Who recorded ‘I Say a Little Prayer’ before Aretha Franklin?
Aretha Franklin made Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s composition ‘I Say a Little Prayer’ one of her signature songs in 1968 with a stunning recording. A group of backing singers free up the Queen of Soul to let her pipes loose, showcasing the full power and range of her vocal prowess.
Accompanying herself on the piano with a stripped-back guitar, bass and drums line-up, Franklin imbues the song’s verses with raw emotion before soaring into the chorus. She belts out responses to the backing calls in the upper reaches of her voice, taking cues from the gospel singers who inspired her.
Unsurprisingly, the single was one of her biggest hits, reaching the top five in the charts of several countries, as well as the top ten in the US. Following her death in 2018, it even outstripped her iconic track ‘Respect’ for Spotify listens, reaching the platform’s global top 50 as well as re-entering several other charts around the world.
As much as the song seems pure Aretha, though, she wasn’t the first artist to release it as a single. It was actually written by Bacharach and David for another artist, who recorded it almost two years before Franklin did.
Who said a little prayer first?
It was Dionne Warwick, a regular collaborator with Bacharach and David at Scepter Records, who originally released the song in October 1967. The songwriters had already found success with the singer two years earlier, thanks to her recording of their stunning ballad ‘Walk On By’.
Warwick’s version is pitched in a lower key than Franklin’s, with her smoother voice playing a less prominent role in proceedings. She backed a full orchestra, with strings and brass giving the track a bombastic feel in complete contrast to Franklin’s more famous recording. The faster rhythm of Warwick’s recording also gives it a rushed feel, allegedly to Bacharach’s distaste.
Nevertheless, the original ‘I Say a Little Prayer’ was a big hit in its own right, climbing to number four on the Billboard single chart in the US, six places higher than Franklin ever managed. It became the basis for a set piece scene in the 1990s romantic comedy film My Best Friend’s Wedding as well, with Warwick even making a cameo appearance.
Still, Aretha Franklin unquestionably recorded what is now considered the definitive version. Much like with Otis Redding’s ‘Respect’ the previous year, she grabbed the song by the scruff of the neck and made it her own.
