Cupid

Written By: Sam Cooke    [Abkco Music Ltd. 1961]

Trivia

• Intended by Sam and JW Alexander for Sandy Stewart, who was also produced by Hugo & Luigi on RCA. When they heard other songs sung by her they decided against it.
• The arrow sounds were made by the Simms twins Kenneth (leaving the bow) and Bobbie (hitting the target), it was the first time they ever recorded in a studio
• only produced by Luigi Creatore, cousin Hugo didn't fly to Los Angeles
• ranked #452 on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time

Studio Version

Recorded April 14, 1961 at RCA Hollywood Studio 1

Produced By Luigi Creatore

Orchestra Conducted By Horace Ott

Background Vocals by the Simms Twins

Musicians    

• Josephn Gibbons - guitar/banjo    
• René Hall - guitar    
• Clifford Hils - bass   
• Earl Palmer - drums 
• Clifton White - guitar

MP3 at Amazon.com

Charts   

• #20 R&B,
• #17 pop
• UK #7

Singles:   

• RCA 0576 b/w Chain Gang 
• RCA 1242 b/w Farewell My Darling (U.K.)  
• RCA 1817 b/w Farewell My Darling (UK) 
• RCA 7883 b/w Farewell My Darling (May 16, 1960) 
• RCA 15123 b/w Good Times (Germany) 
• RCA 20030 with Another Saturday Night, Chain Gang and It's Got The Whole World Shaking 
• RCA 47146 with Another Saturday Night, Chain Gang and It's Got The Whole World Shaking 
• RCA 49872 with Wonderful World, Chain Gang and A Change Is Gonna Come (Re-release for the Levi's commercial in 1986)
• HMV Pop 574    Wonderful World / Chain Gang / A Change Is Gonna Come (12", March 86 UK)
• RCA 61034 b/w Chain Gang 
• RCA 460254 b/w Farewell My Darling (New Zealand) 
• RCA 25006 b/w Twistin The Night Away

Albums:    

• The Best Of Sam Cooke
• The One And Only Sam Cooke
• The Man And His Music
• Portrait Of A Legend
• This is Sam Cooke
• The Golden Age of Sam Cooke
• Forever (32 tracks)
• Hits!
• Sam's Soul
• 16 Most Requested Songs
• 20 Golden Greats
• 20 Greatest Hits
• Wonderful World
• The Best Of (Paradiso)

Compilations

• Innerspace Soundtrack (1987)
• Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1961- Still Rockin' [Time Life 1989]
• Wedding Album [Double Gold 1997]
• 1961: The Rock

Live Version

Albums: 

• Live At The Harlem Square Club
• Man Who Invented Soul Box

Lyrics    //    Chords

(chorus)
Cupid, draw back your bow
And let your arrow go
Straight to my lover's heart for me, for me
Cupid, please hear my cry
And let your arrow fly
Straight to my lover's heart for me

Now, I don't mean to bother you, but I'm in distress
There's danger of me losin' all of my happiness
For I love a girl that doesn't know I exist
And this you can fix, so

chorus

Now, Cupid, if your arrow make her love strong for me
I promise I will love her until eternity
I know, between the two of us, her heart we can steal
Help me if you will, so...

chorus

Cupid, don't you hear me calling you?
I need you, Cupid

Also Done By:

'Ale'A	Take Me Home (2000)
Gerald Alston	Sings Sam Cooke (2008)
Leroy Barbour	The Voice of Leroy Barbour (2000)	Get it at Amazon.com
Jay Black		Get it at Amazon.com
Joe Bourne	Step In Time (1994)
The Chandeliers	Dedicated To The One I Love (2001)
Johnny Chauvin and the Mojo Band	With A Little Help from my Friends	Get it at Amazon.com
Dee Clark	Raindrops
L.C. Clark	Sings the Great Years of Sam Cooke
Winston Curtis		Get it at Amazon.com
A.J. Debravo	Klassic Kutz & Romantic Nights	Get it at Amazon.com
Denzell Dennis		Get it at Amazon.com
The Drifters	Drifters (1964)	Get it at Amazon.com
Early Clover
Leroy Gibbons	Four Season Lover (1992)
Dobie Gray		Get it at Amazon.com
R.B. Greaves	R.B. Greaves (1969)	Get it at Amazon.com
Jessie Green
John Holt	Ultimate Holt (2001)	Get it at Amazon.com
Tom Jones	Sensational (1998)	Get it at Amazon.com
King Curtis	Blow Man, Blow! (1962)
Johnny Nash		Get it at Amazon.com
Vel Omarr	Here's My Soul
Tony Orlando & Dawn
Graham Parker	Mona Lisa's Sister (1988)
The Persuasions	Good News (1988)
Bernadette Peters	I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (1996)	Get it at Amazon.com
Philo
Otis Redding		Get it at Amazon.com
The ReOrders	Reordered Soul	Get it at Amazon.com
Johnny Rivers
Sam & Dave		Get it at Amazon.com
Saragasso Band
Solo		Get it at Amazon.com
The Spinners		Get it at Amazon.com
Gene Stewart	Tribute To Sam Cooke
The Supremes	We Remember Sam Cooke	Get it at Amazon.com
Amy Winehouse	Back To Black Deluxe Edition	Get it at Amazon.com
Marva Wright and the BMW's	Let the Good Times Roll	Part of a soul medley. Get it at Amazon.com
Jason Yeager	The Heart Of Me	Get it at Amazon.com