Cupid (Sam Cooke song)

"Cupid"
Single by Sam Cooke
B-side	"Farewell My Darling"
Released	May 16, 1961
Recorded	April 14, 1961
Studio	RCA Studio 1, Hollywood, California
Genre	Rhythm and blues
Length	2:30
Label	RCA Victor
Songwriter(s)	Sam Cooke
Producer(s)	Luigi Creatore
Sam Cooke singles chronology

"Cupid" is a song by American singer Sam Cooke, released on May 16, 1961. It charted at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 20 on the Hot R&B Sides chart; the track performed best in the United Kingdom, peaking at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. Cooke's producers had asked him to write a song for a girl they had seen on a Perry Como TV show — but once they heard her sing, they kept "Cupid" for Cooke himself. It was Cooke's idea to drop in the sound of an arrow being fired "straight to my lover's heart."[1] Personnel on the recording included Cooke's session regulars Clifton White and Rene Hall on guitar, Clifford Hills on bass, Earl Palmer on drums and Joseph Gibbons on guitar and banjo.

"Cupid" was ranked at number 452 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". AllMusic critic Bill Janovitz described the track as a "perfect pop song" which combines "Latin, R&B, jazz, and mainstream pop elements".[2]

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1961 - Sam Cooke)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart[3]	7
US Billboard Hot 100[4]	17
US Cash Box Top 100[5]	16
US Hot R&B Sides (Billboard)[6]	20

Year-end charts

Chart (1961)	Rank
UK [7]	74

Chart (1969-70 - Johnny Nash)	Peak position
Canada RPM Top Singles[8]	30
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[9]	32
Ireland (IRMA)[10]	19

Chart (1976 – Tony Orlando and Dawn)	Peak position
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[11]	5
Canada RPM Top Singles[12]	27
New Zealand (RIANZ)[13]	22
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[4]	22

Chart (1976)	Rank
Canada [14]	190

Chart (1980 – The Spinners)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	17
Canada RPM Top Singles	20
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[15]	1
Ireland (IRMA)[10]	11
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[4]	4
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary[16]	3
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles	5
UK Singles Chart	4

Chart (1980)	Rank
Australia	132
UK	74
US Billboard Hot 100[17]	29
US Billboard R&B [18]	55
US Cash Box [19]	32

Chart (2008)	Peak position
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	49

Cover versions

In 1961, Dee Clark covered the song on his "Hold On....It's Dee Clark" album.
In 1961, Roy Tierney covered the song in the United Kingdom.
In 1964, Johnny Rivers covered the song on his live album In Action.
In 1965, The Supremes covered the song on their tribute album We Remember Sam Cooke.
In 1970, Johnny Nash's rocksteady and reggae version, released in late 1969, peaked at number 39 on the Hot 100 on January 24, 1970. In the United Kingdom, this version peaked at number 6 in May 1969.[20] It was the B-side to his hit song "Hold Me Tight".
In 1970, Czech lyrics were written by Jiří Grossmann, and the song (Úsvit) performed on Czechoslovak Television by Pavel Bobek in 1970.[21]
In 1975, Gary Glitter covered the song on his album G.G..
In 1976, Dawn's cover peaked at number 22 on the Hot 100 on March 20–27, 1976 and number two on the Easy Listening chart.
In 1980, the song was covered, in a medley with Michael Zager's "I've Loved You For a Long Time", by The Spinners. This version went to number four on 19 July - 2 August 1980 on the Hot 100, thus becoming the highest-charting version on the Hot 100, and number five on the R&B chart.[22]
In 1988, the song was covered by Graham Parker on his album The Mona Lisa's Sister.
Otis Redding was also known for covering a number of Sam Cooke's songs including "Cupid". His cover was included on the 1993 box set Otis! The Definitive Otis Redding.
In 1996, Bernadette Peters recorded a version of the song for her covers album, I'll Be Your Baby Tonight.
In May 2002, Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie recorded a cover of the song at Tiny Telephone Recording in San Francisco, California. The recording was later mixed to tape in October 2002 at Walla's Hall of Justice studio in Portland, Oregon.[23]
In 2007, British singer Amy Winehouse included a cover of Johnny Nash's version of the song for the deluxe edition of her album Back to Black.
In 2008, Colin Meloy covered this and several other Sam Cooke songs for his EP Colin Meloy Sings Sam Cooke.
In 2009, Boyz II Men included a cover of this song on their Love album.
In 2010, Canadian singer Melanie Fiona covered the song for her debut album The Bridge.
In 2010, Grand Archives covered the song for the Starbucks compilation Sweethearts.
In 2012, the chorus was sampled in a Carly Rae Jepsen song called "Tiny Little Bows", which is featured as the album opener track on her second album Kiss.
In 2017, Slothrust covered the song for their covers EP compilation Show Me How you Want It to Be.

