Let It Be Me (The Everly Brothers song)

"Let It Be Me" is a popular song originally published in French in 1955 as "Je t'appartiens". It became popular worldwide with an English version by The Everly Brothers and later with the duet by Betty Everett and Jerry Butler.

"Je t'appartiens"

"Je t'appartiens" was a French hit in 1955. The score was written and first recorded by Gilbert Bécaud. The lyrics were penned in French by Pierre Delanoë.

The English language version used lyrics by Mann Curtis and was performed in 1957 by Jill Corey in the television series Climax!. Corey's version, with orchestration by Jimmy Carroll, was released as a single and was moderately successful.

The Everly Brothers version

The Everly Brothers helped to further popularize the song with their 1960 rendition of "Let It Be Me" which reached 7th position on the Billboard Hot 100.^[1] The harmony arrangement of this version was often emulated in subsequent remakes. This was the first Everly Brothers single to be recorded in New York, and not in Nashville. The musicians that backed up the brothers on the record included Howard Collins, Barry Galbraith and Mundell Lowe on guitar, Lloyd Trotman on bass, Jerry Allison on drums and Hank Rowland on piano.

Betty Everett and Jerry Butler version

The song enjoyed its most success in 1964 when Betty Everett and Jerry Butler released their wistful version of the popular song. Their soulful duet was a bona fide hit which peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as well as topped the Cashbox Soul/R&B charts for 3 weeks (the Billboard R&B chart wasn't tabulated at all in 1964 so could not be used for reference).^[2]

Chronology

1960s

• 1960 – The Everly Brothers
• 1961 – Chet Atkins
• 1962 – The Lettermen
• 1962 – Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass recorded the song on released it on the album The Lonely Bull.
• 1964 – Andy Williams
• 1964 – Skeeter Davis and Bobby Bare
• 1964 – Betty Everett and Jerry Butler released their version as a single, which became a #5 Hot 100 hit as well as a #1 hit on Cashbox's R&B chart.^[3] (Billboard did not print comprehensive rhythm and blues charts during 1964–65).
• 1965 – Carla Thomas on her album Comfort Me.
• 1965 – Brenda Lee on her album Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits.
• 1965 – Sonny & Cher on their debut album Look at Us.
• 1966 – Australian pop star Johnny Young, with his backing band Kompany, released this song on an EP. It was a top 10 hit record in Australia.
• 1966 – Peter and Gordon
• 1966 – Nancy Sinatra released a version of the song on her second Lee Hazlewood produced album How Does That Grab You?.
• 1967 – The Sweet Inspirations released their version as a single. The song performed very well on Billboard's R&B chart and also became a minor Hot 100 hit. This version of the song incorporates some gospel-style vocals.
• 1967 – Sam & Dave on their Soul Men album (track 4). Produced and arranged by Isaac Hayes (with David Porter) at Stax Records.
• 1968 – Claudine Longet released a version on her album Colours (A&M SP 4163).
• 1969 – Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry had a Top Forty Hot 100 hit duet with their version of the song. It met with even greater success on Billboard's country chart.
• 1969 – The 5th Dimension recorded the song and released it on their album The Age of Aquarius.
• 1969 – Tom Jones
• 1969 – Petula Clark
• 1969 – Françoise Hardy on her album En Anglais.

1970s

• 1970 – Leonard Nimoy recorded a cover of this song for his The New World of Leonard Nimoy album.
• 1970 – Bob Dylan recorded a cover of the song for his Self Portrait album.
• 1970 – Jay and the Americans recorded a cover of the song for their album Wax Museum, Vol. 1.
• 1970 – Elvis Presley included the song in his setlist, on his second Las Vegas engagement, in February 1970. The song (from one of these shows) appeared on his album: On Stage.
• 1970 – Roberta Flack recorded a version of the song for her album Chapter Two.
• 1971 – Franck Pourcel recorded an instrumental of the song on the album Et son Grande Orchestre.
• 1973 – The Buffoons recorded a cover of this song.
• 1973 - The Sylvers recorded a cover of for their second album The Sylvers II
• 1974 – Nina Simone recorded a cover for her album It Is Finished. It was a studio recording made to sound like a live recording with audience applause added to the beginning and end of the song, so it would fit in with the other live tracks on the album. Simone frequently performed the song in concert.
• 1974 – Mary McCaslin included a cover on Way Out West.
• 1974 – Bobby Darin recorded a cover for his self-titled Motown album.
• 1974 - Demis Roussos recorded a cover for their album My Only Fascination.
• 1975 - Dave Edmunds recorded a cover for his album Subtle as a Flying Mallet.
• 1976 – New Trolls, Italian popular band of rock-progressive music, recorded a version for the album Concerto Grosso n.2.
• 1978 – Melanie recorded a cover of the song for her Phonogenic – Not Just Another Pretty Face album.
• 1978 – Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps performed the incomparable Jim Ott arrangement of this song, which has since become a staple song in their repertoire.
• 1979 - Kenny Rogers and Dottie West recorded a cover for their second duets album "Classics".

