Dedicated to the One I Love

Album: Original Golden Hits (1961)
Charted: 3
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Songfacts®:

  • This was originally recorded by the North Carolina vocal group The 5 Royales in 1958. The Shirelles' version was the hit; it first peaked at #83 in 1959, but when it was re-released in 1961 it went to #3.
  • The 5 Royales guitarist Lowman Pauling wrote this song along with the group's producer, Ralph Bass.
  • The Mamas and The Papas released their version in 1967. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Chantal - Liverpool, Canada
  • Normally, Shirley Owens Alston was the Shirelles' lead singer. However, on this song, Doris Coley Kenner sang lead. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jerro - New Alexandria, PA
  • When The 5 Royales were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, no members of the group were still alive. At the ceremony, the soul singer Leon Bridges performed this song in an "In Memoriam" segment honoring musicians that had recently died.

Comments: 19

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1967 {March 19th} the Mama and Papa's covered version of "Dedicated To The One I Love" peaked at #2 {for 3 weeks} on Billboard's Top 100* chart, the three weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for those three weeks was "Happy Together" by the Turtles...
    Four other versions of "Dedicated To The One I Love" have charted on the Top 100, the '5'Royales {#81 in 1959}, the Temprees {#93 in 1972}, Bernadette Peters {#65 in 1981}, and the Shirelles charted twice with it, at #83 in 1959 and then again in 1961 at #3...
    Between 1966 and 1972 the Los Angeles-based Mamas and Papas had fifteen records on the Top 100 chart, six made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "Monday, Monday", for three weeks in April of 1966...
    Besides "Monday, Monday", their five other Top 10 records were "California Dreamin'" {#4 in 1966}, "I Saw Her Again" {#5 in 1966}, "Words of Love" {#5 in 1967}, the above "Dedicated To The One I Love", and "Creeque Alley" {#5 in 1967}...
    Sadly, three members of the quartet have passed away; Cass Elliot {1941 - 1974}, John Phillips {1935 - 2001}, Denny Doherty {1940 - 2007}, and Michelle Phillips, born Holly Michelle Gilliam, will celebrate her 76th birthday in three months on June 4th, 2020...
    May Cass, John, & Denny R.I.P.
    * And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Billboard's Top 10 on March 19th, 1967:
    At #3. "Penny Lane" by The Beatles
    #4. "There's A Kind of Hush" by Herman’s Hermits
    #5. "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" by Johnny Rivers
    #6. "Sock It To Me - Baby!" by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
    #7. "For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What’s That Sound)" by the Buffalo Springfield
    #8. "My Cup Runneth Over" by Ed Ames
    #9. "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" by The Supremes
    #10. "Ruby Tuesday" by The Rolling Stones
  • Connie from IllinoisNever heard the version by the Mamas and the Papas before today. It was sweet, however, I love the Shirelles version and I guess because I was an impressionable teen when it came out.
  • Susan from Atlanta, GeorgiaOnce again, this is a song that was introduced to me by the Mamas & Papas, though they obviously weren't the first to record it.
    In 1992, CBS's "Knots Landing", in which Michelle Phillips was a regular cast member, had an episode named "Dedicated to the One I Love"; the M&Ps' version of the song can be heard in the background at the end of the episode, a scene in which Michelle's character was the primary focus (possibly the entire episode, but I honestly can't remember for sure). I love when worlds collide in this way.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 21, 1961, the Shirelles performed "Dedicated To The One I Love" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV weekday-afternoon program, 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time the song was at #9 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, five weeks later it would peak at #3 {for two non-consecutive weeks} and it spent six weeks on the Top 100...
    This also marked it second time on the Top 100, two years earlier on July 7th, 1959 it had entered the Top 100 for a four week stay, peaking at #83...
    On January 23rd, 1961 the Shirelles' version entered the Top 100 at position #68, and twenty position lower at #88 the Five Royales' original version was also entering the Top 100, it would peak at #81...
    And on the same 'Bandstand' show the Shirelles also performed "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", at the time it was at #3 on the Top 100, three weeks earlier it had peak at #1 {for 2 weeks}...
    Three other covered version of "Dedicated To The One I Love" have charted on the Top 100, the Mamas and Papas {#2 in 1967), the Temprees {#93 in 1972} and Bernadette Peters {#65 in 1981}...
    In 1994 Bitty McLean released a reggae covered version, it peaked at #6 on the United Kingdom's Singles chart...
    Between 1958 and 1967 the Shirelles had twenty-six records on the Top 100 chart; six made the Top 10 with two reaching #1; "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" for two weeks in 1961 and "Soldier Boy" for three weeks in 1962...
