"Where Have You Been (All My Life)" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Arthur Alexander | ||||
B-side | " Soldier of Love (Lay Down Your Arms)" | |||
Released | 1962 | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 2:43 | |||
Label | Dot Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil | |||
Producer(s) | Noel Ball (uncredited) [1] | |||
Arthur Alexander singles chronology | ||||
|
"Where Have You Been (All My Life)" is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.
"Where Have You Been (All My Life)" was first released by Arthur Alexander in 1962, with " Soldier of Love (Lay Down Your Arms)" as the B-side, on Dot Records [2] ( London Records in the UK). [3] Alexander biographer Richard Younger describes the song as "a classic example of sixties pop songwriting that captures the thrill of first love." [4] Billboard Magazine described the song as "an emotion-packed theme with solid female chorus work," and also praised the feeling Alexander imbues his vocal with. [4] Younger praises the "maturity" of Alexander's vocal performance, comparing it favorably to that on the earlier " You Better Move On," particularly how Alexander handles the "intricate melody, which ascends from the opening lines of revelation...to a chorus that is half-plea and half-exclamation." [4] Producer Noel Ball claimed to have taken Alexander "way uptown" with the recording, creating what Younger describes as "a thrilling production that builds from a stark bass and drum into a mini-symphony with strings reminiscent of The Drifters' " There Goes My Baby." [4] The song peaked at #58 on the Billboard Hot 100. [4] Authors David Hatch and Stephen Millward see a resemblance between "Where Have You Been (All My Life)" and early songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. [5]
The Beatles covered both "Where Have You Been (All My Life)" and "Soldier of Love" live early in their career. [6] There is a live version by the Beatles on the bootleg album Live 31 December 1962 at the Star Club, Hamburg, Germany with John Lennon on lead vocal. [7] [8] Music critic Richie Unterberger described the song as "cool" and "moody" but complained that the sound on this recording was too "muddy" to be able to figure out the lyrics. [8]
The song was recorded by Gene Vincent on Columbia Records, [9] and by Gerry and the Pacemakers on Laurie. [10] [4] Also the Liverpool-based group The Searchers recorded the song on Pye Records for their 1964 LP It's The Searchers. [11] Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders also recorded it, appearing in B side of their 1964 eponymous album. [12]
This song with the title Till We Kissed, was sung by the New Zealander Ray Columbus & the Invaders in a 1965 single of the same name. [13] The Canadian band The Guess Who issued the song with this title as the "B" side of their single Shakin' All Over in 1965.
Roy Clark released a song with the same title, but written by Wayland Holyfield, in his 1978 album : Labor of Love. [14]
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
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"Where Have You Been (All My Life)" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Arthur Alexander | ||||
B-side | " Soldier of Love (Lay Down Your Arms)" | |||
Released | 1962 | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 2:43 | |||
Label | Dot Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil | |||
Producer(s) | Noel Ball (uncredited) [1] | |||
Arthur Alexander singles chronology | ||||
|
"Where Have You Been (All My Life)" is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.
"Where Have You Been (All My Life)" was first released by Arthur Alexander in 1962, with " Soldier of Love (Lay Down Your Arms)" as the B-side, on Dot Records [2] ( London Records in the UK). [3] Alexander biographer Richard Younger describes the song as "a classic example of sixties pop songwriting that captures the thrill of first love." [4] Billboard Magazine described the song as "an emotion-packed theme with solid female chorus work," and also praised the feeling Alexander imbues his vocal with. [4] Younger praises the "maturity" of Alexander's vocal performance, comparing it favorably to that on the earlier " You Better Move On," particularly how Alexander handles the "intricate melody, which ascends from the opening lines of revelation...to a chorus that is half-plea and half-exclamation." [4] Producer Noel Ball claimed to have taken Alexander "way uptown" with the recording, creating what Younger describes as "a thrilling production that builds from a stark bass and drum into a mini-symphony with strings reminiscent of The Drifters' " There Goes My Baby." [4] The song peaked at #58 on the Billboard Hot 100. [4] Authors David Hatch and Stephen Millward see a resemblance between "Where Have You Been (All My Life)" and early songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. [5]
The Beatles covered both "Where Have You Been (All My Life)" and "Soldier of Love" live early in their career. [6] There is a live version by the Beatles on the bootleg album Live 31 December 1962 at the Star Club, Hamburg, Germany with John Lennon on lead vocal. [7] [8] Music critic Richie Unterberger described the song as "cool" and "moody" but complained that the sound on this recording was too "muddy" to be able to figure out the lyrics. [8]
The song was recorded by Gene Vincent on Columbia Records, [9] and by Gerry and the Pacemakers on Laurie. [10] [4] Also the Liverpool-based group The Searchers recorded the song on Pye Records for their 1964 LP It's The Searchers. [11] Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders also recorded it, appearing in B side of their 1964 eponymous album. [12]
This song with the title Till We Kissed, was sung by the New Zealander Ray Columbus & the Invaders in a 1965 single of the same name. [13] The Canadian band The Guess Who issued the song with this title as the "B" side of their single Shakin' All Over in 1965.
Roy Clark released a song with the same title, but written by Wayland Holyfield, in his 1978 album : Labor of Love. [14]
{{
cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)
{{
cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)