What Am I Living For
"What Am I Living For" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Chuck Willis | ||||
B-side | "Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes" | |||
Released | March 1958 | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 2:24 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Fred Jay, Art Harris[1] | |||
Chuck Willis singles chronology | ||||
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"What Am I Living For" is a song written by Fred Jay and Art Harris and performed by Chuck Willis featuring the Reggie Obrecht Orchestra and Chorus. It reached No. 1 on the U.S. R&B chart and #9 on the U.S. pop chart in 1958.[2]
Chuck Willis’s version was the first rock and roll record released in stereo, "engineered by Tom Dowd of Atlantic Records".[3]
Other charting versions[]
- Ernest Tubb released a version of the song which reached No. 19 on the U.S. country chart in 1959.[4]
- Conway Twitty released a version of the song which reached No. 26 on the U.S. pop chart in 1960.[5]
- Percy Sledge released a version of the song which reached No. 91 on the U.S. pop chart in 1967.[6]
- Twitty re-released a version of the song which reached No. 59 on the U.S. country chart in 1971.[7]
- Ray Charles released a version of the song which reached No. 20 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart and #54 on the U.S. pop chart in 1971.[8]
Other versions[]
- Jack Scott released a version of the song as a single in 1960, but it did not chart.[9]
- Ernie Freeman released a version of the song as a single in 1962, but it did not chart.[10]
- Carl McVoy released a version of the song as a single in 1962, but it did not chart.[11]
- Kitty Wells featuring The Jordanaires released a version of the song on her 1962 album Queen of Country Music.[12]
- Billy Fury released a version of the song on his 1963 album Am I Blue. It was produced by Dick Rowe.[13]
- Wanda Jackson released a version of the song on her 1963 album Love Me Forever. It was produced by Ken Nelson.[14]
- Millie Small released a version of the song as the B-side to her 1964 single "Sweet William".[15]
- The Everly Brothers released a version of the song on their 1965 album Beat & Soul. It was produced by Dick Glasser.[16]
- The Animals released a version of the song on their 1966 album Animalisms. It was produced by Tom Wilson.[17]
- Rodger Collins released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1967 single "Hands Off My Girl".[18]
- Danny and The Velaires released a version of the song as a single in 1967, but it did not chart.[19]
- Z. Z. Hill released a version of the song on his 1967 album A Whole Lot of Soul.[20]
- Archie Campbell and Lorene Mann released a version of the song on their 1968 album Archie and Lorene Tell It Like It Is. It was produced by Bob Ferguson.[21]
- Solomon Burke released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1969 single "Proud Mary".[22]
- Wilbert Harrison released a version of the song on his 1969 album Let's Work Together. It was produced by Juggy Murray.[23]
- Johnny Tillotson released a version of the song on his 1969 album Tears on My Pillow. It was produced by Jimmy Bowen.[24]
- Andy Williams released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1969 single "A Woman's Way". It was produced by Dick Glasser.[25]
- Bill Phillips released a version of the song on his 1970 album Little Boy Sad. It was produced by Owen Bradley.[26]
- Lon Satton released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1970 single "Someone is Standing Outside".[27]
- Filipino singer Eddie Peregrina released a version of the song in 1970. Almost three decades later, singer April Boy Regino sang a Filipino version of the song, entitled Paano Ang Puso Ko? as theme of the film of the same name released in 1997.