    Shirley Alston Reeves, the group's namesake, will celebrate her 77th birthday in four months on June 10th {2018}.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 28th 1961, 'The Biggest Show of Stars of '61' played at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri...
    One of the acts to appear were the Shirelles; and at the time the quartet had two records on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, "Dedicated to the One I Love" was at #13 and "Mama Said" was at #42...
    "Dedicated" was heading down the chart, a month earlier on March 27th it had peaked at #3 {for 1 week}; while "Mama Said" was working its way up the chart, and on May 29th it would peak at #4 {for 2 weeks}...
    Chubby Checker was the show's headliner, and the other acts on the bill were Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, the Drifters, Chuck Jackson, and the Shells...
    The next night the tour would appear at the McCormick Place in Chicago.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 2nd 1961, the 'Biggest Show of Stars for 1961' tour played at the Uline Arena* in Washington, DC...
    One of acts to appear was the Shirelles; and at the time their "Dedicated to the One I Love" was at #5 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, the week before it had peaked at #3 {for 1 week} and spent a grand total of 20 weeks on the Top 100...
    * The Uline Arena was also the venue for the Beatles' first concert in the U.S.A.; they appeared there on February 11th, 1964 {two days after their debut appearance on the 'The Ed Sullivan Show'.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn October 1st 1972, the Temprees' covered version of "Dedicated to the One I Love" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart for a two week stay; and for both those weeks it was at #93...
    It reached #17 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 11th 1967, the Mamas and the Papas performed "Dedicated To The One I Love" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...
    Four months earlier on February 19th, 1967 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #57; and exactly on month later on March 19th it peaked at #2 (for 3 weeks) and spent 10 weeks on the Top 100 (and for 6 of those 10 weeks it was on the Top 10)...
    And on its 10th week on the Top 100 it was at position #20 and the following week was completely off the chart.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 17th, 1961, "Dedicated To The One I Love" by the "5" Royals entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart for a four week stay; peaking at #81...
    The group had first released the song in December 1957 but it did make the charts...
    Interestingly; the second time the Shirelles released their version it also entered the Top 100 on the same day as the "5" Royals (the Shirelles' version reached #3 on the Top 100)...
    Three other covered version have charted on the Top 100; The Mamas & Papas (#2 for 3 weeks in 1967), The Temprees (#93 in 1972), and Bernadette Peters (#65 in 1981)...
    For all three weeks that the Mamas & Papas were at #2, the #1 record was "Happy Together" by the Turtles.
  • Chris from Melbourne, AustraliaThe Temprees and Mama Cass versions are OK, partially because it is a great song. But, I am sorry, please listen to the earlier versions. The 5 Royals original (1957 I think) was sensational,and I think The Shirelles (1959)is the best of all. These are real R&B versions, the later efforts are more soul/pop and I don't think this this workks so well. The driving lead of Doris Coley is just supah...
  • Kristin from Bessemer, AlI LOVE THE TEMPREES version - it only made it to #93 on the pop charts in 1972, but still a true-blue R and B hit!!!!
  • Darrin from Savannah, GaI love the version by the Shirelles and the Mamas and Papas held it down but The Temprees recorded the best version in 1972...HANDS DOWN
  • Walter from Antwerp, BelgiumThis is one of those rare occasions where the original version was way much better in my opinion than their later hitcovers. The song was written by Five Royales' guitarist Lowman Pauling, a big influence on Steve Cropper (Stax) and Eric Clapton, and is well worth seeking out.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI've heard the one by the Mmamas and Papas but I've never heard this particular version before.
  • Robin from Birmingham, AlAnother version, performed by The Temprees, charted on the R&B charts in 1972.
  • Greatwall from Nanjing, ChinaRandom too.Unfortunately I can't find this song.
  • Steve from Salt Lake City, UtWith the success of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" It seems their forgotten song,"Dedicated" was reissued on the heels of that success as it became the follow up hit even tho it was first released a year earlier.
    My fave song is,"Baby Its You"
  • Matt from Millbrae, CaThis appears in the movie 61*, which ironically, is not about the year 1961, but about the home run chase between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle...that is if anyone cares because barely anyone knows about this song. I got here by clicking "random songfact".
  • Maddie from Yakima, WaThis was also sung by The Mamas and The Papas.
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