In 1963, Wilson Pickett released It’s Too Late, his debut album. The song became the beginning of a career that lasted for more than 25 years. Among Pickett’s many hits are these four songs, which are all so good that everyone should still know them today.
“In The Midnight Hour”
Pickett’s first No. 1 single, “In The Midnight Hour” was released in 1965. The song, the title track of his sophomore album, was written by Pickett and Steve Cropper.
“In The Midnight Hour” begins with, “I’m gonna wait ’til the midnight hour / That’s when my love comes tumbling down / I’m gonna wait ’til the midnight hour / When there’s no one else around.”
“In The Midnight Hour” has become a favorite for artists to cover in their concerts. Bruce Springsteen, Grateful Dead, and Genesis are among the acts known to have performed “In The Midnight Hour” live.
“Funky Broadway”
Another No. 1 single for Pickett, “Funky Broadway” was written by Arlester “Dyke” Christian. Christian first released “Funky Broadway” in 1966. But it’s Pickett’s version, out one year later, that remains the most well-known.
The uptempo tune says, “Wiggle your legs now, baby / Shake your head up / Do the shing-a-ling now, baby / Shake, shake, shake, now / You don’t know, baby / You don’t know now, woman / Do the funky Broadway.”
“Sugar, Sugar”
Like “Funky Broadway”, Pickett is not the first artist to record “Sugar, Sugar”. The song, written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim, was first released by The Archies in 1969, becoming a No. 1 hit for them. In 1970, Pickett put his own spin on the song for his Right On record.
An over-the-top love song, “Sugar, Sugar” says, “Ah, sugar / Ah, honey, honey / You are my candy girl / And you got me wanting you / Oh, honey / Ah, sugar, sugar / You are my candy girl / And you got me wanting you.”
“If You Need Me”
Pickett’s very first single, “If You Need Me” was released in 1963. The song was written by Pickett, along with Robert Bateman and Sonny Sanders.
The title track of Pickett’s freshman record, “If You Need Me” is interesting because part of the song is spoken instead of sung. “If You Need Me” says, “People always said, darlin’, that I didn’t mean you no good / And you would need me someday / Way deep down in my heart I know I’ve done the best I could. That’s why I know that one of these days, it won’t be long / You’ll come walkin’ through that same door / I’ll hurry home / And I can imagine in my mind that these are the words that you’ll be sayin’/ ‘I still love you, always thinkin’ of you / And I still love, love, always thinkin’ of you.”
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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Author: Gayle Thompson