Should I (song) explained

Should I
Cover:Should I Chad and Jeremy.jpg
Caption:Reversed single sleeve
Type:single
Artist:Chad & Jeremy
Album:I Don't Want to Lose You Baby
A-Side:I Have Dreamed
Released:22 September 1965
Recorded:1 February – 24 June 1965
Length:2:55
Label:Columbia
Producer:Lor Crane
Prev Title:September in the Rain
Prev Year:1965
Next Title:Teenage Failure
Next Year:1966

"Should I" is a song written by Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde, first recorded by their duo Chad & Jeremy as the B-side to "I Have Dreamed", which became a top-100 hit in the US.[1] The song was arranged by Stuart and was included a week later on their fourth studio album I Don't Want to Lose You Baby.[2]

The best known rendition of the track was by Swedish rock band the Hep Stars, who recorded "Should I" as their ninth single in late 1965.[3] This rendition reached the top-5 on the Swedish sales chart Kvällstoppen and radio show Tio i Topp.

Chad & Jeremy version

"Should I" was initially recorded as the B-Side to "I Have Dreamed", a song written by songwriting duo Rodgers and Hammerstein for The King and I.[4] Columbia Records decided that they had to write an original composition on the B-Side, a song which later became "Should I." "I Have Dreamed" initially released on Columbia on 22 September 1965.[5] The song, along with most of I Don't Want to Lose You Baby was recorded between 1 February – 24 June 1965. "I Have Dreamed" failed to make a major impact on the charts, reaching only number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the charts for two weeks.[6] It peaked at number 97 on Cashbox magazine on 16 October 1965.[7] "Should I", although a B-Side charted on Cashbox as well, reaching number 100 for a week. The single fared best on the Easy Listening chart, where it reached number 22.[8]

On 27 September of that same year, "Should I" was included on the duo's fourth studio album I Don't Want to Lose You Baby.[9] The song was one of only two originals on the album, the other being "The Woman in You" The song, which is in C-major, opens with an electric and acoustic guitar before piano appears drastically. Chad and Jeremy then starts harmonizing together. The contemporary lyrics regards a complicated relationship, in which the narrator questions whether he should break up with his partner, as implied by the opening verse:

In the second verse, the narrator reflects on whether he should give the partner a second chance on the relationship

The third verse reveals that the narrator has been cruel towards the partner for reasons unknown, though he dubs them "to be kind" and "for the best." This lines is ambiguous for the listener as to if the narrator actually is abusive or is only implied to be

Personnel

Chad & Jeremy

Other musicians

Hep Stars version

Should I
Cover:Should I Hep Stars.jpg
Type:single
Artist:the Hep Stars
B-Side:I'll Never Quite Get Over You
Released:December 1965
Recorded:December 1965[11]
Studio:Europafilm Studios, Stockholm
Length:2:56
Label:Olga
Producer:Gert Palmcrantz
Prev Title:So Mystifying
Prev Year:1965
Next Title:Sunny Girl
Next Year:1966

Swedish rock group Hep Stars recorded "Should I" as their ninth single in December 1965.[12] The recording was produced by Gert Palmcrantz, who had produced all of their recordings since "Bald Headed Woman" in June 1965.[13] Following the rather disappointing chart positions of "So Mystifying" (a song which had only reached number 5 on Kvällstoppen, unlike all their previous charting singles which had reached the top-3[14]) the band returned to Europafilm Studios to record a follow-up to it. The group had previously heard "Should I" on the radio and decided to record it. The recording features Benny Andersson on Harpsichord and electric organ while Svenne Hedlund and guitarist Janne Frisk share lead vocals. Bassist Lennart Hegland was not present on the recording, as he had been substituted on bass by Lennart Fernholm for all recordings since "Bald Headed Woman".[15]

Olga Records released "Should I" as a single shortly after it was recorded in December 1965; it was their final of eight singles released that year. "Should I" first entered Kvällstoppen on 28 December 1965 at number 10.[16] The following week it had ascended to number 13 before climbing in to the top-5 for the first time at a position of number 4. The following week it reached number 3 before finally peaking at number 2 on the week ending 25 January 1966. The week after it reached number 6. On 8 February 1966 it had reached number 9, a position it held for two weeks before exiting the top-10 the following week at number 17. The week after it had descended to number 16. It was last seen on 8 March at a position of 17. In total, the single stayed on the charts for 11 weeks, of which 7 were in the top-10 and 4 were in the top-5.[17] The single fared similarly well on Tio i Topp, where it reached number 3, staying on the chart for two weeks.[18] [19] [20]

The single was the last in a string of covers recorded as singles, as the following track "Sunny Girl" was written by Benny Andersson.[21] It had the catalogue number of SO 17.[22] The B-Side was "I'll Never Quite Get Over You", which had previously appeared on Hep Stars debut album We and Our Cadillac.[23] [24] "Should I" was never included on any of the Hep Stars albums, but was later issued as a bonus track on 1996 remasters of their live album Hep Stars on Stage.[25] Bruce Eder of AllMusic states that "They had a decent if slightly smooth garage band style, Andersson's organ and Frisk's guitar paired up very nicely on the breaks"[26]

Personnel

Hep Stars

Other personnel

Chart positions

Chart (1965–66)Peakposition
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)2
Sweden (Tio i Topp)3

External links

Notes and References

  1. 2018. Hot 100: Chad & Jeremy. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190407182041/https://www.billboard.com/music/chad-jeremy/chart-history. 7 April 2019. 5 December 2018. Billboard.
  2. Web site: Chad & Jeremy - I Don't Want To Lose You Baby. 2020-06-30. Discogs. 1965 . en.
  3. Web site: The Hep Stars - Discography. 2020-06-30. www.thehepstars.se.
  4. Book: Hischak, Thomas S.. The Rodgers and Hammerstein Encyclopedia. 2007. ABC-CLIO. 978-0-313-34140-3. en.
  5. Book: Nielsen Business Media. Billboard. 1965-10-23. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. en.
  6. I Have Dreamed by Chad & Jeremy Billboard The Hot 100 Chart. 2020-06-30. Billboard.
  7. Book: Hoffmann. Frank W.. The Cash Box Singles Charts, 1950-1981. Hoffmann. Lee Ann. 1983. Scarecrow Press. 978-0-8108-1595-7. en.
  8. 2019-05-11. Chad & Jeremy Chart History Billboard. . 2020-06-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20190511082302/https://www.billboard.com/music/chad-jeremy/chart-history/adult-contemporary. 2019-05-11.
  9. Web site: Chad Stuart & Jeremy Clyde. 2020-06-30. www.chadandjeremy.net.
  10. Web site: Guerrero. Lynnsey. 2018-09-02. Jan & Dean's Dean Torrence Talks About His 2nd Career. 2020-06-30. Best Classic Bands. en-GB.
  11. Web site: The Hep Stars - Should I. 2020-06-30. www.thehepstars.se. sv.
  12. Web site: The Hep Stars - Should I. 2020-06-30. www.thehepstars.se.
  13. Web site: The Hep Stars - Bald Headed Woman. 2020-06-20. www.thehepstars.se.
  14. Web site: HEP STARS. 2020-06-30. NostalgiListan. sv.
  15. Web site: The Hep Stars - Bald Headed Woman. 2020-06-30. www.thehepstars.se. sv.
  16. Web site: SHOULD I av HEP STARS. 2020-06-30. NostalgiListan. sv.
  17. Book: Hallberg, Eric.. Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3 : Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962-19. 8. 1975.. 1993. Drift Musik. 91-630-2140-4. Värmdö. 165178200.
  18. Web site: Hep Stars - Tio I Topp. 2020-06-30. www.thehepstars.se.
  19. Book: Hallberg, Eric, 1949-. Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök 1961-74.. 1998. Premium. Henningsson, Ulf, 1965-, Kristianstads boktr.). 91-972712-5-X. 1. uppl. Stockholm. 186200204.
  20. Book: Nielsen Business Media. Billboard. 1966-02-05. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. en.
  21. Web site: Abbalegenden Benny Andersson har fortfarande känsla för hitlåtar. 2020-06-30. svenska.yle.fi. sv-FI.
  22. Web site: The Hep Stars - Should I. 2020-06-30. Discogs. 1965 . en.
  23. Web site: The Hep Stars - We and Our Cadillac. 2020-06-30. www.thehepstars.se.
  24. Web site: The Hep Stars - We And Our Cadillac. 2020-06-30. Discogs. 1965 . en.
  25. Web site: The Hep Stars - Hep Stars On Stage. 2020-06-30. Discogs. 1996 . en.
  26. Web site: Hep Stars Biography & History. 2020-06-21. AllMusic. en-us.