Reason To Believe

Album: Every Picture Tells A Story (1971)
Charted: 19 62
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Songfacts®:

  • This was written by folk singer Tim Hardin, who originally recorded it in 1965 and performed it at Woodstock four years later. Hardin wrote some popular songs and was a very influential musician, but he had severe drug problems and died in December 1980 at age 39. His death came shortly after John Lennon's.
  • At first listen, this song can seem rather sweet, but it's anything but. The girl "lied straight-faced" while he cried, but still he can't get over her. He knows if he gives her the chance, she'll make him forget about it because he keeps looking for a reason to believe she's not that kind of person.
  • Stewart first released "Reason To Believe" in 1971 as a single with "Maggie May" as the B-side. Disc jockeys liked the flip side better and played "Maggie" instead, which became the hit, going to #1 in both the US and UK while "Reason To Believe" stalled at #62 in the US and #19 in the UK.

    The song got new life in 1993 when Stewart released a live, acoustic version for his MTV Unplugged special. Appearing on the album Unplugged... and Seated, this version returned the song to the charts, going to #19 in the US and #51 in the UK.
  • Other artists to cover this song include Bobby Darin (1967), Peggy Lee (1968), The Carpenters (1970) and Wilson Phillips (1990).
  • There's a lot going on in this song instrumentally, and it's not crystal clear who played what instrument. Pete Sears claims credit for the piano, and the organ is likely a Hammond B3 played by Ian McLagan from the Faces. The violin came from Dick Powell.

    Stewart offered his recollection of the session, including the fade to silence in the middle, in his 1989 Storyteller compilation, where he wrote: "A very lucid upright bass played by Spike Healey and a beautiful guitar played by Martin Quittenton create and almost ethereal quality. Nevertheless, there is one big cock-up in the middle where everybody stops playing for no apparent reason. We overdubbed a couple of things - one ironing board and two deck chairs - and all was well."
  • The 1993 Unplugged version was recorded at Stewart's MTV special with Ron Wood, who played with Stewart in the Faces. It was the first time they performed it together in 22 years. Stewart commented that his wife at the time, Rachel Hunter, was one year old when it was first released.

Comments: 21

  • Leslie from PhiladelphiaI've listened to all the versions y'all have mentioned here. Interesting! I like David Hemmings and the Youngbloods the best, but I did some digging and also found versions by Glenn Campbell, Karen Dalton, Vagabon, Lobo, Stephen Stills/Judy Collins, and others. My personal fave, after Rod Stewart, is Glenn Campbell, but of all of these, I feel Rod's is the best. Most of the others are too sweet; Rod sings if with his natural grittiness, which makes it feel all the more painfully heartfelt to me. I thank everyone for this interesting conversation! I had no idea the song had been done so many times!
  • Mandi from Tulsa, OkThis song was also done by Wilson Phillips in 1990 and is super amazing by them. It's beautiful and really heartfelt
  • Rich from Derby, United KingdomPaul Weller recorded a session version for radio 1 in 1995 available on wellers BBC sessions, As usual its simple guitar and beautiful vocal, Check it out
  • Rosemary from Auckland, New ZealandI love this song and what it means and I think people should read the lyrics properly before they make a fool of themselves on line
  • Mickey from Mars, Pa"If I listened long enough to you/ I'd find a reason to believe that it's all true." This song is perpetually stuck in my head. I like Maggie May, personally, but this one's good, too. Everyone thinks I'm a nut, listening to stuff like this at 14.
  • Mitzi from Newport, RiThe Tim Hardin version is incredible honest and beautiful.
  • Mary from Thousand Oaks, CaBeleive it or not, Reason To Believe was also recorded by British actor, David Hemmings in 1967. Hemmings was best known as the photographer in Antonioni's "Blow Up." In 1967, Hemmings released an album called "David Hemmings Happens" backed by the Byrds.
    Byrd members Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman, along with renowned bassist/arranger Jimmy Bond and Byrds manager/producer Jim Dickson were involved with the album. Hemmings died in 2003, but in 2005, his 1967 album was finally released in CD. For Byrds fans, this would be a really good thing to own.
  • Nora from N/a, Fl"someone like you...makes it easy to live...with somebody else.." WOW ! great writing !! My mother was in love with rod stewart...she loved everything about him ...i admit...he is a great performer and great singer...
  • Michael from New York, Nya cover of this song can be found on the "bleeker street" collection performed by Ron Sexsmith. WONDERFUL!
  • David from Buffalo, NyI do not think that the Lovin Spoonful did this song - you may be thinking of the Youngbloods.
  • Fyodor from Denver, CoI remember both songs being played when the single was first released, and they were both very ear catching and got me and my best friend talking about them!
  • Reginald from RamsgateI think if you havent heard the Tim Hardin version, you should try and look it up. Contrary to a previous post he did have a good voice, although to be fair, his live performances were apparently, nothing short of shambolic.
  • Jerry from Brooklyn, NyOne of the problems with Tim Hardin was that while he wrote some very heartfelt lyrics, such as this and "If I Were a Carpenter", he was an awful singer, even in his studio recordings. My sister saw him in concert once; he was very late, sang so poorly he was booed off the stage (the poor performance could have been because of his drug problems) and he cursed out the audience for not accepting him. He also was apparently angry with Bobby Darin for having more successful recordings of this and "Carpenter". Darin, as a goodwill gesture, wrote "Simple Song of Freedom" for Hardin and it became Hardin's most successful single.
  • Carla from Ann Arbor, MiThe Jayhawks also do a cover of this song on their "Live from the Women's Club Volume 2" albumn. It's fantastic. Of course anything that The Jayhawks do is fantastic.
  • Ron from Curitiba, BrazilAlso recorded by The Lovin Spoonful
  • Tom from Washington, DcThis song was the flip side of Maggie Mae and though it wasn't as big a hit, it did in fact chart. It only managed to make it to the 62nd spot on Billboards Top 100.
  • Teresa from Plano, TxWhat is the meaning of this song? I am so confused by it.
  • Heather Mattingly from New Albany, InIt's also on the Carpenters album "Close to You"
  • Janet from Perth, AustraliaDenny Laine did a good version of this also.
  • Kei from Salem, OrWillson Phillips had a version of this on their debut album; in my opinion, the best version of the song I've yet heard.
  • Sara from West Hartford, CtThis was also recorded by Vonda Shepard on the album "Ally McBeal: For Once in My Life."
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