To those who have supported this series during its nearly eighteen months since it began, please accept my sincere thanks. The give and take discussions with those of you who commented on these essays contributed immeasurably to the energy this writer needed to continue with this project for as long as he did. Other priorities and obligations beckon, although hope remains that it may be possible to submit a few more essays in the future, only on a less frequent and consistent basis than in the past.
So, on with the final weekly Original v. Cover essay…
Fifty years ago, this week’s selection occupied the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for four weeks from April 24-May 22, 1961 on its way to becoming an international hit. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song at #466 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004.
Some of us may remember the song with a sense of nostalgia; yet others reading this account may have parents who weren’t even born yet in 1961. Whatever the case may be, this week’s selection has had incredible staying power, and continues to be performed frequently through the present day.