Maybe I Know

Last updated
"Maybe I Know"
Maybe I Know - Lesley Gore.jpg
Single by Lesley Gore
from the album Girl Talk
B-side "Wonder Boy"
Released July 9, 1964
Recordedearly July 1964 [1]
Genre Brill Building [2]
Length2:40
Label Mercury Records 72309
Songwriter(s) Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich
Producer(s) Quincy Jones
Lesley Gore singles chronology
"I Don't Wanna Be a Loser"
(1964)
"Maybe I Know"
(1964)
"Hey Now"
(1964)

"Maybe I Know" is an early 1960s pop song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and performed by Lesley Gore. The song was produced by Quincy Jones and arranged by Claus Ogerman. [3] It was featured on her 1964 album, Girl Talk . [4]

Contents

Background

The song was one in a long line of successful "Brill Building Sound" hits [2] created by composers and arrangers working in New York City's Brill Building at 1619 Broadway. Pop songwriting stars Barry and Greenwich had previously scored hits with songs such as "Be My Baby" and "Baby, I Love You" performed by The Ronettes, as well as "Then He Kissed Me" and "Da Doo Ron Ron" by The Crystals.

Billboard described the song as a "medium tempo rocker with fine dance beat." [5] Cash Box described it as "a handclappin' thumper geared for easy dancing and listening approval" and a "tuneful teen-angled vocal romp." [6]

Chart performance

"Maybe I Know" reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, #16 in Canada, [7] #20 in the United Kingdom, and #37 in Australia in 1964. [8]

Weekly charts

Chart (1964)Peak
position
Australia 37
Canada RPM Top Singles [9] 16
UK 20
US Billboard Hot 100 14
US Cash Box Top 10010

Other versions

In media

The song was featured in the musicals Leader of the Pack and The Marvelous Wonderettes .

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesley Gore</span> American singer and songwriter (1946–2015)

Lesley Sue Goldstein, known professionally as Lesley Gore, was an American singer and songwriter. At the age of 16, she recorded her first hit song "It's My Party", a US number one in 1963. She followed it up with ten further US Billboard top 40 hits including "Judy's Turn to Cry" and "You Don't Own Me". Gore said herself she considered “You Don’t Own Me” as her signature work.

Jeff Barry is an American pop music songwriter, singer, and record producer. Among the most successful songs that he has co-written in his career are "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", "Da Doo Ron Ron", "Then He Kissed Me", "Be My Baby", "Chapel of Love", and "River Deep - Mountain High" ; "Leader of the Pack" ; "Sugar, Sugar" ; "Without Us".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Deep – Mountain High</span> 1966 single by Ike & Tina Turner

"River Deep – Mountain High" is a song by Ike & Tina Turner released on Philles Records as the title track to their 1966 studio album. Produced by Phil Spector and written by Spector, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. Rolling Stone ranked "River Deep – Mountain High" No. 33 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. NME ranked it No. 37 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame added it to the list of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellie Greenwich</span> American singer-songwriter (1940–2009)

Eleanor Louise Greenwich was an American pop music singer, songwriter, and record producer. She wrote or co-wrote "Da Doo Ron Ron", "Be My Baby", "Maybe I Know", "Then He Kissed Me", "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", "Christmas ", "Hanky Panky", "Chapel of Love", "Leader of the Pack", and "River Deep – Mountain High", among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Can Hear Music</span>

"I Can Hear Music" is a song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector for American girl group the Ronettes in 1966. This version spent one week on the Billboard Pop chart at number 100. In early 1969, the Beach Boys released a cover version as a single from their album 20/20 (1969), peaking at number 24 in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leader of the Pack</span> 1964 single by the Shangri-Las

"Leader of the Pack" is a song written by George "Shadow" Morton, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich. It was a number one pop hit in 1964 for the American girl group the Shangri-Las. The single is one of the group's best known songs as well as a popular cultural example of a "teenage tragedy song". The song was covered in 1985 by the heavy metal band Twisted Sister, who had a more modest hit with their version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's My Party</span> 1963 single by Lesley Gore

"It's My Party" is a song by American singer-songwriter Lesley Gore from her debut studio album I'll Cry If I Want To (1963). It was released as the lead single from the album on April 5, 1963, by Mercury Records. The song was collectively written by Herb Wiener, John Gluck Jr., and Wally Gold, whilst production was helmed by Quincy Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do Wah Diddy Diddy</span> Song

"Do Wah Diddy Diddy" is a song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and originally recorded in 1963, as "Do-Wah-Diddy", by the American vocal group the Exciters. Cash Box described the Exciters' version as "a sparkling rocker that bubbles over with coin-catching enthusiasm" and said that the "great lead job is backed by a fabulous instrumental arrangement." It was made internationally famous by the British band Manfred Mann.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remember (Walking in the Sand)</span> Song by The Shangri-Las

"Remember (Walking in the Sand)", also known as "Remember", is a song written by George "Shadow" Morton. It was originally recorded by the girl group the Shangri-Las, who had a top five hit with it in 1964. A remake by Aerosmith in 1979 was a minor hit. There have been many other versions of the song as well.

