Reason to Believe
Encyclopedia
"Reason to Believe" is a song written and first recorded by American folk singer Tim Hardin
in 1965, which has since been recorded by a number of other artists, the most known of which is by Rod Stewart
in 1971 and 1993. "Reason to Believe" bears no relationship to Hugh Ross
' "Reasons to Believe".
, Tim Hardin achieved some success in the 1960s as a songwriter based in Greenwich Village
. The original recording of "Reason to Believe" comes from Hardin's debut album, Tim Hardin 1
, recorded in 1965 and released on the Verve Records
label in 1966 when he was 25.
Tim Hardin's original recording of the song is also on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Wonder Boys
.
album, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
as a double A-side with Stewart's signature song "Maggie May
" but only #62 on its own.
A live version was released in 1993, when it received considerable airplay as part of his MTV Unplugged
appearance and subsequent Unplugged...and Seated
album. It re-charted, reaching number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100
.
Altogether "Reason to Believe" has logged a total of 41 weeks on the Hot 100, more than any other Rod Stewart single.
recorded "Reason to Believe" for their second LP, Close to You
, in 1970. On television, they performed it on the The 5th Dimension Traveling Sunshine Show on August 18, 1971 and Make Your Own Kind of Music
on September 7, 1971. Richard Carpenter remixed the song for the release of the 1995 compilation, Interpretations: A 25th Anniversary Celebration
.
Tim Hardin
James Timothy "Tim" Hardin was an American folk musician and composer. He wrote the Top 40 hits "If I Were a Carpenter", covered by, among others, Joan Baez, Bobby Darin, Johnny Cash, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, and Robert Plant, and "Reason to Believe", covered by many, including Rod Stewart, as well...
in 1965, which has since been recorded by a number of other artists, the most known of which is by Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
in 1971 and 1993. "Reason to Believe" bears no relationship to Hugh Ross
Hugh Ross (creationist)
Hugh Norman Ross is a Canadian-born astrophysicist and creationist Christian apologist.He has a PhD in astronomy and astrophysics, and later established his own ministry called Reasons To Believe, that promotes progressive and day-age forms of old Earth creationism...
' "Reasons to Believe".
Original version
After having had his recording contract terminated by Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, Tim Hardin achieved some success in the 1960s as a songwriter based in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
. The original recording of "Reason to Believe" comes from Hardin's debut album, Tim Hardin 1
Tim Hardin 1
Tim Hardin 1 is the debut album by folk artist Tim Hardin, released in 1966 on Verve Records.-History:Tim Hardin 1 contains one of his most well-known and frequently covered songs, "Reason to Believe" — most notably a hit by Rod Stewart in 1971. Some of the songs were demos that ended up on the...
, recorded in 1965 and released on the Verve Records
Verve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
label in 1966 when he was 25.
Tim Hardin's original recording of the song is also on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Wonder Boys
Wonder Boys (film)
Wonder Boys is a dark comedy film based on the 1995 novel of the same title by Michael Chabon. Directed by Curtis Hanson, it stars Michael Douglas as professor Grady Tripp, a novelist who teaches creative writing at an unnamed Pittsburgh university...
.
Stewart version
Rod Stewart's version is the best-known one, released in 1971 on the Every Picture Tells a StoryEvery Picture Tells a Story
Every Picture Tells a Story is the third album by Rod Stewart, released in the middle of 1971. It went to number one on both the UK and U.S. charts and finished third in the Pazz & Jop critics' poll for best album of 1971...
album, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
as a double A-side with Stewart's signature song "Maggie May
Maggie May
"Maggie May" is a song written by singer Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton and recorded by Stewart in 1971 for his album Every Picture Tells a Story....
" but only #62 on its own.
