A Song for You
"A Song for You" is a 1970 song written and originally performed by rock singer-songwriter Leon Russell. A slow, pained plea for forgiveness from an estranged lover, the tune is one of Russell's best-known songs.
Donny Hathaway's 1971 recording is today considered one of his signature songs, even though the song was a cover and the single never made the Billboard charts.
The only version of the song that did make the charts was by Andy Williams, whose single peaked at #82 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971.
"A Song for You" is also the title of the third track of Gram Parsons' album, GP. This is not the same song written by Leon Russell.
Other versions
- Angela Aki: Track 3 on her indies mini-album One. Her Japanese lyrics do not correspond to Leon Russell's.
- The Carpenters: not released as a single, it served as the title song for the duo's 1972 album A Song for You
- Aretha Franklin: From the Let Me In Your Life Album released in 1974
- Dusty Springfield (Year not known).
- The Temptations: also used as a title song, on their 1975 album A Song for You.
- Ray Charles: also performed the song at New York's Beacon Theatre on April 9, 2003, as part of Willie Nelson's 70th birthday tribute (released on DVD as "Willie Nelson and Friends: Live & Kickin'"). Nelson, who stood nearby during Charles' performance, was moved to tears. Charles also recorded a version of the song on his 1993 album, "My World"
- Peggy Lee: on her final album for Capitol Records, Norma Deloris Egstrom from Jamestown, North Dakota (1972)
- Elliott Yamin: performed the song in both his audition for American Idol and in one of his final performances. It was also named number three in Entertainment Weekly's, 10 all-time best American Idol performances. The song is also on Yamin's debut album.
- Ben Barnett, of the band Kind of Like Spitting recorded a cover in 2005.
- Michael Bublé: on his album It's Time.
- Marc Broussard: recorded a live version of this song during a concert tour.
- Willie Nelson: on his 1973 album Shotgun Willie. He also performed it in his movie Honeysuckle Rose, and it appears on the movie's soundtrack.
- Natalie Cole: on the 1999 album Snowfall on the Sahara; Michelle Kwan skated to it during exhibitions.
- City High: on the 2001 self titled album.
- Herbie Hancock: released in 2005 with vocals by Christina Aguilera; it received airplay on U.S. smooth jazz radio and was also nominated for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals" in 2006.
- Whitney Houston: performed for the troops and their families returning from the Gulf War on March 31, 1991. The performance can be seen on "Welcome Home Heroes With Whitney Houston (1991)".
- Simply Red: on the 2005 album Simplified and released as part of a double A-side single in January 2006.
- Tony Lewis: recorded the song as the opener of his 2001 CD "Naked".
- Kate Ceberano: performed as part of her concerts with the Adelaide and Western Australian Symphony Orchestras, appearing on the 2006 CD and DVD release, "Kate Ceberano live with the WASO".
- Jakob Sveistrup: this Danish performer's self-titled debut album included a cover version of the song.
- Gavin DeGraw: did a performance of the song for StrippedMusic.com.
- Nolwenn Leroy: has included a performance of the song within her 2006-2007 Histoires Naturelles tour.
- Chris Richardson: performed the song in his auditions for American Idol in Season 6.
- Gerald Levert: performed by the late Gerald Levert on the 1998 New York Undercover : A Night at Natalie's soundtrack.
- Robert Lamm/Peter Cetera: performed by Chicago on the 1980 album Chicago XIV. It reached #11 on the pop charts in August 1980.
- Betty Wright: performed it live and it's featured on her release "Betty Wright Live" in 1978.
- Elton John: sang it as an intro to a medley of his own songs "Blue Eyes" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" on his 1986 tour. He did not play piano during these performances; rather, he deferred the instrumental duties to keyboardist Fred Mandel.
- Bizzy Bone: on the 2008 album of the same name; produced a modern take on the song with fellow rapper DMX and vocalist singer Chris Notez
- Sylvester James: on his 1979 Live album: Living Proof (double LP) did a six minute medley containing this song.
- Jasper Steverlinck: on his 2004 album songs of innocence .
Albums
- A Song for You (Carpenters album), a 1972 album by The Carpenters
- A Song for You (Temptations album), a 1975 album by the Temptations
- A Song for You (Bizzy Bone album), a 2008 album by Bizzy Bone