliers.
• Daryl Braithwaite released a version in October 1994 as the lead from his album Six Moons: The Best of 1988–1994. It peaked in Australia at #55 on the ARIA charts.[25]