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"Will You Love Me Tomorrow"
Single by the Shirelles
from the album Tonight's the Night
B-side	"Boys"
Released	November 1960 (US) 1961 (UK)
Recorded	1960
Studio	Bell Sound (New York City)
Genre	Brill Building doo-wop pop soul
Length	2:41
Label	Scepter
Composer(s)	Carole King
Lyricist(s)	Gerry Goffin
Producer(s)	Luther Dixon
The Shirelles singles chronology
"Tonight's the Night" (1960) "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (1960) "Mama Said" (1961)

"Will You Love Me Tomorrow", sometimes known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It was first recorded in 1960 by the Shirelles; released as a single that November, it became the first song by an African-American girl group to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has since been recorded by many other artists, including King on her 1971 album Tapestry.

The Shirelles' version

Background

In 1960, the American girl group the Shirelles released the first version of the song as Scepter single 1211, with "Boys" on the B-side. The single's first pressing was labeled simply "Tomorrow", then lengthened later. When first presented with the song, lead singer Shirley Owens thought it was "too country", but relented after a string arrangement was added. Session musicians on the recording included Paul Griffin on piano and Gary Chester on drums. Owens recalled on Jim Parsons's syndicated radio program Shake Rattle Showtime that some radio stations had banned the record because they felt the lyrics were too sexually charged. The song is in AABA form.

Release and legacy

In addition to reaching No. 1 in the United States, the song reached No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 4 on the UK singles chart. It reached No. 3 in New Zealand.

The song was ranked at No. 126 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Billboard named the song No. 3 on its list of the "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time" in 2017.

In 1999, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Chart history

Answer songs

Bertell Dache recorded an answer song entitled "Not Now Tomorrow, But Always" in 1960, which was arranged by King.

The Satintones, an early Motown group, also recorded an answer song called "Tomorrow and Always" (in two different versions), which used the same melody as the original but initially neglected to credit King and Goffin. Following a threat of litigation, later pressings of the record included proper credit. Eventually, it was withdrawn and replaced by the song "Angel" with the same "b" side. The Satintones' versions are included in the box set The Complete Motown Singles, Volume 1: 1959–1961.

Carole King version

Background

In 1971, Carole King, who composed the music of the song, recorded a version of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" for her second studio album Tapestry, with Joni Mitchell and James Taylor performing background vocals on separate audio channels. King's version of the song was taken at a considerably slower tempo. David Hepworth analyzed it as "less like the pleas for gentleness on the part of a trembling virgin and more like a mature woman requiring parity in a relationship." It gained considerable album-oriented rock airplay due to the large-scale commercial success of the album.

The song became a feature of King's live shows. Taylor recreated his part during their joint arena-based Troubadour Reunion Tour of 2010.

In the 2013 Broadway musical Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, the song is featured in part four times: once during its writing, once during King recording a demo of it, then with the Shirelles performing it, and then King singing and playing it later during an especially bad time in her marriage with Goffin. No other song is featured as frequently in the musical.

Personnel

• Carole King – piano, vocals
• Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar – acoustic guitar
• Russ Kunkel – drums
• Charles "Charlie" Larkey  bass guitar
• Joni Mitchell – background vocals
• James Taylor – acoustic guitar, backing vocals

Notable cover versions

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• The Four Seasons hit number 15 in Cash Box and number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the song in 1968.
• Linda Ronstadt released a version on her 1970 album Silk Purse. It reached number 98 in Cash Box and (Bubbled Under to) number 111 in Billboard.
• Roberta Flack's version hit number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow".
• Smokey Robinson recorded a cover of the song on his debut 1973 album "Smokey", which was later sampled in the multi-platinum certified and critically acclaimed track "Devil in a New Dress" by Kanye West.
• Melanie Safka reached number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973 and reached the top 40 in the United Kingdom in 1974.
• Dana Valery recorded a dance version that hit number 95 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976.
• Dave Mason recorded the song in 1978, and had a number 39 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with his remake. It was his final top 40 hit on that chart.
• Ram & Tam had a hit on the UK reggae chart, reaching no. 25 with their version in late 1979.
• Dionne Warwick recorded her version for her 1983 album How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye, which featured the original Shirelles on guest vocals.
• Amy Winehouse sang a version for the 2004 film Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, which was included on the European edition of the soundtrack album. The song also appeared on Winehouse's posthumous album Lioness: Hidden Treasures in 2011. Kelly Clarkson was inspired by Winehouse's style to perform the song herself on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
• Leslie Grace released a bachata version in 2012 which became her debut single. Her version peaked at number one on the Billboard Tropical Songs chart and number one on the Latin Airplay chart, becoming the youngest female artist to do so. She also released a dance version for her self-titled album, Leslie Grace.
• Taylor Swift performed the song in King's honor at the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