A live version was released in 1993, when it received considerable airplay as part of his MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
appearance and subsequent Unplugged...and Seated
Unplugged...and Seated
Unplugged...and Seated is a live album released by Rod Stewart on May 24, 1993 . It is Stewart’s second live album and his first appearance on MTV Unplugged. The album was released by Warner Bros. Records...
album. It re-charted, reaching number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
Altogether "Reason to Believe" has logged a total of 41 weeks on the Hot 100, more than any other Rod Stewart single.
| End of year chart (1993) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 90 |
Carpenters versions
The CarpentersThe Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
recorded "Reason to Believe" for their second LP, Close to You
Close to You (Carpenters album)
-We've Only Just Begun:We've Only Just Begun started out as a commercial for Crocker Citizen's Bank in 1970, composed by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols. The commercial showed a couple getting married and starting their life together...
, in 1970. On television, they performed it on the The 5th Dimension Traveling Sunshine Show on August 18, 1971 and Make Your Own Kind of Music
Make Your Own Kind of Music (TV series)
Make Your Own Kind Of Music is an American television series starring The Carpenters that aired on NBC from July 20, 1971 to September 7, 1971. Some guest stars were Don Knotts, Herb Alpert, Al Hirt, Mark Lindsay, Patchett & Tarses, and the Doodletown Pipers.The key concept of the series is that...
on September 7, 1971. Richard Carpenter remixed the song for the release of the 1995 compilation, Interpretations: A 25th Anniversary Celebration
Interpretations: A 25th Anniversary Celebration
The Carpenters' compilation "Interpretations" was released in 1995 as both a cassette tape and a CD. Some songs on here were never before released, such as "Without a Song" and "From This Moment On"...
.
Other versions
- Bobby DarinBobby DarinBobby Darin , born Walden Robert Cassotto, was an American singer, actor and musician.Darin performed in a range of music genres, including pop, rock, jazz, folk and country...
released a version on his If I Were a CarpenterIf I Were a Carpenter (Bobby Darin album)If I Were a Carpenter is an album by American singer Bobby Darin, released in 1966. It was a significant change in direction for Darin considering his previous album was a collection of show tunes.-History:...
LP on Atlantic Records in 1966, along with other Hardin songs ("Misty Roses" and "If I Were a Carpenter").
- The YoungbloodsThe YoungbloodsThe Youngbloods was an American folk rock band consisting of Jesse Colin Young , Jerry Corbitt , Lowell Levinger, nicknamed "Banana," , and Joe Bauer . Despite receiving critical acclaim, they never achieved widespread popularity. Their only U.S. Top 40 entry was "Get Together".-Background and...
recorded "Reason to Believe" for their second LP, Earth Music, in 1967. It was re-released on the compilation album, Sunlight, in 1971.
- Scott McKenzieScott McKenzieScott McKenzie is an American singer. He is best known for his 1967 hit single and generational anthem, "San Francisco ".-Life and career:...
recorded the song for his San Francisco album, released in 1967.
- Rick Nelson recorded it for his album Another Side of Rick, released in 1967.
- Jackie DeShannonJackie DeShannonJackie DeShannon is an American singer-songwriter with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards. She was one of the first female singer-songwriters of the rock 'n' roll period.- Life and early career :...
recorded the song for her 1967 album Me About You.
- Marianne FaithfullMarianne FaithfullMarianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....
recorded the song for her 1967 album Love in a MistLove in a MistLove in a Mist is a 1967 studio album by British musician Marianne Faithfull. This would be her last studio album release until 1977's Dreamin' My Dreams.-Track listing:# "Yesterday"...
.
- Hearts and Flowers, on their 1967 LP Now Is the Time for Hearts and Flowers.
- Peter, Paul and MaryPeter, Paul and MaryPeter, Paul and Mary were an American folk-singing trio whose nearly 50-year career began with their rise to become a paradigm for 1960s folk music. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers...
recorded it on their Late AgainLate AgainLate Again was the ninth studio album by folk-pop trio, Peter, Paul and Mary and reached #14 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums Chart.The same week that this album was released, group members, Mary Travers and Peter Yarrow were part of an anti-war demonstration in Grant Park during the late August...
album, released in 1968.
