Today’s classic song of the day was a hit for four different artists in three different decades. The song is “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me” and it was written by the legendary team of Burt Bacharach (music) and Hal David (words). It was first recorded, as a demo, by Dionne Warwick in 1963 but not released as a single. The first single release was by Lou Johnson, in 1964. His version was a moderate hit, going to #49 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The bigger hit came later that year when British singer Sandie Shaw released her version of the song in September of 1964. Ms. Shaw’s single only hit #52 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and #49 on the Cash Box Top 100) but went all the way to #1 in her native UK. It was also a number-one hit in Canada and South Africa, and got into the top ten in Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
Fast forward a half-dozen years and we find another version of “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me” on the charts. This one was by R&B singer R.B. Greaves, released late in 1969. It peaked at #27 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and #3 on Billboard’s R&B chart) in February of 1970. (This is the version I remember best.)
Now we move another dozen years into the future and British synth band Naked Eyes. Their New Wavish cover of “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me,” released in October of 1982, charted the highest of all the various versions, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the Cash Box Top 100. (It only hit #59 in the UK, however.)
Whichever version you heard first or whichever version you prefer, “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me” is a terrific tune, a stellar entry in the Bacharach-David catalog. As good as it is, it wouldn’t surprise me to find a more contemporary artist try to cover it—it’s better than anything else you hear streaming today.
