March 25, 2022 —– Chart #136

Hello Music Friends,

This week I have a great tune for you and somewhat of a personal confession. I have loved this song since it was released on Rod Stewart’s Every Picture Tells a Story album in 1971 and always assumed that this was a Rod Stewart song. Boy was I wrong! Reason To Believe is not a Rod Stewart song and in fact was written and first recorded by American folk singer Tim Hardin in 1965. I suspect I am not alone in this error, but this happens frequently. Frankly, our kids do this all the time as old songs are released by new artists today and younger generations have no idea of the legacy song they are hearing. Have you heard that awesome new song by YUNGBLUD called “Wild Horses”? (sorry Mick)

Well it’s a great song and has since been recorded by artists including Bobby Darin in 1966, Karen Dalton also in 1966, Glen Campbell in 1968, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1969, the Carpenters in 1970, and Rod Stewart in 1971 and again in 1993. After researching a bit I learned that this list is only the beginning. So let’s talk about Tim Hardin first.

After having had his recording contract terminated by Columbia Records, 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.

The Carpenters recorded “Reason to Believe” for their second LP, Close to You, in 1970. On television, the duo performed their version on The 5th Dimension Travelling 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.

Rod Stewart’s version appeared as the first single from his 1971 album Every Picture Tells a Story, with “Maggie May” as the B-side. “Reason to Believe” reached No. 62 on the Hot 100 on its own before the more popular B-side overtook it on its way to No. 1 on the chart. The Hot 100 listed “Reason To Believe” as the flip side for the remaining 16 weeks of that run. Stewart’s double-sided hit, which topped the Hot 100 during all five chart weeks of October 1971, held The Carpenters’ “Superstar” at No. 2 during the third and fourth of those weeks.

A live version was released in 1993 on the album Unplugged…and Seated. Released as the second single from the album, it reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. The 1993 single includes a live version of “It’s All Over Now”, which was recorded during the MTV Unplugged performance but does not appear on the album. Altogether, the two versions of “Reason to Believe” logged a total of 41 weeks on the Hot 100, more than any other Rod Stewart song.

Try playing this one on the acoustic guitar. You’ll get hooked.

Rod Stewart Live in 2016:  https://youtu.be/dgU2pKS-k4k

Tim Hardin:  https://youtu.be/dUWZw8uDak4

And . . uh . . The Carpenters:  https://youtu.be/bwkxy4yGCfQ 

Keep Rockin’ my Friends,

Stan