Only Sixteen
Written by Sam Cooke (1959)
Recorded January
4th, 1959 at Rex Productions in Los Angeles Producer: Bumps Blackwell
Musicians
- Clif White - guitar
- René Hall - guitar
- Ray Johnson - piano
- Dolphus Asbrook - bass
- Charles Blackwell - drums
Information
- Barbara Campbell is the registered author to avoid having
Specialty Records make the money for the song.
- It was probably written in Lou Rawls' parents' apartement
in Chicago, maybe about Rawls' stepsister Marian, who turned sixteen in 1959
(source: You Send Me book)
- Peter Guralnick in the booklet for the CD Portrait Of A
Legend says it was meant for Rawls' stepsister Eunice!
- The song was originally intened for a teenage actor named
Steve Rowland, a friend of Ricky Nelson whose father was a B-movie director.
The producers didn't like it so Sam recorded it himself (Portrait Of A
Legend)
- Sam used the bridge for this song from Little things you do
(Portrait Of A Legend)
Billboard Review: (about the single b/w Let's Go Steady Again): Cooke
treats both songs in easygoing attractive style. "Only Sixteen" is a
rockaballad with a teen-slanted lyric that can create interest. - The song
was a Billboard pick.
Charts #28 in June 1959 (Keen), #13
R&B, #23 UK
Singles
- Keen 2022 b/w Let's Go Steady
Again (January 6, 1959)
- RCA 2093 b/w
Twistin' The Night Away
- HMV POP 642 b/w Let's Go Steady
Again (UK 78rpm, 1959)
- Emi 201373 b/w
Everybody Loves To Cha Cha Cha (Germany)
Albums
- The Best of Sam Cooke
-
Forever 32 Hits
- Hit Kit
- The Man And
His Music
- The Man Who Invented Soul
(Box)
- Portrait Of A
Legend
- All Hits
- The Best Of Sam Cooke (Premier)
- Gold
- The Golden Age of Sam Cooke
- The Great Sam Cooke
- Right On
- Sam Cooke Song Book Vol. 3: 12 All
Time Hits
- 16 Greatest Hits - Only Sixteen
- 16 Most Requested Songs
- This is Sam Cooke
- 20 Great Hits /
Only Sixteen - 20 Greatest Hits
- Unforgettable
Memories
- The
Very Best Of Sam Cooke
- What A Wonderful
World
- Wonderful World
- The Wonderful World of Sam Cooke -
40 Great Memories
- The World of Sam Cooke
- You Send Me
(ARC)
- You Send Me (Charly)
- You Send Me (Starlite) -with organ
- The Best Of Sam Cooke (PMC)
Lyrics /
Chords
She was only sixteen, only sixteen
I loved her so
But she was too young to fall in love
And I was too young to know
We'd laugh and we'd sing
and do the little things
That made my heart glow
But she was too young to fall in love
And I was too young to know
Why did I give my heart so fast
it never will happen again
But I was a mere lad of sixteen
I've aged a year since then
She was only sixteen, only sixteen
with eyes that would glow
But she was too young to fall in love
and I was too young to know
(Then why did you give your heart so fast)
Boy, it never will happen again
(But you were a mere lad of sixteen)
Oh, I've aged a year since then
She was only sixteen, only sixteen
With eyes that would glow
But she was too young to fall in love
And I was too young to know
She was too young to fall in love
And I was too young to know
Covered By
- Cornell Campbell on 'One Love'
- reggea
- Don Campbell on
'Album' - reggea
- Dr. Hook on 'On
The Run' - live version on YouTube.
- Craig Douglas on
many albums, first release 1959 on the Top Rank label
- pop
- The Heptones on 'In Love
With You' (1978) - reggea
- Jan Hoiland
- Dennis Locorierre on 'Live in
Liverpool' - acoustic live
- Mud on 'The Story
Of'
- Daniel O'Daniel on 'Teenage
Dreams'
- Vel Omarr
- on 'Here's My Soul'
- Persuasions on 'Live in the Whispering
Gallery' in 1976
- Sly & Robbie on '60's
+ 70's + 80's = Taxi' from 1981 - reggea
- Southside Johnny & Ashbury Jukes (Live)
- The Supremes (On the "We Remember Sam Cooke" album)
Compilation Albums
- "Hits Revival" on K-Tel KTLP
235-1, this is the heavily orchestrated, organ version