See also

• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1961 (U.S.)
• List of Billboard number-one Latin songs of 2012

References

1. ^ Breihan, Tom (November 15, 2022). "The Shirelles - "Will You Love Me Tomorrow". The Number Ones: Twenty Chart-Topping Hits That Reveal the History of Pop Music. New York: Hachette Book Group. p. 28.
2. ^ Hutcheon, David (2015). "The Shirelles - "Will You Love Me Tomorrow". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. New York: Universe. p. 111.
3. Chilton, Martin (June 20, 2014). "Gerry Goffin: 10 great songs". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 16, 2020. Among the musicians who have recorded the song, which is sometimes called Will You Still Love me Tomorrow
4. Bronson, Fred (1992). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. New York City: Billboard Books. ISBN 978-0823076772.
5. Covach, John (2005). "Form in Rock Music: A Primer". In Stein, Deborah (ed.). Engaging Music: Essays in Music Analysis. New York City: Oxford University Press. p. 70. ISBN 0-19-517010-5.
6. ^ "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. February 15, 1961. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
7. ^ "Flavour of New Zealand, 6 April 1961". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
8. "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
9. "GRAMMY Hall Of Fame | Hall of Fame Artists | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com.
10. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. January 23, 1961. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
11. ^ "Billboard Magazine, June 19, 1961". books.google.com. June 19, 1961. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
12. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
13. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 4, 1961". Cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
14. "British single certifications – Shirelles – Will You Love Me Tomorrow". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
15. "Top 100 Hits of 1961/Top 100 Songs of 1961 | Music Outfitters". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
16. "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 30, 1961". Tropicalglen.com. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
17. "Satintones* – Angel / A Love That Can Never Be". Discogs.
18. ^ Hepworth, David (2016). Never a Dull Moment: 1971 - The Year That Rock Exploded. New York: Henry Holt and Company. pp. 25–26. ISBN 9781627793995.
19. "Dana Valery - Chart Singles Discography". Musicvf.com. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
20. "www.discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
21. James Hamilton's Disco Page - RAM & TAM: ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ (HAWK HSP 8)
22. Music Week, December 15, 1979 - Page 32 DISCS, RAM & TAM New Single "WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW" in the reggae charts at no. 25
23. Mier, Tomás (November 18, 2020). "Watch Kelly Clarkson Channel Amy Winehouse in Kellyoke Cover of 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow'". People. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
24. Ramirez, Rauly (October 16, 2012). "Leslie Grace Youngest Woman To Top Latin Airplay Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
25. Graff, Gary (October 30, 2021). "Taylor Swift Helps Induct Carole King, Sings 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow' at Rock Hall Ceremony". Billboard.

External links

• Carole King - Will You Love Me Tomorrow? (BBC In Concert, February 10, 1971) on YouTube

• 1960 songs
• 1961 singles
• 1968 singles
• Carole King songs
• The Shirelles songs
• Linda Ronstadt songs
• Melanie (singer) songs
• Dave Mason songs
• Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
• Cashbox number-one singles
• Songs with lyrics by Gerry Goffin
• Songs written by Carole King
• Bachata songs
• Lobo (musician) songs
• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes songs
• Scepter Records singles
• 1960 singles
• 2012 debut singles
• Leslie Grace songs
• Pop standards
• Top Stop Music singles
• Song recordings produced by Bill Szymczyk
• Françoise Hardy songs
• Obscenity controversies in music