"Put a Little Love in Your Heart" is a song originally performed in 1969 by Jackie DeShannon, who composed it with her brother Randy Myers and Jimmy Holiday. In the U.S., it was DeShannon's highest-charting hit, reaching number 4 on the Hot 100 in August 1969 and number 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[1] In late 1969, the song reached number 1 on South Africa's hit parade. The song rivalled the success of her signature song, "What the World Needs Now Is Love".
| "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 One of side-A labels of the US single | ||||
| Single by Jackie DeShannon | ||||
| from the album Put a Little Love in Your Heart | ||||
| B-side | "Always Together" | |||
| Released | June 1969 | |||
| Recorded | 1969 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 2:39 | |||
| Label | Imperial Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday, Randy Myers | |||
| Producer(s) | VME | |||
| Jackie DeShannon singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Official audio | ||||
| "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" on YouTube | ||||
In 1988, Annie Lennox and Al Green released a cover version of "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" which reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Charts
edit
| Chart (1968–69) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia Kent Music Report[2] | 15 |
| Canada RPM Top Singles | 12 |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) | 9 |
| South African Singles Chart | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 4 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 2 |
Annie Lennox and Al Green version
edit| "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Picture sleeve for US vinyl edition | ||||
| Single by Annie Lennox and Al Green | ||||
| from the album Scrooged | ||||
| B-side | "A Great Big Piece of Love" by The Spheres of Celestial Influence | |||
| Released | 1988 | |||
| Recorded | 1988 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:48 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday, Randy Myers | |||
| Producer(s) | David A. Stewart | |||
| Annie Lennox singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Al Green singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Official audio | ||||
| "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" on YouTube | ||||
In 1988, Annie Lennox and Al Green recorded a version that was released as the ending theme song to the 1988 film Scrooged.[3] The song reached number 9 in the US on the Hot 100 in January 1989 and climbed all the way to number 2 on the US Adult Contemporary chart, as well as becoming a top 40 hit in several countries worldwide, including number 28 in the UK for the festive season of 1988–1989. Although credited to Lennox, the song was produced by her Eurythmics partner David A. Stewart.
The video was directed by Sophie Muller.[4]
Personnel
edit- Annie Lennox – vocals
- Al Green – vocals
- Uncredited - background vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, drums
Charts
editWeekly charts
edit| Chart (1988–89) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 6 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 2 |
| German Singles Chart | 20 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 30 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 7 |
| UK Singles Chart | 28 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
Year-end charts
edit| Chart (1989) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] | 51 |
Other versions
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2013) |
- Siw Malmkvist, in Swedish Pröva litet kärlek nån gång (1968) on her LP Underbara Siw".
- Susan Raye, on her debut 1969 album, One Night Stand. It was released as a single and peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
- The Dave Clark Five, in 1969. Issued as a single in the UK, it spent four weeks in the top 75, reaching number 31.[6]
- Andy Williams – Get Together with Andy Williams (1969)
- David Ruffin, on his second solo album, Feelin' Good (1969)
- Cilla Black – Sweet Inspiration (1970)
- The Isley Brothers, on 1972's Brother, Brother, Brother album.
- At the end of Richard Donner's film Scrooged (1988), Bill Murray breaks the fourth wall to lead a sing-along of the song.[7]
- Leonard Nimoy, on his 1974 album Outer Space/Inner Mind.[8]
- Bright Light Bright Light included a duet, performed with Nerina Pallot, on his 2017 EP Cinematography III.[9] (2017)
- Circle Jerks included a hard-core punk version on their 1982 album, Wild in the Streets (Circle Jerks album)[10]
- Canadian singer Anne Murray included a version on her 1999 album What a Wonderful World
- The Flash musical episode "Duet" (aired on March 21, 2017) - sung by various actors.
References
edit- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 77.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 84. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ Brennan, Steve (June 11, 2015). "15 Best Songs From '80s Movies (Besides "The Power of Love")". browardpalmbeach.com. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
- ^ "Annie Lennox & al Green - Put a Little Love in Your Heart (1988) | BFI".[dead link]
- ^ "Top Singles - Volume 51, No. 8, December 23, 1989". RPM. December 23, 1999. Archived from the original on September 7, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ British Hit Singles, 12th edition, Guinness
- ^ "Hollywood Flashback: When Bill Murray Played a Sleazy Lounge Singer on 'Saturday Night Live'". hollywoodreporter.com. August 8, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
- ^ "The Short, Strange Music Career Of Leonard Nimoy". Stereogum.com. March 2, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "Cinematography III : Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal, by Bright Light Bright Light". Bright Light Bright Light. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
- ^ "Circle Jerks-Wild in the Streets by Discogs". Discogs. 1982. Retrieved December 27, 2022.