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Only Sixteen

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This article is about the Sam Cooke song. For the Terry Black album, see Only 16.

"Only Sixteen"
side-A label
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
StudioRex Productions, Los Angeles, California
GenreRhythm and blues, soul, pop
Length2:00
LabelKeen 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]

Background

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"Only Sixteen" was inspired by the sixteenth birthday of Lou Rawls's stepsister, Eunice.[3] It 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 result, and Cooke re-recorded it for himself.[3][4] The 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

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

  • Sam Cooke – vocals
  • Clifton White – guitar
  • René Hall – guitar
  • Adolphus Asbrook – bass guitar
  • Charles Blackwell – drums

Chart performance

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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

[edit]
"Only Sixteen"
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
GenreRhythm and blues, soul, pop
Length2:24
LabelTamla 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

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

Dr. Hook version

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"Only Sixteen"
side-A label
Side A of the US single
Single by Dr. Hook
from the album Bankrupt
B-side"Let Me Be Your Lover"
ReleasedDecember 1975
GenrePop
Length2:46
LabelCapitol
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 and it 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

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1975–1976) 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 100 5

Year-end charts

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

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[25] Gold 50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other cover versions

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Samples

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  • E-40 and The Click sampled it on their first record, singing the hook in the intro.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 119. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 167. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ^ a b c Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964 (liner notes). Sam Cooke. US: ABKCO Records. 2003. 92642.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ Guralnick, Peter (2005). Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke. New York: Back Bay Books, p. 280-81. First edition, 2005.
  5. ^ Kutner, Jon; Leigh, Spencer (May 26, 2010). 1,000 UK Number One Hits. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-360-2.
  6. ^ Gulla, Bob (2008). Icons of R&B and soul: an encyclopedia of the artists who revolutionized rhythm. Greenwood icons. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-34044-4.
  7. ^ Only Sixteen by Sam Cooke - Track Info | AllMusic, retrieved July 18, 2023
  8. ^ "Sam Cooke – Artist – Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Sam Cooke – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  10. ^ Hamilton, Andrew. "We Remember Sam Cooke - The Supremes | Songs, Reviews, Credits..." Allmusic. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  11. ^ "THE SUPREMES DISCOGRAPHY". 7inchrecords.com. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  12. ^ a b "AUGUSTI 1968" (PDF). Kvällstoppen. p. 25. Retrieved January 17, 2022 – via hitsallertijden.nl.
  13. ^ "The Supremes Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2018 – via Wayback Machine.
  14. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly". RPM. July 17, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  15. ^ "The Supremes | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  16. ^ "Supremes - Se alla lȧtar och listplaceringer - NostalgiListan". Kvällstoppen (in Swedish). Retrieved January 30, 2022 – via nostalgilistan.se.
  17. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 94. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  18. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  19. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  20. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 247.
  21. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 74.
  22. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1976". Kent Music Report. December 27, 1976. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Imgur.
  23. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  24. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  25. ^ "Hook Shots" (PDF). Cash Box. June 4, 1977. p. 52. Retrieved November 25, 2021 – via World Radio History.
  26. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
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