1980s

• 1980 - Greek singer Aleka Kanellidoy recorded a version of the song in Greek titled "Panta Konta sou", on her album Empisteftika.
• 1980 − Japanese singer Goro Noguchi recorded this song on his 10th anniversary album " Uta Soshite Ai".
• 1982 – Willie Nelson had success with a rendition that went to #2 on the Billboard country charts. It was also #1 on Adult contemporary and country charts in Canada.
• 1982 – Orleans covered this song on their album One of a Kind.
• 1985 – David Hasselhoff covered the song on his debut album Night Rocker.
• 1985 – Idoli recorded a Serbian language version of the song "Samo Me Gledaj I Budi Tu" for their soundtrack album Šest Dana Juna.
• 1985 – Martin Simpson covered this song on the album Sad or High Kicking.
• 1988 – Bruce Springsteen covered the song during soundchecks on his Tunnel of Love Express Tour.

1990s

• 1990 – Singer-songwriter Laura Nyro recorded the song, in an unusual medley with "The Christmas Song". This track appears on the 1990 various artists CD Acoustic Christmas.
• 1991 – Country singer Mickey Gilley recorded the song for The Very Best of Mickey Gilley for Warner Bros. Records
• 1992 – Country musician Collin Raye covered the song on his second album In This Life.
• 1995 – Jackson Browne and Timothy B. Schmit covered this song on the soundtrack to Bye Bye Love.
• 1995 – Blue-eyed soul singer Bobby Caldwell covered this song on his Soul Survivor album.
• 1998 – Scottish folk singer Dick Gaughan recorded the song on the album Redwood Cathedral.
• 1999 – Scottish pop singer Justin Osuji reached number 15 in the UK Charts in 1999, from the album Finally.
• 1999 – Country superstar Kenny Rogers covered the song for his album She Rides Wild Horses.

2000s

• 2000 – Robyn Hitchcock released a version of the song on his album Live and Direct.
• 2002 – Willy DeVille
• 2004 – Kate Ceberano covered the song for her album 19 Days in New York.
• 2004 – Alternative rock musician Paul Weller released a version of the song on his album Studio 150 (US/JPN Edition).
• 2005 – Rosie Thomas released a version of the song on her album If Songs Could Be Held.
• 2006 – Alternative rock musician David Pajo released a version of the song on his album 1968.
• 2007 – Frankie Valli from the album Romancing the 60s.
• 2008 – Jason Kouchak from the album Midnight Classics.
• 2008 – Kenny Vance and Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge performed the song in concert and it appeared on the 2010 CD Music Maestro Please.
• 2008 - Canadian singer Roch Voisine covered it in two tracks on his album Americana, once as an all-English version and a second in a bilingual English / French version titled "Let It Be Me / Je t'appartiens"
• 2009 – Rod Stewart performs the song as a duet with R&B Soul singer Jennifer Hudson on his Soulbook album, an album solely of cover songs originally performed by his own R&B heroes.
• 2009 – The Walkers recorded a version of the song which was released on their compilation album 40 Års Jubilæumsbox.^[4]

2010s

• 2010 – Canadian singer-songwriter Reid Jamieson covered the song on CBC Radio's The Vinyl Cafe.
• 2010 – American singer-songwriter Neil Diamond covered the song on his album Dreams.
• 2011 – A version recorded by George Harrison of the song (recorded before his death in 2001 though exact date is unknown) appears on bonus CD of the George Harrison: Living in the Material World deluxe DVD/Blu-ray edition, and Early Takes: Volume 1.
• 2011 – Anggun recorded a version of the song, which appears on a compilation CD BECAUD: Et Maintenant.
• 2011 – Emma Hamilton recorded a Jazz version of this song on her La Musique album with both French and English lyrics.
• 2012–13 – Christopher Owens (formerly Girl's frontman) used to cover this song on his Lysandre Tour.
• 2014 – Megan Washington and Kate Miller-Heidke performed a duet of the song for (Australian) ABC TV's show, The Truth About Us.^[5]
• 2014 – Herb Alpert re-recorded an instrumental version of the song and released it on the album In the Mood.
• 2014 – Joey + Rory recorded a country/bluegrass version of the song and released it on the album Country Classics: A Tapestry of Our Musical Heritage.
• 2015- Angelo Seretti feat George Aaron recorded a disco version of this song.
• 2015 - Joel Alme & Jill Johnson made a live version of it in the Swedish television show Jills Veranda

Chart positions

Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry

Willie Nelson

References

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics