Covering My Tracks #2: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

There are some songs that are timeless. They transcend eras, musical styles, fashions, trends and go straight to one's heart. They evoke such emotions in the listener that no one is safe from their pull. The words are usually simple yet magical. The musical arrangement is usually catchy but not bombastic. There are no vocal gymnastics but a gentle, heartfelt melody.

In the first of this series we fell for the fabulous 'You are always on my mind'. It is no surprise that we will fall again to the wonderful words of Carole King when we are faced with that everlasting question, a question that taxes most lovers.

A question for the morning after the night before.

Will you still love me tomorrow?

Tonight you're mine completely,

You give your love so sweetly,

Tonight the light of love is in your eyes,

But will you love me tomorrow?

Struggling song writers Carole King and Gerry Goffin had just had their first child. Goffin was working a day job at a chemists and the tired couple, basking in the glow of parenthood, came up with these immortal lines. Little did they know that this would be the making of them.

The all girl Group Shirelles released this song with a 'B' side Boys for their Scepter label in 1960. The lead singer Shirley Owens wasn't too enamored by this single as she felt it was too 'country' for her tastes. A string arrangement was added. She needn't have worried, the song went straight to number one spot in the Billboard charts in 1961, making the Shirelles the first all-girl american band to have a number one!

Is this a lasting treasure,
Or just a moment's pleasure,
Can I believe the magic of your sighs,
Will you still love me tomorrow?

Brenda Lee, who covered out previous track 'Always on My mind' so well is never one to miss a chance when she spots a good number. She covered the song in her own Album in 1961 called 'Emotions'. Yet again with her beautiful vocals and the lilting, catchy rhythm she makes the song her own.

The cover versions simply took off from then on. singers like Mike Berry, Ronnie James Dio, Ben E. King and the group The Kestrels all covered the song in the following two years.

French hottie, the beautiful Françoise Hardy, covered the song in 1968. This was released in her album called 'En Anglais' in Europe . The US version of the album was called 'Loving'.

However, she did sing it in English. Her elegant, accented vocals lend an extra edge to the silky sensuousness of the already heady number. Such is the French chic.

The song became a behemoth. Everyone and their uncle wanted to cover it.

The 'white queen of the soul', Dusty Springfield covered the song for her 1964 album, 'A Girl Called Dusty'. Her husky vocals and magical renditions enchanted many.

She didn't just stop with just one language. She recorded a French language version called

'Demain tu peux changer' - ' Tomorrow you can change'

Each version equally melodious and captivating. But I must admit there is a certain extra va va voom to hearing the song in French. C'est magnifique!

I couldn't resist putting this version on here, so you can judge for yourself.

A catchy tune and its wonderful marriage with powerful lyrics cannot be contained by mere language barriers. In the first of the many international versions of the Carole King classic the earliest contender came from across the Atlantic.

The Shirelles version had reached Europe and was such a hit. A young Swedish singer called Lil Malmkvist covered the song in her native language and called it

'Hur blir det i morgon' which simply means ' What about tomorrow?'

Needless to say it was a big hit in her country in 1961.

After Dusty Springfield's French version, Angus Tung wrote a Mandarin version in 1989. This was subsequently rendered in Cantonese and made a highly successful duet for chinese singers Alan Tam and Shirley Kwan.

In 1997 a Spanish Version was recorded by Jennifer Peña on her album Jennifer y los Jetz entitled "Cuando Despierte Mañana". You can see how even though it may cross language barriers, the melody and meaning do not get lost in translation. The Spanish beat adds some oomph to the proceedings and almost makes it a very danceable ditty.

Cuando Despierte Mañana

Hoy me darás tus besos

Tu corazón completo

Pero no se si a mi lado estarás

Cuando despierte mañana

Será tu amor un sueño

Será tu amor sincero

No se si al fin a mi lado estarás

Cuando despierte mañana

Hoy veo en tus ojos

Mi sueño hacerse realidad

Que pasara mañana?

Me amaras, o me olvidaras?

Quiero entender tus besos

Ese amor que yo veo

Dime que tú a mi lado estarás

Cuando despierte mañana

Hoy veo en tus ojos

Mi sueño hacerse realidad

Que pasara mañana?

Me amaras, o me olvidaras?

Quiero entender tus besos

Ese amor que yo veo

Dime que tú a mi lado estarás

Cuando despierte mañana

Cuando despierte mañana

Cuando despierte mañana

Tonight with words unspoken,
You said that I'm the only one,
But will my heart be broken,
When the night (When the night)
Meets the morning sun.

Eventually, Carole King, the songwriter, performed the song in her 1971 album called Tapestry. Supported by James Taylor and Joni Mitchell, this was a popular rendition of this timeless tune. Carole's vocals lend a certain emotional lilt that is soulful and stirs the heart.

The songstresses kept vying with each other across genres and ages to cover thsi song. Many other include Linda Ronstadt, Lorrie Morgan, Dionne Warwick, Cher, Roberta Flack, Patti LaBelle, Dianne Reeves and Debbie Gibson.

The lyrics of the song are written in a way that it lends itself to a male or female vocal with equal emphasis. The clever unisex lyrics make it pertinent for any sex to sing. So not to be outdone by the overwhelming female songstresses, the boys started chipping in with their own versions. The earliest band to cover the song was The Four Seasons.

They had a stonking #24 hit ( Billboard charts) on their hands in 1968. With unique rhythm section and a thumping beat, this was a different rendition but with the same effect on listeners who didnt seem to tire of this song, whoever sang it.

Smokey Robinson covered this in his first solo album with his unique vocals. It was a very successful solo album with great singles and an superbly melodious rendition of 'Will you still love me tomorrow'. The many male singers who then took on this number include Graham Bonnet (1977), Dave Mason (1978), Brotherhood of Man (1980), Joe Walsh (1992), and many more.

Bryan Ferry ( 1993) had a sizeable UK hit with his cover version in his unique style.

It also became a firm avourite for live performances with bands such as U2 (360 tour 2011) , Red Hot Chili Peppers ( Stadium Arcadium tour 2006-7) doing snippets or the whole song as a lead in to some of their other numbers.

The Bee Gees did a cover for the Carole King tribute album called Tapestry 2 in 1995. Carole was highly enamoured by their rendition and called this a 'definitive version'

Elton John suffered from serios vocal cord problems back in 1980s. He had surgery and went through a prolonged period of recovery feeling the strain of losign his golden voice. He needn't have feared. He made a triumphant return to stage at the Princes' Trust Benefit Concert in 1987 at Wembley Stadium in London.

The song he chose to sing that night : Will you still love me tomorrow. although it has not been released officially, here's the performance for your delectation.

In his 1993 album, Up on the roof: Songs from the Brill Building, Neil Diamond sang a cover version of this number. The vocal heavyweights of John and Diamond show how they put their own spin on the interpretation and make it their own.

I'd like to know that your love,

Is love I can be sure of,

So tell me now and I won't ask again,

Will you still love me tomorrow?
Will you still love me tomorrow

There is a supreme version sung by multiple Grammy Award winner and soul singer, the beautiful Norah Jones. Her mellifluous voice just caresses the song in an immersive experience for the listener.

Perhaps the moist poignant version of all is the slowed down, jazzed up version by the supremely talented and woefully missed Amy Winehouse. Originally sung for the soundtrack of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, the song was sunsequently released in her posthumous album Lioness: Hidden Treasures.

Shows what a tragic loss that life has been when she could sing like this...

The number of people who have covered this timeless tune runs in hundreds.. On an episode of the 10th season of American Idol last year, they had a Carole King themed day. Popular contestant James Durbin ( who eventually finished fourth) wowed with his version of this song and impressed the judges and the audience alike.

Durbin has had a turbulent teenage years due to the fact that he suffered from Aspergers type disorder and Tourette's syndrome. He showed the audience how he overcame his hurdles and sang popular numbers night after night.

Durbin's version of Will you still love me was ecstatically received.

And the story continues....

Copyright © Mohan Kumar 2012

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Copyright © Mohan Kumar 2012