Neil Sedaka - "It Hurts To Be In Love" [demo version] (1964)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ธ.ค. 2024
- Original version of "It Hurts To Be In Love". Rejected for release by RCA Victor because it was not recorded in their studios, as stipulated by Sedaka's contract. Later made into a hit by Gene Pitney, as Pitney simply replaced Sedaka's vocal tracks with his own.
Maybe it's just me! But I heard gene Pitneys version of this song so much that to me no one else can sing it like gene did! Neil sedaka has some great songs in his own rites! But I say gene Pitneys hit this song out of the park hands down!!
I have to agree.
It's not just you.
Wow. I'd never heard this track before, the original one, from which Gene Pitney simply recorded his own vocals, replacing Sedaka's, but retained everything else from the original. Even Sedaka's own backing vocals remained, as well as his piano playing, not to mention his arrangement, everything, all because Sedaka's label, RCA, would not release his version because it was not recorded at an RCA studio. Sedaka subsequently tried re-recording it at RCA, but the results did not satisfy the songwriters who then offered it to Pitney. The result was a big hit for him, and because the versions were so similar, the argument is easy to make Sedaka would have had an equally big hit with his version, something he sorely needed at that downward point of his career, but missed out due to RCA's ridiculous stance. Sedaka fails to even receive an "arranged by" credit on Pitney's hit. To really appreciate the uncanny similarity of the two versions, I suggest playing them one after the other, or better yet, if you can start them in sync, and then play them simultaneously. Both are great with great lead vocals, although I do favor Pitney's by a hair, maybe because his vocals are just more familiar. Regardless, Sedaka got screwed.
I can envision Dave Hoeffel playing both versions back-to-back on a SiriusXM 60s On 6 Satellite Survey. He should.
I love them both!
What an incredible back story. Executive egos have also interfered with releases in the movie industry - often shelving great productions because they didn't want credit to go to a competitor.
The background vocals are completely different takes! C'mon, maaaaaannnnnn,
So fascinating! Before today I’d never heard this version
Gene Pitney's version you can still hear Sedaka's voice.
It was a disagreement and Pitney's manager told him to record over Sedaka's voice.
I LOOOOOOOVE this song.
Neil is so talented. Gene Pitney's version is flawless, but Neil has that Sedaka stamp of having written it & it's great IMO. Check out Neil's version of "Where the boys are". He wrote it and his version is a completely different arrangement that is done in a syncopated style that he did so well.
Never heard Neil's version of this song before. He nailed it completely.
WOW! I'm late to the game on this one! Never knew Neil Sandaka originally sang this great song? I like the Gene Pitney version too but man to hear the original is awesome. Gene Pitney did great not to make any change to an already excellent musical arrangement. 👏👏👍👍
Wrong you can hear it on both
Never heard this before today. I grew up with Pitney's version, but hearing this...I've gotta say I like Gene's better. He has an "edge" to his voice.
I have searched for this original version and here it is. It's awesome to hear Neil's take on it. It rocks!
It's amazing finally to hear this amazing demo--really, a completed master--that I'd heard about for years.
In about 1991, I interviewed Helen Miller at her apartment in New York City (Queens, if I recall). When I asked her about this song, she asked if I could turn off the tape recorder, which I did. She then informed me that she believed that her co-writer Howie Greenfield wrote the song about his unrequited feelings for Neil Sedaka. It makes quite a bit of sense; the song is about the pain of knowing that the desired relationship is never, ever going to happen.
Thanks very much for this insight into this song. If the co-writer of the song, Helen Miller, had this insight I'd have to give it the highest credibility. On a Sedaka podcast he related how he paid for the studio time, production time etc. himself to record this song. Because the song was recorded in a non RCA studio, RCA said they would not release Neil's version and so the song went to Gene Pitney. In any case, this is a great example of American pop music. And you get to hear backup singer Toni Wine on Neil's version.
Record label issues prevented Neil from being able to complete the track The song was given to Gene Pitney who turned it into a #7 song on the Billboard chart
It's so interesting that this song Sedaka obviously made completely. And then got screwed out of the release. Ironically, it may be his best recording and the only one he didn't have a hand in writing!
Listen for songwriter Toni Wine on background vocals!
This is the sort of trivia information that I LOVE - thank you DC
Sounds so close musically to Gene's version, never heard Neil's version before its good but i like Gene's version better but i grew up with Gene's music as my father used to play it.
