Please Send Me Someone to Love
"Please Send Me Someone to Love" is a blues ballad, written and recorded by Percy Mayfield in 1950, for Art Rupe's Specialty Records. It was on the R&B chart for 27 weeks and reached the number one position; it was Mayfield's most successful song.[1]
It has been called a "multilayered universal lament".[2] 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.[3] Sung in Mayfield's gentle, suave vocal style, the lyrics were a combination of a romantic love ballad and a social message against discrimination.[4]
Johnny Diesel and the Injectors version
"Please Send Me Someone to Love" | ||||
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Single by Johnny Diesel and the Injectors | ||||
from the album The Delinquents (soundtrack) | ||||
Released | January 1990 | |||
Format | 7 inch single, CD single, cassette single | |||
Length | 4:17 | |||
Label | Chrysalis Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Percy Mayfield | |||
Producer(s) | Terry Manning | |||
Johnny Diesel and the Injectors singles chronology | ||||
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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[5] and was the 87th biggest-selling single in 1990.[6]
Track listing
- "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[7]
Other versions
- The Moonglows had a hit with their cover version in 1957.
- In 1967, Fred Neil covered the song for his album Sessions.
- In 1968, Toni Williams covered the song. It was the B-side of his single "Sad, Lonely and Blue", released by Zodiac Records.
- In 1969, Ruth Brown covered the song for her album Black Is Brown and Brown Is Beautiful.
- Freddie King recorded his version during his years with Shelter Records.
- In 1977, The Animals covered the song on their reunion album, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted.
- 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.[8]
- In 1997, B.B. King and Mick Hucknall covered the song on the album Deuces Wild.
- In 1993, Sade released a cover of the song for the soundtrack of the movie Philadelphia.
- In 1998, Fiona Apple released a cover of the song for the soundtrack of the movie Pleasantville.
References
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "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". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ↑ "Patchwork: A Tribute to James Booker". Amazon.com. Retrieved September 9, 2018.