Please Send Me Someone to Love

This article is about the song by Percy Mayfield. For the album by Phineas Newborn Jr., see Please Send Me Someone to Love (album).

"Please Send Me Someone to Love"
Single by Percy Mayfield
from the album The Best of Percy Mayfield
B-side	"Strange Things Happening"
Released	Sept. 1950 [1]
Recorded	August 16, 1950 Universal, Hollywood, California
Genre	R&B, blues ballad
Length	2:53
Label	Specialty Records
Songwriter(s)	Percy Mayfield
Producer(s)	Art Rupe
Percy Mayfield singles chronology
"Please Send Me Someone to Love" (1950) "Lost Love (Baby, Please Come Back to Me)" (1951)

"Please Send Me Someone to Love" is a blues ballad, written and recorded by American blues and soul singer Percy Mayfield in 1950, for Art Rupe's Specialty Records. It was on the Billboard's R&B chart for 27 weeks and reached the number-one position for two weeks; it was Mayfield's most successful song. ^[2]

Song background

It has been called a "multilayered universal lament". ^[3] 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. ^[4] Sung in Mayfield's gentle, suave vocal style, the lyrics were a combination of a romantic love ballad and a social message against discrimination. ^[5]

Track listing

US 7"Vinyl ^[6]

1. "Please Send Me Someone to Love" (2:50)
2. "Strange Things Happening" (2:49)

Charts

Chart (1950)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100 [7]	26
US Hot R&B Sides (Billboard)	1

Johnny Diesel and the Injectors version

"Please Send Me Someone to Love"
Single by Johnny Diesel and the Injectors
from the album The Delinquents (soundtrack)
B-side	"Who's for Better" (Live)
Released	January 1990
Length	4:17
Label	Chrysalis
Songwriter(s)	Percy Mayfield
Producer(s)	Terry Manning
Johnny Diesel and the Injectors singles chronology
"Since I Fell for You" (1989) "Please Send Me Someone to Love" (1990) "Love Junk" (1991)

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 ^[8] and was the 87th biggest-selling single in 1990. ^[9]

Track listing

1. "Please Send Me Someone to Love" (4:17)
2. "Who's for Better" (3:40)
3. "Thang 1" (3:15)

• Tracks 2 and 3 recorded live at the Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia, August 16, 1989 ^[10]

Other versions

• Dinah Washington released a cover of the song in 1951. ^[11]
• The Moonglows had a hit with their cover version in 1957. ^[12]
• In 1967, Fred Neil covered the song for his album Sessions. ^[13]
• In 1968, Toni Williams covered the song. It was the B-side of his single "Sad, Lonely and Blue", released by Zodiac Records. ^[14]
• In 1969, Ruth Brown covered the song for her album Black Is Brown and Brown Is Beautiful. ^[15]
• Freddie King recorded his version during his years with Shelter Records. ^[16]
• In 1973, Mickey Newbury covered the song on his album Live at Montezuma Hall. ^[17]
• Paul Butterfield's Better Days covered the song on their 1973 album Paul Butterfield's Better Days ^[18]
• In 1977, The Animals covered the song on their reunion album, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted . ^[19]
• 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. ^[20]
• In 1997, B.B. King and Mick Hucknall covered the song on the album Deuces Wild . ^[21]
• In 1993, Sade released a cover of the song for the soundtrack of the movie Philadelphia . ^[22]
• In 1994, Grover Washington Jr. recorded the song for his album All My Tomorrows . ^[23]
• In 1998, Fiona Apple released a cover of the song for the soundtrack of the movie Pleasantville . ^[24]
• In 2011, John Oates released a cover of the song for his solo album Mississippi Mile . ^[25]

References

1. "Rhythm & Blues Record Reviews". Billboard. September 30, 1950. p. 34.
2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 385.
3. "West coast artists – Percy Mayfield" . Retrieved 2006-11-06.
4. Gillett, Charlie (1996). The Rise of Rock and Roll (2nd ed.). New York: Da Capo Press. p. 146. ISBN   0-306-80683-5.
5. Shaw, Arnold (1978). Honkers and Shouters . New York: Macmillan. p.  193. ISBN   0-02-061740-2.
6. "Percy Mayfield - Please Send Me Someone to Love (Vinyl)". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
7. Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955–2002. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p.  68. ISBN   0-89820-155-1.
8. "Johnny Diesel & the Injectors: Please Send Me Someone to Love (Song)". www.australian-charts.com. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
9. "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.
10. "Johnny Diesel & the Injectors: Please Send Me Someone to Love". Discogs.com. 1990. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
11. "Dinah Washington 78 RPM - Discography - USA - 78 RPM". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
12. "The Moonglows - Please Send Me Someone To Love". 45cat.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
13. "Sessions - Fred Neil | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 4 May 2021.
14. "Toni Williams [New Zealand] Discography - New Zealand - 45cat". 45cat.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
15. "Black Is Brown and Brown Is Beautiful - Ruth Brown | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 4 May 2021.
16. "Freddie King - The Best Of Freddie King (The Shelter Records Years)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
17. "Live at Montezuma Hall - Mickey Newbury | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 4 March 2025.
18. "Paul Butterfield's Better Days - New Walkin Blues". 45cat.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
19. "Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted - The Animals | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 4 May 2021.
20. "Patchwork: A Tribute to James Booker". Amazon.com. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
21. "Deuces Wild - B.B. King | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 4 May 2021.
22. "CD Album: Sade - The Best Of Sade (2000)". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
23. "All My Tomorrows - Grover Washington, Jr. | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 4 May 2021.
24. "Pleasantville - Music From The Motion Picture (1998, CD)". Discogs.com. 1998. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
25. "Mississippi Mile - John Oates | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 4 May 2021.