"You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" — also known simply as "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" — is a song written by Jim Weatherly, and produced by Don Law. It was first recorded in 1973 by Danny Thomas. Soon after it was done by Ray Price from his album You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me. The song enjoyed two runs of popularity, each by an artist in a different genre.
Weatherly told Tom Roland in The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits that he wrote the song in 1971 and let his father-in-law first record it as a Christmas present for the latter's wife. "I thought it was really strange that nobody'd written a song with that title — possibly somebody had, but I'd never heard it — so I just sat down and let this stream of consciousness happen. I basically wrote it in a very short period of time, probably 30 minutes or an hour."[2]
The versions
Ray Price country version
The song's first run of popularity, as "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me," came in 1973, when country music singer Ray Price took the song to number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart on October 6, 1973.
For that version, it represented a last and a first. The "last" was Price's seventh and most recent No. 1 single, in a string dating back to his 1956 hit "Crazy Arms". The "first": It was the No. 1 single on the debut program of American Country Countdown, which used the Billboard chart in its programming. Although it fell short of the top 40 in his native United States, the song was an easy listening hit in Canada, his third such hit there.
Gladys Knight & the Pips pop/R&B version
In the early- to mid-1970s, Gladys Knight & the Pips recorded several of Weatherly's songs, and in 1974, they dipped into his catalog once again with their rendition of the song. Their version, titled "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me," reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 that spring and topped the Hot Soul Singles for two weeks.[3] The single was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of one million copies. It also reached the top 10 in the United Kingdom.
James Cleveland gospel version
In 1975, gospel singer Rev. James Cleveland & The Charles Fold Singers recorded a live version of the song, which was cited (in the song) as an adaptation of the Gladys Knight & The Pips version of the song.[citation needed]
Chart history
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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The Persuaders R&B version
In 1974, The Persuaders also recorded a version, taken from their album of the same name[11][12][13] Their version was quieter, less brassy, and more introspective than The Pips' version[14] The song reached number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[15]
Dean Martin pop version
The song was also recorded by Dean Martin in 1973.
Andy Williams version
Andy Williams released a version in 1974 on his album, The Way We Were.
Steve Lawrence version
Steve Lawrence released a version in 1973 under MGM Records label.
Chart performance
Ray Price version
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles[16] | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 82 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 2 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 37 |
References
- ^ Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (October 15, 1996). "Walking in Rhythm: Seventies Soul". Precious and Few - Pop Music in the Early '70s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 63. ISBN 031214704X.
- ^ Roland, Tom, "The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits" (Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1991 (ISBN 0-82-307553-2), p. 99.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 330.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Library and Archives Canada. RPM Weekly (archived). May 11, 1974. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
- ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, April 27, 1974". Archived from the original on February 21, 2017. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
- ^ "Image : RPM Weekly". Bac-lac.gc.ca. July 13, 2017.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
- ^ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 28, 1974". Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
- ^ "The Persuaders - Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. 1974. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
- ^ Jim Weatherly. "The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me - The Persuaders | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
- ^ "Persuaders7.jpg (600x600 pixels)". Archive.today. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
- ^ "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me The Persuaders". November 17, 2013. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2016 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Hot 100 - Billboard". Billboard. March 30, 1974. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 275.