"Young Love" is a popular song, written by Ric Cartey and Carole Joyner, and published in 1956. The original version was recorded by Ric Cartey with the Jiva-Tones on November 24, 1956. It was released in 1956 by Stars Records as catalog number 539 and one month later by RCA Records as catalog number 47-6751. Cartey's version never charted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanky Panky (Tommy James and the Shondells song)</span> 1964 single by the Shondells

"Hanky Panky" is a song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich for their group, the Raindrops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadow Dancing (song)</span> 1978 single by Andy Gibb

"Shadow Dancing" is a disco song performed by English singer-songwriter Andy Gibb. The song was released in April 1978 as the lead single from his second studio album of the same name. The song reached number one for seven consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. Albhy Galuten arranged the song with Barry Gibb. While Andy Gibb would have three more Top 10 hits in the U.S., this would be his final chart-topping hit in the United States. The song became a platinum record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Da Doo Ron Ron</span> 1963 single by The Crystals

"Da Doo Ron Ron" is a song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector. It first became a popular top five hit single for the American girl group the Crystals in 1963. American teen idol Shaun Cassidy recorded the song in 1977 and his version hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. There have also been many other cover versions of this song, including one by the songwriters Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich themselves, performing as the Raindrops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Then He Kissed Me</span> 1963 song by The Crystals

"Then He Kissed Me" is a song written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry. The song, produced by Spector, was initially released as a single on Philles Records (#115) in July 1963 by The Crystals. The lyrics are a narrative of a young woman's encounter, romance, and eventual engagement with a young man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherry, Cherry</span> 1966 single by Neil Diamond

"Cherry, Cherry" is a 1966 song written, composed, and recorded by American musician Neil Diamond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Don't Own Me</span> 1963 single by Lesley Gore

"You Don't Own Me" is a popular song written by Philadelphia songwriters John Madara and David White and recorded by Lesley Gore in 1963, when Gore was 17 years old. The song was Gore's second most successful recording and her last top-ten single. On November 27, 2016, along with 24 other songs, the Grammy Hall of Fame announced its induction. Gore herself considered it to be her signature song claiming “I just can’t find anything stronger to be honest with you, it’s a song that just grows every time you do it.”

<i>Shaun Cassidy</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Shaun Cassidy

Shaun Cassidy is the debut solo album by American singer Shaun Cassidy. The eponymous album was first released in 1976 in Europe and Australia, where he had top-ten hits with "Morning Girl" and "That's Rock 'n' Roll". It was not until the release of a cover version of The Crystals' song, "Da Doo Ron Ron", that Cassidy's international success carried over into the United States. The single became a number-one Billboard hit for Cassidy and launched his career as a pop musician and teen idol in the U.S.

"I Don't Wanna Be a Loser" is a song written by Ben Raleigh and Mark Barkan and performed by Lesley Gore. It reached #12 on the adult contemporary chart and #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. It was featured on her 1964 album, Boys, Boys, Boys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Look of Love (Lesley Gore song)</span> 1964 single by Lesley Gore

"Look of Love" is a song written by Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, which was a 1964 Top 40 hit for Lesley Gore. The song was one in a long line of successful "Brill Building Sound" hits created by composers and arrangers working in New York City's Brill Building at 1619 Broadway. Pop songwriting stars Barry and Greenwich had previously scored hits with songs such as "Be My Baby" and "Baby, I Love You", and "Then He Kissed Me" and "Da Doo Ron Ron" . In the US, "Look of Love" peaked at #27 on the Billboard charts.

"Hey Now" is a song by American recording artist Lesley Gore. It was released as the second single from her fourth studio album, Girl Talk. The song was a commercial disappointment, becoming Gore's first single not to enter the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 76. The B-side, "Sometimes I Wish I Were a Boy," also drew attention.

References

  1. Praguefrank
  2. 1 2 Fontenot, Robert (November 1, 2015). "What is Brill Building Music?". About.
  3. Lesley Gore, "Maybe I Know" single release Retrieved January 14, 2015
  4. Lesley Gore, Girl Talk Retrieved January 14, 2015
  5. "Singles Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. July 18, 1964. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  6. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 18, 1964. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  7. Lesley Gore, "Maybe I Know" Canadian Chart Position Retrieved January 14, 2015
  8. Lesley Gore, "Maybe I Know" US and UK Chart Positions Retrieved January 14, 2015
  9. Canada, Library and Archives (2013-07-17). "Item". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  10. "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  11. Ellie Greenwich, "Maybe I Know" Chart Position Retrieved January 14, 2015