Only Sixteen

"Only Sixteen" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released in May 1959. The song was a top 15 hit on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart and also charted within the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart.[1] In the UK it was covered, and taken to No. 1, by Craig Douglas.[2]

This article is about the Sam Cooke song. For the Terry Black album, see Only 16.

"Only Sixteen"
side-A label
One of side-A labels of the original US single
Single by Sam Cooke
B-side"Let's Go Steady Again"
ReleasedMay 1959
RecordedJanuary 4, 1959
StudioRex Productions, Los Angeles, California
GenreRhythm and blues, soul, pop
Length2:00
LabelKeen 2022
Songwriter(s)Sam Cooke
Producer(s)Bumps Blackwell
Sam Cooke singles chronology
"Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha"
(1959)		 "Only Sixteen"
(1959)		 "Summertime"
(1959)

Background

"Only Sixteen" was inspired by the sixteenth birthday of Lou Rawls's stepsister, Eunice.[3] The song was originally intended for actor Steve Rowland, who often hung around the Keen studio. Rowland asked Cooke to write a song for him, and Cooke borrowed the bridge from an earlier song of his, "Little Things You Do". Rowland's manager disliked the song, and Cooke re-recorded it for himself.[3][4] The song's composition was originally credited to Barbara Campbell, a pseudonym used for Cooke, Lou Adler and Herb Alpert. Cooke married Campbell in October 1959.[5][6] "Only Sixteen" was, in fact, solely written by Cooke.[7]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes to the 2003 compilation Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964.[3]

  • Sam Cooke – vocals
  • Clifton White – guitar
  • René Hall – guitar
  • Adolphus Asbrook – bass guitar
  • Charles Blackwell – drums

Chart performance
Weekly charts (1959) Peak
position
UK[8] 23
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 28
US Hot R&B Sides (Billboard)[9] 13

The Supremes version
"Only Sixteen"
Swedish single picture sleeve
Single by The Supremes
from the album We Remember Sam Cooke
B-side"Some Things You Never Get Used To"
Released1968
Recorded1965
GenreRhythm and blues, soul, pop
Length2:24
LabelTamla Motown
Songwriter(s)Sam Cooke
Producer(s)Harvey Fuqua · Hal Davis · Marc Gordon
The Supremes singles chronology
"Forever Came Today"
(1968)		 "Only Sixteen"
(1968)		 "Love Child"
(1968)

The Supremes recorded a version, first released on their tribute album We Remember Sam Cooke (1965).[10] In 1968, it was released as an A-side single in Scandinavia, as Diana Ross & the Supremes,[11] where it reached number three in Sweden.[12] The B-side, "Some Things You Never Get Used To" was released elsewhere as an A-side, becoming a top 40 hit in the US,[13] Canada,[14] and the UK.[15]

Charts
Chart (1968) Peak
position
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[16][12] 3

Dr. Hook version
"Only Sixteen"
side-A label
Side A of the US single
Single by Dr. Hook
from the album Bankrupt
B-side"Let Me Be Your Lover"
ReleasedDecember 1975
GenrePop
Length2:46
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Sam Cooke
Producer(s)Ron Haffkine
Dr. Hook singles chronology
"The Millionaire"
(1975)		 "Only Sixteen"
(1975)		 "A Little Bit More"
(1976)

Dr. Hook released a version of "Only Sixteen" in the winter of 1975. Their version was the most successful chart release of the song. It reached number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number five on Cash Box. Dr. Hook's version spent 22 weeks on the charts and became a Gold record.

Weekly charts
Chart (1975–76) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[17] 3
Canadian RPM Top Singles[18] 3
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary[19] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[20] 6
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[21] 14
US Cash Box Top 100 5

Year-end charts
Chart (1976) Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[22] 39
Canada[23] 54
US Billboard Hot 100[24] 35

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[25] Gold 50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other cover versions

Samples
  • E-40 and The Click sampled it on their first record, singing the hook in the intro.

See also

References
  1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 119. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 167. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964 (liner notes). Sam Cooke. US: ABKCO Records. 2003. 92642.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. Guralnick, Peter (2005). Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke. New York: Back Bay Books, p. 280-81. First edition, 2005.
  5. Kutner, Jon; Leigh, Spencer (May 26, 2010). 1,000 UK Number One Hits. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-360-2.
  6. Gulla, Bob (2008). Icons of R&B and soul: an encyclopedia of the artists who revolutionized rhythm. Greenwood icons. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-34044-4.
  7. Only Sixteen by Sam Cooke - Track Info | AllMusic, retrieved July 18, 2023
  8. "Sam Cooke – Artist – Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  9. "Sam Cooke – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  10. Hamilton, Andrew. "We Remember Sam Cooke - The Supremes | Songs, Reviews, Credits..." Allmusic. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  11. "THE SUPREMES DISCOGRAPHY". 7inchrecords.com. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  12. "AUGUSTI 1968" (PDF). Kvällstoppen. p. 25. Retrieved January 17, 2022 – via hitsallertijden.nl.
  13. "The Supremes Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2018 – via Wayback Machine.
  14. "Image : RPM Weekly". RPM. July 17, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  15. "The Supremes | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  16. "Supremes - Se alla lȧtar och listplaceringer - NostalgiListan". Kvällstoppen (in Swedish). Retrieved January 30, 2022 – via nostalgilistan.se.
  17. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 94. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  18. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  19. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  20. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 247.
  21. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 74.
  22. "National Top 100 Singles for 1976". Kent Music Report. December 27, 1976. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Imgur.
  23. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  24. "Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  25. "Hook Shots" (PDF). Cash Box. June 4, 1977. p. 52. Retrieved November 25, 2021 – via World Radio History.
  26. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
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