Only Sixteen

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"Only Sixteen"
Only sixteen by sam cooke US single side-A variant A.png
One of side-A labels of the original US single
Single by Sam Cooke
B-side "Let's Go Steady Again"
ReleasedMay 1959
RecordedJanuary 4, 1959
Studio Rex Productions, Los Angeles, California
Genre Rhythm and blues, soul, pop
Length2:00
Label Keen 2022
Songwriter(s) Sam Cooke
Producer(s) Bumps Blackwell
Sam Cooke singles chronology
"Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha"
(1959)
"Only Sixteen"
(1959)
"Summertime"
(1959)

"Only Sixteen" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released in May 1959. It was a top 15 hit on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart and also charted within the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. [1] In the UK it was covered, and taken to No. 1, by Craig Douglas. [2]

Contents

Background

"Only Sixteen" was inspired by the sixteenth birthday of Lou Rawls's stepsister, Eunice. [3] The song was originally intended for actor Steve Rowland, who often hung around the Keen studio. Rowland asked Cooke to write a song for him, and Cooke borrowed the bridge from an earlier song of his, "Little Things You Do". Rowland's manager disliked the song, and Cooke re-recorded it for himself. [3] [4] The song's composition was originally credited to Barbara Campbell, a pseudonym used for Cooke, Lou Adler and Herb Alpert. Cooke married Campbell in October 1959. [5] [6] "Only Sixteen" was, in fact, solely written by Cooke. [7]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes to the 2003 compilation Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964 . [3]

Chart performance

Weekly charts (1959)Peak
position
UK [8] 23
US Billboard Hot 100 [9] 28
US Hot R&B Sides ( Billboard ) [9] 13

The Supremes version

"Only Sixteen"
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Only Sixteen.png
Swedish single picture sleeve
Single by The Supremes
from the album We Remember Sam Cooke
B-side "Some Things You Never Get Used To"
Released1968
Recorded1965
Genre Rhythm and blues, soul, pop
Length2:24
Label Tamla Motown
Songwriter(s) Sam Cooke
Producer(s) Harvey Fuqua · Hal Davis · Marc Gordon
The Supremes singles chronology
"Forever Came Today"
(1968)
"Only Sixteen"
(1968)
"Love Child"
(1968)

The Supremes recorded a version, first released on their tribute album We Remember Sam Cooke (1965). [10] In 1968, it was released as an A-side single in Scandinavia, as Diana Ross & the Supremes, [11] where it reached No. 3 in Sweden. [12] The B-side, "Some Things You Never Get Used To" was released elsewhere as an A-side, becoming a top 40 hit in the US, [13] Canada, [14] and the UK. [15]

Charts

Chart (1968)Peak
position
Sweden ( Kvällstoppen ) [16] [12] 3

Dr. Hook version

"Only Sixteen"
Only sixteen by dr hook US single side-A.png
Side A of the US single
Single by Dr. Hook
from the album Bankrupt
B-side "Let Me Be Your Lover"
ReleasedDecember 1975
Genre Pop
Length2:46
Label Capitol
Songwriter(s) Sam Cooke
Producer(s) Ron Haffkine
Dr. Hook singles chronology
"The Millionaire"
(1975)
"Only Sixteen"
(1975)
"A Little Bit More"
(1976)

Dr. Hook released a version of "Only Sixteen" in the winter of 1975. Their version was the most successful chart release of the song. It reached No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on Cash Box . Dr. Hook's version spent 22 weeks on the charts and became a Gold record.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1975–76)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [17] 3
Canadian RPM Top Singles [18] 3
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary [19] 9
US Billboard Hot 100 [20] 6
US Billboard Adult Contemporary [21] 14
US Cash Box Top 1005

Year-end charts

Chart (1976)Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report) [22] 39
Canada [23] 54
US Billboard Hot 100 [24] 35

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [25] Gold50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other cover versions

Samples

See also

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