"Put a Little Love in Your Heart" is a song originally performed in 1969 by Jackie DeShannon, who composed it with her brother Randy Myers and Jimmy Holiday. In the U.S., it was DeShannon's highest-charting hit, reaching number 4 on the Hot 100 in August 1969 and number 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[1] In late 1969, the song reached number 1 on South Africa's hit parade. The song rivalled the success of her signature song, "What the World Needs Now Is Love".
In 1988, Annie Lennox and Al Green released a cover version of "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" which reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Charts
| Chart (1968–69) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia Kent Music Report[2] | 15 |
| Canada RPM Top Singles | 12 |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) | 9 |
| South African Singles Chart | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 4 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 2 |
Annie Lennox and Al Green version
In 1988, Annie Lennox and Al Green recorded a version that was released as the ending theme song to the 1988 film Scrooged.[3] The song reached number 9 in the US on the Hot 100 in January 1989, and climbed all the way to number 2 on both the US Adult Contemporary and Canadian Singles charts, as well as becoming a top 40 hit in several countries worldwide, including number 28 in the UK for the festive season of 1988–1989. Although credited to Lennox, the song was produced by her Eurythmics partner David A. Stewart.
The video was directed by Sophie Muller.[4]
Personnel
- Annie Lennox – vocals
- Al Green – vocals
- Uncredited - background vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, drums
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (1988–89) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 6 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 2 |
| German Singles Chart | 20 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 30 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 7 |
| UK Singles Chart | 28 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1989) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] | 51 |
Other versions
- Siw Malmkvist, in Swedish Pröva litet kärlek nån gång (1968) on her LP Underbara Siw".
- Susan Raye, on her debut 1969 album, One Night Stand. It was released as a single and peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
- The Dave Clark Five, in 1969. Issued as a single in the UK, it spent four weeks in the top 75, reaching number 31.[6]
- Andy Williams – Get Together with Andy Williams (1969)
- David Ruffin, on his second solo album, Feelin' Good (1969)
- Cilla Black – Sweet Inspiration (1970)
- The Isley Brothers, on 1972's Brother, Brother, Brother album.
- At the end of Richard Donner's film Scrooged (1988), Bill Murray breaks the fourth wall to lead a sing-along of the Annie Lennox and Al Green version of the song.[7]
- Leonard Nimoy, on his 1974 album Outer Space/Inner Mind.[8]
- Bright Light Bright Light included a duet, performed with Nerina Pallot, on his 2017 EP Cinematography III.[9] (2017)
- Circle Jerks included a hard-core punk version on their 1982 album, Wild in the Streets (Circle Jerks album)[10]
- Canadian singer Anne Murray included a version on her 1999 album What a Wonderful World
- The Flash musical episode "Duet" aired on March 21, 2017, included a version sung by the show's various actors.
References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 77.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 84. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ Brennan, Steve (June 11, 2015). "15 Best Songs From '80s Movies (Besides "The Power of Love")". browardpalmbeach.com. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
- ^ "Annie Lennox & al Green - Put a Little Love in Your Heart (1988) | BFI".[dead link]
- ^ "Top Singles - Volume 51, No. 8, December 23, 1989". RPM. December 23, 1999. Archived from the original on September 7, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ British Hit Singles, 12th edition, Guinness
- ^ "Hollywood Flashback: When Bill Murray Played a Sleazy Lounge Singer on 'Saturday Night Live'". hollywoodreporter.com. August 8, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
- ^ "The Short, Strange Music Career Of Leonard Nimoy". Stereogum.com. March 2, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "Cinematography III : Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal, by Bright Light Bright Light". Bright Light Bright Light. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
- ^ "Circle Jerks-Wild in the Streets by Discogs". Discogs. 1982. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
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