I love the Rascals and today’s classic song of the day is one of their best and most unique. “How Can I Be Sure” was released as a single (under their original Young Rascals moniker) in August of 1967 and went all the way to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Cash Box Top 100. It was a #1 hit in Canada.
Rascals Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati wrote “How Can I Be Sure,” inspired by Felix’s girlfriend at the time, Adrienne Becchuri. The couple met in 1966 when Felix was 24 and Adrienne was still in high school. They went together for a year or so before Felix “woke up one day and said: ‘What the hell am I doing? I’m going out with a kid.'” Indeed.
“How Can I Be Sure” sounds much different from other Rascals tunes and from anything else on the radio at the time. To me, it sounds a little like a French chanson, with its 3/4 (waltz) time and prominent accordion. Indeed, it’s easy to hear this one as part of a soundtrack to any French romantic movie of the time.
Four years later, in 1970, Brit singer Dusty Springfield released her own somewhat faithful cover of “How Can I Be Sure.” Her single, released in the UK only, went to #36 on the UK charts, which was a tad disappointing. It’s a good version, nonetheless.
Oh, and there was another version of “How Can I Be Sure” released in 1972 by teen idol David Cassidy. It went to #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart. It also went to #1 in the UK, for whatever reason.
As much as I like Dusty’s version (and dislike Mr. Cassidy’s), it’s the Rascals original that stands out from the rest. With that in mind, today’s daily bonus video of the day is the Rascals, with Eddie Brigati singing lead, lip syncing “How Can I Be Sure” on the September 10, 1967, episode of The Ed Sullivan Show. Nice dancers.