Other

This song was also featured in the 1987 movie Innerspace starring Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid.
A reference to this song is found in the chorus of the song "Sleepwalker" by The Wallflowers: Cupid, don't draw back your bow / Sam Cooke didn't know what I know.
The Siege of Jadotville features "Cupid" naturally but prominently in an early scene between the lead Commandant and his wife.

References

"500 Greatest Songs of All Time: Sam Cooke, 'Cupid'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
Janovitz, Bill. "Cupid - Sam Cooke". AllMusic. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
"Sam Cooke - Artist - Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 5, 1961
"Sam Cooke – Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
The 100 Best-Selling Singles of 1961
"Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1970-01-17. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
"Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1970-01-31. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
"The Irish Charts – Search Results – Cupid". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
"Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1976-04-17. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
"Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1976-04-17. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
Flavour of New Zealand, 11 June 1976
"Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
RPM Adult Contemporary, August 2, 1980
Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 225.
Musicoutfitters.com
1980: The Top 100 Soul/Funk/Disco Singles
Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1980
Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 333. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
Čtyřicet Hitů od A do Z, Pavel Bobek, liner notes, 2006.
Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 545.
"HOJ Songs". Hallofjusticerecording.com. Retrieved 2014-06-28.

External links

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[1] "500 Greatest Songs of All Time: Sam Cooke, 'Cupid'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2014-06-28.

[2] Janovitz, Bill. "Cupid - Sam Cooke". AllMusic. Retrieved September 5, 2014.

[UK-2-3] "Sam Cooke - Artist - Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2014.

[ReferenceA-4] Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X

[5] Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 5, 1961

[US-6] "Sam Cooke – Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved February 28, 2014.

[7] The 100 Best-Selling Singles of 1961

[8] "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1970-01-17. Retrieved 2020-10-07.

[9] "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1970-01-31. Retrieved 2020-10-07.

[sc_Ireland2_-10] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Cupid". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 7, 2020.

[11] "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1976-04-17. Retrieved 2020-10-07.

[12] "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1976-04-17. Retrieved 2020-10-07.

[13] Flavour of New Zealand, 11 June 1976

[14] "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 22, 2016.

[15] RPM Adult Contemporary, August 2, 1980

[16] Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 225.

[17] Musicoutfitters.com

[18] 1980: The Top 100 Soul/Funk/Disco Singles

[19] Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1980

[20] Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 333. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

[21] Čtyřicet Hitů od A do Z, Pavel Bobek, liner notes, 2006.

[22] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 545.

[23] "HOJ Songs". Hallofjusticerecording.com. Retrieved 2014-06-28.

Sam Cooke
Studio albums	Sam Cooke Encore Tribute to the Lady Cooke's Tour Hits of the 50's Swing Low My Kind of Blues Twistin' the Night Away Mr. Soul Night Beat Ain't That Good News Shake Try a Little Love
Live albums	Sam Cooke at the Copa Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
Collaboration albums	3 Great Guys
Compilations	Hit Kit I Thank God The Wonderful World of Sam Cooke The Best of Sam Cooke The Man and His Music Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964
Singles	"You Send Me" / "Summertime" "I'll Come Running Back to You" "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" "You Were Made for Me" / "Lonely Island" "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha" "Only Sixteen" "There! I've Said It Again" "Wonderful World" "Chain Gang" "Sad Mood" "That's It, I Quit, I'm Movin' On" "Cupid" "Twistin' the Night Away" "Bring It On Home to Me" / "Having a Party" "Somebody Have Mercy" / "Nothing Can Change This Love" "Send Me Some Lovin'" "Another Saturday Night" "Frankie and Johnny" "Little Red Rooster" "(Ain't That) Good News" "Good Times" / "Tennessee Waltz" "That's Where It's At" "Shake" / "A Change Is Gonna Come"
Related articles	Discography The Soul Stirrers René Hall Linda Womack We Remember Sam Cooke
Book Category

The Spinners
Henry Fambrough Charlton Washington Marvin Taylor Jessie Robert Peck Ronnie Moss Pervis Jackson Billy Henderson C. P. Spencer Bobby Smith G. C. Cameron Philippé Wynne John Edwards
Studio albums	The Original Spinners 2nd Time Around Spinners Mighty Love New and Improved Pick of the Litter Happiness Is Being with the Spinners
Singles	"That's What Girls Are Made For" "I'll Always Love You" "Truly Yours" "It's a Shame" "How Could I Let You Get Away" "I'll Be Around" "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" "Ghetto Child" "Mighty Love" "I'm Coming Home" "Then Came You" "Sadie" "Games People Play" "The Rubberband Man" "Are You Ready for Love" "Working My Way Back to You" "Cupid" "Yesterday Once More" "Funny How Time Slips Away" "I'll Be Around"
Related articles	Discography
Book Category