Music from the Show

Year released or hit charts

Name of song

Writer

First recorded performer

Top place on charts

Traditional Oh Happy Day Traditional
Traditional Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around (ensemble) Traditional
1919 A Good Man is Hard to Find (Eddie Green) Roberta Eddie Green Bessie Smith #9
1922 My Man Charles / Pollack / Willemetz / Yvain Fanny Brice (Billie Holiday in 1938) #9
1922 ‘Tain’t Nobody’s Business (sung by Billie Holiday) Robbins / Grainger Bessie Smith #40
1931 That’s Why Darkies Were Born (Kate Smith) record Lew Brown / Ray Henderson Kate Smith #12
1933 Stormy Weather (Lena Horne) Aimonw Ted Koehler / Harold Arlen Ethel Waters (later Lena Horne) #1
1939 Strange Fruit Lewis Allen Billie Holiday N/A
1941 God Bless the Child Billie Holiday, Arthur Herzog, Jr. Billie Holiday N/A
1956 Precious Lord Dorsey / Allen Mahalia Jackson N/A
1964 Images William Warey Cuny & Nina Simone Nina Simone N/A
1964 Shoop Shoop Song Rudy Clark Betty Wright #6
1965 Baby I’m Yours Van McCoy Barbara Lewis #11
1965 Stop! In the Name of Love Dozier / Holland / Holland The Supremes #1
1966 Keep Me Hangin’ On – Ensemble Holland / Lamont / Dozier / Holland The Supremes #1
1966 Sweet Talkin’ Guy (Chiffons) Roberta, others Doug Morris / Eliot Greensberg / Barbara J. Baer The Chiffons #10
1966 Nowhere to Run Dozier / Holland / Dozier Martha & the Vandellas #8
1967 Say a Little Prayer Bacharach / David Dionne Warwick #4
1967 R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Otis Redding Aretha Franklin #1
1968 Society’s Child (Janis Ian) Heather Janis Ian Janis Ian #14
1969 I’m Gonna Make You Love Me Gamble / Huff / Ross The Supremes #2
1979 I Will Survive Fekaris / Perren Gloria Gaynor #1
1979 Hot Stuff Tamika Pete Bellotte, Keith Forsey, & Harold Faltermeier Donna Summer #1
1979 We Are Family Bernard Edwards / Nile Rodgers Sister Sledge #2
1987 Let’s Wait a While Andrews / Harris / Jackson /Lewis Janet Jackson #2
1988 Control Harris / Lewis / Jackson Janet Jackson #5
1993 I Have Nothing Foster / Thompson Jenner Whitney Houston #4
1995 You Gotta Be Des’ree Weekes / Ashley Ingram Des’ree #5
1997 Tyrone Hurt / Wright Eryka Badu N/A
2001 A Woman’s Worth Alicia J. Augello-Cook / Erika Rose Alicia Keyes #3
2002 Beautiful Linda Perry Christina Aguilera #3
2003 Milkshake The Neptunes Kellis #3
2004 Golden Bell / Robinson, Robinson / Scott Jill Scott #1 (album)
2006 I Am Not My Hair Simpson / Sanders / Ramsey india.arie (Simpson) #97
2007 Just Fine (Mary J. Blige) – ensemble Alexander /Blige / Nash / Stewart Mary J. Blige #22
2008 Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) Beyonce Knowles / Christopher Stewart / Terius Nash / Thaddis Herrell Beyoncé #1

Singers