"Please Send Me Someone to Love" is a blues ballad, written and recorded by American blues and soul singer Percy Mayfield in 1950, for Art Rupe's Specialty Records. It was on the Billboard's R&B chart for 27 weeks and reached the number-one position for two weeks; it was Mayfield's most successful song.[2]
| "Please Send Me Someone to Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Percy Mayfield | ||||
| from the album The Best of Percy Mayfield | ||||
| B-side | "Strange Things Happening" | |||
| Released | Sept. 1950[1] | |||
| Recorded | August 16, 1950 Universal, Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | R&B, Blues ballad | |||
| Length | 2:53 | |||
| Label | Specialty Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Percy Mayfield | |||
| Producer(s) | Art Rupe | |||
| Percy Mayfield singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Song background
editIt has been called a "multilayered universal lament".[3] Mayfield sang it in a soft ballad style. Its appeal lay in the sensitivity of its lyrics in juxtaposing an awareness of a world in conflict with a personal expression of the need for love.[4] Sung in Mayfield's gentle, suave vocal style, the lyrics were a combination of a romantic love ballad and a social message against discrimination.[5]
Track listing
editUS 7"Vinyl[6]
- "Please Send Me Someone to Love" (2:50)
- "Strange Things Happening" (2:49)
Charts
edit| Chart (1950) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 26 |
| US Hot R&B Sides (Billboard) | 1 |
Johnny Diesel and the Injectors version
edit| "Please Send Me Someone to Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Johnny Diesel and the Injectors | ||||
| from the album The Delinquents (soundtrack) | ||||
| B-side | "Who's for Better" (Live) | |||
| Released | January 1990 | |||
| Length | 4:17 | |||
| Label | Chrysalis | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Percy Mayfield | |||
| Producer(s) | Terry Manning | |||
| Johnny Diesel and the Injectors singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In 1989, the Australian ARIA award-winning rock band Johnny Diesel and the Injectors recorded the song for the soundtrack of the film The Delinquents. It was released as a single and peaked at number 11 on the Australian ARIA chart[8] and was the 87th biggest-selling single in 1990.[9]
Track listing
edit- "Please Send Me Someone to Love" (4:17)
- "Who's for Better" (3:40)
- "Thang 1" (3:15)
- Tracks 2 and 3 recorded live at the Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia, August 16, 1989[10]
Other versions
edit- Dinah Washington released a cover of the song in 1951.[11]
- The Moonglows had a hit with their cover version in 1957.[12]
- In 1967, Fred Neil covered the song for his album Sessions.[13]
- In 1968, Toni Williams covered the song. It was the B-side of his single "Sad, Lonely and Blue", released by Zodiac Records.[14]
- In 1969, Ruth Brown covered the song for her album Black Is Brown and Brown Is Beautiful.[15]
- Freddie King recorded his version during his years with Shelter Records.[16]
- Paul Butterfield's Better Days covered the song on their 1973 album Paul Butterfield's Better Days[17]
- In 1977, The Animals covered the song on their reunion album, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted.[18]
- James Booker covered the song on his album King Of New Orleans Keyboard. In 2003, Leigh Harris and Larry Sieberth covered it on the album Patchwork: A Tribute to James Booker.[19]
- In 1997, B.B. King and Mick Hucknall covered the song on the album Deuces Wild.[20]
- In 1993, Sade released a cover of the song for the soundtrack of the movie Philadelphia.[21]
- In 1994, Grover Washington Jr. recorded the song for his album All My Tomorrows.[22]
- In 1998, Fiona Apple released a cover of the song for the soundtrack of the movie Pleasantville.[23]
- In 2011, John Oates released a cover of the song for his solo album Mississippi Mile.[24]
References
edit- ^ "Rhythm & Blues Record Reviews". Billboard. September 30, 1950. p. 34.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 385.
- ^ "West coast artists – Percy Mayfield". Retrieved 2006-11-06.
- ^ Gillett, Charlie (1996). The Rise of Rock and Roll (2nd ed.). New York: Da Capo Press. p. 146. ISBN 0-306-80683-5.
- ^ Shaw, Arnold (1978). Honkers and Shouters. New York: Macmillan. p. 193. ISBN 0-02-061740-2.
- ^ "Percy Mayfield - Please Send Me Someone to Love (Vinyl)". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955–2002. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 68. ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
- ^ "Johnny Diesel & the Injectors: Please Send Me Someone to Love (Song)". www.australian-charts.com. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart 1990 (61–100) (from The ARIA Report No. 50)". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved 10 October 2016.
- ^ "Johnny Diesel & the Injectors: Please Send Me Someone to Love". Discogs.com. 1990. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ^ "Dinah Washington 78 RPM - Discography - USA - 78 RPM". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "The Moonglows - Please Send Me Someone To Love". 45cat.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "Sessions - Fred Neil | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "Toni Williams [New Zealand] Discography - New Zealand - 45cat". 45cat.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "Black Is Brown and Brown Is Beautiful - Ruth Brown | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "Freddie King - The Best Of Freddie King (The Shelter Records Years)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "Paul Butterfield's Better Days - New Walkin Blues". 45cat.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted - The Animals | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "Patchwork: A Tribute to James Booker". Amazon.com. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
- ^ "Deuces Wild - B.B. King | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "CD Album: Sade - The Best Of Sade (2000)". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "All My Tomorrows - Grover Washington, Jr. | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "Pleasantville - Music From The Motion Picture (1998, CD)". Discogs.com. 1998. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "Mississippi Mile - John Oates | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
