Olivia Sands Popular Books

Olivia Sands Biography & Facts

"Angel of the Morning" is a popular song written by Chip Taylor, originally recorded by Evie Sands but which first charted with a version by Merrilee Rush. The song has been covered by many artists including Chrissie Hynde, Dusty Springfield, P. P. Arnold, Connie Eaton, Mary Mason, Guys 'n' Dolls, Melba Montgomery, Olivia Newton-John and most recognizably by Juice Newton. Origin and early recordings The song was composed in 1967 by Chip Taylor, who said of it: "I wrote 'Angel of the Morning' after hearing the Rolling Stones song 'Ruby Tuesday' on the car radio when I was driving into New York City. I wanted to capture that kind of passion.""Angel of the Morning" was originally offered to Connie Francis, but she turned it down because she thought that the lyrical message was too risqué for her image.Taylor produced the first recording of the song with Evie Sands, but the financial straits of Cameo-Parkway Records, which had Sands on their roster, led to a highly limited single release and no promotion. The second recording was by UK vocalist Billie Davis, made in 1967 by Danny Michaels for Lee Hazlewood's LHI label. P.P. Arnold provided backup vocals for that version and later released a version herself. Merrilee Rush version The song became a hit in 1968 through a recording by Merrilee Rush, made that January at American Sound Studios in Memphis, with Chips Moman and Tommy Cogbill producing. Rush had come to Memphis through the group she fronted, the Turnabouts, being the opening act for a Paul Revere and the Raiders tour. While in Memphis, the Raiders recorded the album Goin' to Memphis at American Sound Studios, an association which led to Rush's discovery by Tommy Cogbill, who had been hoping to find the right voice for "Angel of the Morning" — he had kept a tape of the demo of that song constantly in his pocket for several months. Rush recorded the song, and the tracks which would fill out her Angel of the Morning album, with the American Sound house band, even though the single and the album were credited to the group Merrilee Rush & the Turnabouts.The single version was released in February 1968, and reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 that June, peaking at No. 7, also reaching No. 1 in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and No. 4 in the Netherlands. The song earned Rush a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary-Pop Vocal Performance, Female. Rush recorded a new version of the song for her 1977 eponymous album release. (Rush's version of "Angel of the Morning" was featured on the soundtrack of the 1999 film Girl, Interrupted, set in 1967 and 1968, in which author-composer Chip Taylor's niece Angelina Jolie had a starring role.) Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts Juice Newton version The highest-charting and best-selling version in the United States was recorded and released in 1981 by country-rock singer Juice Newton for her album Juice. Newton re-interpreted the song at the suggestion of Steve Meyer, who promoted Capitol Records singles and albums to radio stations and felt a version of "Angel of the Morning" by Newton would be a strong candidate for airplay. Newton would state that she would never have thought of recording "Angel of the Morning," and even though she immediately recognized the song when Meyer played it for her: "I [hadn't been] really aware of that song because...when [it] was popular I was listening to folk music and R&B and not pop, and that was a very pop song."Newton's version reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 22 on the Billboard country music chart, and spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart in April of that year. The recording also earned Newton a Grammy nomination, in the same category as Rush's 1968 hit. More than 1 million units of Newton's single were sold in the United States, and it reached the Top 5 in a number of other countries, including Canada (number 1), Australia (number 2), South Africa (number 3), Switzerland (number 4) and New Zealand (number 5). Notably, Newton's video for "Angel of the Morning" was the first country music video aired on MTV, debuting the day the network launched, in 1981. In the UK, the recording reached No. 43 on the UK Singles Chart, marking the song's third appearance on that chart without becoming a major hit. Newton recorded the song again in 1998 for her album The Trouble with Angels. Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts Certifications Other versions In 1968, a rendition by P. P. Arnold, who had sung background vocals on the 1967 Billie Davis version, reached No. 29 in the UK in August 1968. In 1969, soul artist Bettye Swann included a version of the song on her album The Soul View Now; released as a single, it reached No. 109 on the US charts.In 1970, a rendition by Connie Eaton reached No. 34 on the Billboard C&W charts. In 1971 Nina Simone recorded the song for her album of cover versions Here Comes the Sun. In 1977, Mary Mason also had a UK Top 30 hit with her version, which was actually a medley of two Chip Taylor songs, "Angel of the Morning" and "Any Way That You Want Me", reaching No. 27.Also in 1977, the British act Guys 'n' Dolls had a hit in the Netherlands with the song, their version reaching No. 11 on the Dutch charts.In 1978, a release by Melba Montgomery reached No. 22 on the Billboard C&W chart. In 1994, a rendition of the song was released as a single by the Pretenders.The song "Angel", released by reggae artist Shaggy, heavily uses the melody of "Angel of the Morning". It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending March 31, 2001. Chip Taylor version In 1972, Taylor released a version on Buddah 325. It reached No. 101 in the Record World survey. In 1999, a version by Taylor appeared on the KGSR fundraiser CD Broadcasts Vol. 7.In popular media The Juice Newton version of the song is featured in the opening credits scene of the 2016 film Deadpool. The sweet melody is an ironic contrast to the visual violence in the freeze-framed action scene. It is also featured in the ending scene and into the ending credits of the 2020 film Promising Young Woman. The Merrilee Rush version of the song is featured in the soundtrack of the films Girl, Interrupted (as noted above) and Violet and Daisy, as well as in the NBC Television series The Blacklist. The song was performed live by Chrissie Hynde in a 1995 episode of Friends, titled "The One with the Baby on the Bus," and that version also appears in that show's soundtrack album. Though released as a single, it did not chart. The song plays a central role in Graeme Simsion's 2016 novel The Best of Adam Sharp. The Toyota Highlander "Kid Cave" commercial, aired from late 2010, featured a young boy who is embarrassed by his parents's singing of the song while he is riding with them in a car.See also List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1960s List of number-one singles in 1968 (New Zealand) List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 198.... Discover the Olivia Sands popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Olivia Sands books.