Thanks. Takes me back to 2007. My sons were 2 and 4. The 2 year old said Neil kadaka.😊
Love this! ❤🎶
Niel nailed it best version
Beautiful sound and. unlike Pitney's classic rendition, you can clearly hear Toni Wine sing "It hurts..." on the bridge. Those two words are buried on Pitney's version....love both and this song!
Yes, we never got to hear "hurts" for some reason. Why the hell not???
yeah I hear "hurts" on this one!
Bravo🎺🎸🎶🥁♥️
Never heard this Neil Sedaka version, it makes sense why they didn't let him do it... I mean, put it out...
oh what would have been ❤
This is not a demo. It has full production.
This is the same RCA Victor who thought it wise to take Elvis' entire pre-Army catalog and reissue it in phony "reprocessed stereo" because they felt original mono was obsolete and slathering a thick layer of phony reverb a fraction of a second behind a mono signal was modernization.
Not to mention RCA's " mixed too loud "Dynagroove" sound from 1963 and the wobbly "Dynaflex" vinyl pressing idea in 1971. True, RCA did make a lot of mistakes, but "Nipper" still had a lot of memorable hits.
I loved the Gene Pitney version Dan Hartman did a good version too, just a shame Heils version never got released he does a great job
Wow! Never heard this version before. It's great! While I've always enjoyed Gene Pirney's version, Neil sure gives him a run for his money. Normally demos are never as good or so-so. But this could've been a big hit for Neil if he'd been allowed to release it.
Love it and Gene Pitney s version
Neil Sedaka gave this to Gene Pitney...He recorded only new vokal and held on to the background music:)
This was the start of Neil's Hungry Years phase, when his bad mistake cost him his popularity, career & his struggle to have his songs heard and recorded; that is until 1974* associariung with Elton John. He had to rely on Don Kirshner for a revival, which resulted in his "Solitaire" LP, issued on Kirshner's own self-named label. Neil got revived by The Monkees & The Captain and Tennille.
I love both versions. This is the first time I’ve heard the demo. I’m usually a stickler for original pieces but I actually like Neil Sedaka’s voice a little better. I’m sure it’s because his background vocals and ivory tickling were still ALL over the Pitney version
, awesome
Gene Pitney's vocal had a drive to it that this one seems to lack ,
I laid both Neil and Gene's versions into my DAW and synced them up exactly, and you can hear that it's actually Neil's vocal that "drives" his version of the song and Gene's is more laid back.
As for the background music, well everyone knows it's the same backing track, so obviously, neither version "drives" it differently.
They didn't simply leave the background alone. Instead the female singers got tighter and mixed way higher up than they are here.
I like this version better of all of his. I wonder if they just put Gene Pitney’s voice to this version? The accompaniment sounds the same.
Not just his vocals. Pitney had Toni Wine come back into the studio and they redid her vocals on his version. (not as good as original, but close). This demo runs a little fast. See Pitney interview and orig version at: th-cam.com/video/8507GW3skkY/w-d-xo.html&lc=z235izogkuytubipr04t1aokgtn1rkwcwi5uegqx1wgwbk0h00410.1559820279202126
This sound they used Genes track and put Neil’s vocals over it
1:38-1:51 What instrument is playing here? Is it a pipe organ?
More fool RCA Victor -a great track!
If not recorded in RCA's studios, where was it recorded? It sounds familiar except it's Neil Sedaka singing and not Gene Pitney.
The recording was made in NYC at the Brill Building, Its basically the same composition put together by Neil but his contract at RCA stopped him from releasing it at the time, (ie: not allowing him to use any outside recording studios) so the original writers offered it to Gene Pitney who recorded over the original vocal track.
Same backing track!
The answer is revealed in my forthcoming book: Charting the Life of Gene Pitney
@@danmitchell3976 Don Kirshner: not the writers offered it to Gene. Read my book from June.
How can we acquire your Gene Pitney Biography?
I like the little inevitable production nuances. Gary Chester's drums seem to have more punch. I know, same track, but on this demo drums sound better.
Same backing track as the gene pitney version !
I like Neil Sedaka’s Version Better Then Gene Pitney’s Version.
Gino Vanelli didn’t write this. Howard Greenfield and Helen Miller did.
Credit is given to incorrect songwriter.
Gino Vannelli had a song called "Hurts to Be in Love" which is probably the source of the mixup.
not there's anything wrong with that vocal
Neil has a better voice than Gene.
Gene sounds more emotional though.
Neil Sadakas version is good but Gene's is much better
Sedaka sounds like a chipmunk.