- Jimmy Capps released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1972 single "Free Wheelin'".[28]
- Sonny James released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1973 single "Surprise, Surprise".[29]
- Little Joe Y La Familia Inc. released a version of the song as the B-side to their 1975 single "Paso Del Norte".[30]
- Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown released a version of the song on his 1989 album Standing My Ground.[31]
- Carl Perkins released a version of the song on his 1993 album This Old House.[32]
- Taj Mahal released a version of the song on his 1996 album Phantom Blues. It was produced by John Porter.[33]
- Alan Price and The Electric Blues Company released a version of the song on their 1996 album A Gigster's Life for Me.[34]
- Jimmy Clanton released a version of the song on his 1997 compilation album Go, Jimmy, Go!: The Very Best of Jimmy Clanton.[35]
- The Band released a version of the song on their 2001 re-release of the album Moondog Matinee.[36]
- Julie Hanify, David Mahler, and Larry Polansky released a version of the song on their 2005 album Too Late.[37]
- Van Morrison released a version of the song on his 2006 album Pay the Devil.[38]
- Gene Taylor Blues Band featuring Dave Alvin released a version of the song on their 2008 album Live!!! 605 Boogie!!![39]
- Dawn McCarthy and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy released a version of the song on their 2013 album What the Brothers Sang.[40]
- Pine Leaf Boys released a version of the song on their 2013 album Danser. It was produced by Joel Savoy.[41]
- Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver released a version of the song on their 2017 album Life Is a Story.[42]
References[]
- ^ "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
- ^ "Chuck Willis, "What Am I Living For" Chart Positions". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ TIMELINE OF MUSICAL STYLES & GUITAR HISTORY
- ^ "Ernest Tubb, "What Am I Living For" Chart Position". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Conway Twitty, "What Am I Living For" 1960 Chart Position". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Percy Sledge, "What Am I Living For" Chart Position". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Conway Twitty, "What Am I Living For" 1971 Chart Position". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Ray Charles, "What Am I Living For" Chart Position". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Jack Scott, "What Am I Living For" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Ernie Freeman, "What Am I Living For" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Carl McVoy, "What Am I Living For" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Kitty Wells, Queen of Country Music". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Billy Fury, Am I Blue". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Wanda Jackson, Love Me Forever". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Millie Small, "Sweet William" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Everly Brothers, Beat & Soul". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Animals, Animalisms". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Rodger Collins, "Hands Off My Girl" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Danny and The Velaires, "What Am I Living For" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Z. Z. Hill, A Whole Lot of Soul". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Archie Campbell and Lorene Mann, Archie and Lorene Tell It Like It Is". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Solomon Burke, "Proud Mary" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Wilbert Harrison, Let's Work Together". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Johnny Tillotson, Tears on My Pillow". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Andy Williams, "A Woman's Way" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Bill Phillips, Little Boy Sad". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Lon Satton, "Someone is Standing Outside" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Jimmy Capps, "Free Wheelin" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Sonny James, "Surprise, Surprise" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Little Joe Y La Familia Inc., "Paso Del Norte" Single Release". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Standing My Ground". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Carl Perkins, This Old House". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Taj Mahal, Phantom Blues". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Alan Price and The Electric Blues Company, A Gigster's Life for Me". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Jimmy Clanton, Go, Jimmy, Go!: The Very Best of Jimmy Clanton". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Band, Moondog Matinee". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Julie Hanify, David Mahler, and Larry Polansky, Too Late". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Van Morrison, Pay the Devil". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Gene Taylor Blues Band featuring Dave Alvin, Live!!! 605 Boogie!!!". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Dawn McCarthy and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, What the Brothers Sang". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Pine Leaf Boys, Danser". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Life Is a Story". Retrieved September 3, 2018.
Categories:
- 1958 songs
- 1958 singles
- 1959 singles
- 1960 singles
- 1962 singles
- 1967 singles
- 1971 singles
- Chuck Willis songs
- Ernest Tubb songs
- Conway Twitty songs
- Percy Sledge songs
- Ray Charles songs
- Ernie Freeman songs
- Kitty Wells songs
- Billy Fury songs
- The Everly Brothers songs
- The Animals songs
- Solomon Burke songs
- Johnny Tillotson songs
- Andy Williams songs
- Bill Phillips (singer) songs
- Sonny James songs
- Carl Perkins songs
- Taj Mahal (musician) songs
- Alan Price songs
- The Band songs
- Van Morrison songs
- Will Oldham songs
- Millie Small songs
- Song recordings produced by Ken Nelson (American record producer)
- Song recordings produced by Tom Wilson (record producer)
- Song recordings produced by Bob Ferguson (musician)
- Song recordings produced by Jimmy Bowen
- Song recordings produced by Owen Bradley
- Atlantic Records singles
- MGM Records singles
- ABC Records singles
- Imperial Records singles
- Hi Records singles