Released September 1958 Recorded 1958 Length 2:18 | Format Vinyl
7"
45 RPM Genre Pop | |
B-side "Don't You Worry My Little Pet" | ||
"To Know Him Is to Love Him" is a song written by Phil Spector, inspired by words on his father's tombstone, "To Know Him Was To Love Him." It was first recorded by the only vocal group of which he was a member, the Teddy Bears. Their recording spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1958, while reaching No. 2 on UK's New Musical Express chart. Peter & Gordon and Bobby Vinton later had hits with the song, with its title and lyrics changed to "To Know You Is to Love You". In 1987, the song was resurrected by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, whose Trio recording topped the U.S. country singles charts. The song is in 12/8 time.
Contents
Nancy Sinatra version
In 1962, Nancy Sinatra released her version of the song on Reprise Records, as the B-side of "Like I Do".
Peter and Gordon version
In 1965, Peter and Gordon released a version of the song, titled "To Know You Is to Love You". Peter and Gordon's version spent 10 weeks on the UK's Record Retailer chart, peaking at No. 5, while also reaching No. 5 on Canada's "RPM Play Sheet". In the United States, the song spent 7 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 24.
Bobby Vinton version
In 1969, Bobby Vinton released a version of the song, titled "To Know You Is to Love You". Vinton's version spent 7 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 34, while reaching No. 8 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart, No. 16 on Canada's RPM 100, and No. 6 on RPM's Adult Contemporary chart.
Jody Miller version
In 1972, Jody Miller took a version to No. 18 on the Billboard country charts.
Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris version
In 1987, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris covered the song, including it on their Grammy Award-winning, multi-million selling Trio album, and releasing it as the album's first single. Their version hit #1 on the U. S. Hot Country Songs chart on May 16, 1987. The accompanying music video was played continuously on CMT and directed by White Copeman.
The Beatles version
The Beatles recorded two versions, both retitled "To Know Her Is to Love Her". One version was on their January 1962 audition tapes with Decca, not released during the band's existence. The second version was recorded on 16 July 1963 for the Pop Go The Beatles radio show and was not officially released until 1994, on their Live at the BBC compilation album. John Lennon recorded his own version of the song in 1973 ("To Know Her Is to Love Her"), but it would not see release until the 1986 posthumous compilation Menlove Ave.
Personnel (Live at the BBC)
Other versions
Dodie Stevens recorded a version for her 1961 album Pink Shoelaces.
The Shirelles recorded a version which appeared on their 1964 compilation The Shirelles Sing the Golden Oldies .
British rock star Gary Glitter recorded a version on his second studio album Touch Me in 1973, which reached No. 2 in the UK charts.
Steeleye Span played a cover of the song on their 1974 album Now We Are Six, which features, as a guest, David Bowie on alto saxophone. The inclusion of a rock 'n' roll standard baffled many listeners who had come to expect Steeleye Span's interpretations of traditional fare; what is generally not known, however, is that the track does represent an aspect of Steeleye Span's live show at that time (1974). They were known for doing a rock 'n' roll encore during this period, influenced by the band Sha Na Na with whom they toured.
David Bromberg included a version on his album My Own House (Fantasy 9572, 1978). He recorded the acoustic guitar and vocal live, and then overdubbed a slide guitar part.
In 2007, Amy Winehouse recorded the song acoustically for a B-side of "You Know I'm No Good". A version by Winehouse also appeared on the 2007 compilation album The Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary Show. In the same year, the song was recorded as a duet by Jill Johnson and Lisa Miskovsky.
On July 10, 2010 the song was performed by David Gilmour and Roger Waters when they played a concert in aid of the "Hoping Foundation" – their first performance together since Pink Floyd's gig for Live 8 in July 2005 – as a tongue-in-cheek reference to their often-volatile creative relationship. In 2011, Kikki Danielsson recorded the song on the album Första dagen på resten av mitt liv.