- CherCherCher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
recorded it for her BackstageBackstage (album)Backstage is the fifth album by American singer-actess Cher, released on July 1968 by Imperial Records. This album was her first commercial failure, failed to chart. The album is by-and-large a covers album.- Album information :...
album, released in 1968.
- Glen CampbellGlen CampbellGlen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
recorded the song for his 1968 album Wichita Lineman.
- The DillardsThe DillardsThe Dillards are an American bluegrass band from Salem, Missouri, consisting of Douglas Flint "Doug" Dillard The Dillards are an American bluegrass band from Salem, Missouri, consisting of Douglas Flint "Doug" Dillard The Dillards are an American bluegrass band from Salem, Missouri, consisting of...
recorded a version for their 1968 album Wheatstraw SuiteWheatstraw SuiteWheatstraw Suite is the fourth album by progressive bluegrass band The Dillards, released in 1968 . It is the Dillards' fourth album, and their first to move away from their traditional bluegrass sound by using a full orchestra and occasional drums.The band had been moving toward a more...
.
- One of the foreign-language-origined groups who covered this song was the Dutch band BrainboxBrainboxBrainbox is a Dutch rock group from the late 1960s/early 1970s. It was founded in Amsterdam by guitarist Jan Akkerman, drummer Pierre van der Linden and singer Kazimir Lux . Their debut single was "Down Man", which established their progressive blues sound...
in 1969.
- Skeeter DavisSkeeter DavisMary Frances Penick , better known as Skeeter Davis, was an American country music singer best known for crossover pop music songs of the early 1960s. She started out as part of The Davis Sisters as a teenager in the late 1940s, eventually landing on RCA Records. In the late '50s, she became a solo...
recorded it on her 1971 album Bring It on Home.
- Lynn AndersonLynn AndersonLynn Rene Anderson is an American country music singer and equestrian known for a string of hits throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, most notably her Grammy Award-winning, worldwide mega-hit, " Rose Garden." Helped by her regular exposure on national television, Anderson was one of the most...
recorded it on her 1972 album Listen to a Country Song.
- Johnny CashJohnny CashJohn R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
recorded it on his 1975 album John R. CashJohn R. CashJohn R. Cash is an album by country singer Johnny Cash, released in 1975 on Columbia Records. The album consists mostly of covers of others' songs. The first track, a version of "My Old Kentucky Home", the state song of Kentucky, was released as a single, though "The Lady Came from Baltimore"...
.
- The AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
vocal group Wilson PhillipsWilson Phillips-Studio albums:-Compilation albums:-Singles:-Other charted songs:-Awards and nominations:...
recorded a version of the song for their self-titled debut album, Wilson PhillipsWilson Phillips (album)Wilson Phillips is the 1990 debut album by Wilson Phillips. The singles, "Hold On", "Release Me" and "You're in Love", all hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, while "Impulsive" reached the top five...
, released in 1990.
- Swedish singer-songwriter Stina NordenstamStina NordenstamStina Nordenstam is a singer, songwriter and musician.-Career:Nordenstam's voice led to early comparisons with artists such as Rickie Lee Jones and Björk. Her early albums, Memories of a Colour and And She Closed Her Eyes were jazz-influenced with elements of alternative rock...
recorded a stripped-down rock version of the song for her cover album, People Are StrangePeople Are Strange (album)People Are Strange is an album by Swedish singer-songwriter Stina Nordenstam. A collection of covers, the album was released in 1998.The album includes two Leonard Cohen songs and two songs recorded by Rod Stewart...
, released in 1998.
- Although they had not yet released a recording of it as of Summer 2009, Crosby, Stills & Nash were performing it live during their 2009 U.S. concert tour.
- Mason WilliamsMason WilliamsMason Williams is an American guitarist and composer, best known for his guitar instrumental "Classical Gas". He is also a comedy writer, known for his writing on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and Saturday Night Live...
recorded the song for his 1970 album Handmade.