Best Seller Olivia Sands Books of 2024

  • Cloudy with a Chance of Sizzle synopsis, comments

    Cloudy with a Chance of Sizzle

    Olivia Sands

    Sweet romance meets savory cuisine.  When successful Texas businessman Andrew Davis first lays eyes on spirited chef Bailey Green, it's love at first sight.  But Bailey i...

  • Carson synopsis, comments

    Carson

    Olivia Sands

    She's too shy to give him the time of day ... but he's not the kind to give up. Carson Green can't stop thinking about Julianna Walsh, the lovely author who's renting a house in to...

  • Falling for a Good Man synopsis, comments

    Falling for a Good Man

    Olivia Sands

    If there’s one thing Casey Smithfield dislikes, it’s change. That’s one reason she loves her life in Sweet Moutain, Montana : no matter what, things tend to remain the same. Except...

  • Sophia synopsis, comments

    Sophia

    Olivia Sands

    He's got more than one kind of scar ... and she may be the only person who can heal him. Nelson Pratt isn't sorry he saved Weston Green's life while they were both enlisted. H...

  • Braxton synopsis, comments

    Braxton

    Olivia Sands

    He can't help falling for her ... but that doesn't mean he can trust her. If there is such a thing as love at first sight, that's what Braxton Green feels the first time he lays ey...

  • Cloudy with a Chance of Cowboy synopsis, comments

    Cloudy with a Chance of Cowboy

    Olivia Sands

    Can an outsider find love and acceptance in a small town?  When video game designer Chris Davis moved to the small town of Saint Cloud, Texas to set up his company's new headq...

  • Kentucky Green Box Set 4 to 6 synopsis, comments

    Kentucky Green Box Set 4 to 6

    Olivia Sands

    Welcome to the small town of Elm Ridge, Kentucky, where you’ll swoon, smile, and fall helplessly in love with the Green family. Those three heartwarming romances have no cliffhange...

  • Falling for The Boss synopsis, comments

    Falling for The Boss

    Olivia Sands

    Misha Renard is on the run. The shy woman never lingers in the endless string of towns she passes through. She stays just long enough to earn enough cash to safely move on to her n...

  • Cloudy with a Chance of Romance synopsis, comments

    Cloudy with a Chance of Romance

    Olivia Sands

    When a bumpy country road sends Matt Miller’s paddleboard flying, petite deputy Billie Vincent has no choice but to give the very tall athlete a ticket. And yet the sparks fly betw...

  • Falling for the Wrong Man synopsis, comments

    Falling for the Wrong Man

    Olivia Sands

    The wrong man for the preacher’s daughter. At eighteen, handsome bad boy Colby Rhodes roared out of Sweet Mountain on his motorcycle with a vow never to return.  But some vows...

  • Jaxon synopsis, comments

    Jaxon

    Olivia Sands

    She's his little sister's best friend.  Completely off limits.  And now they're working together. Jaxon Green's plans to offer a summer camp for kids at his thoroughbred ...

  • Colton synopsis, comments

    Colton

    Olivia Sands

    She's all wrong for him.  So why can't he stop thinking about her? Colton Green knows exactly what he's going to do with his life. He’ll run the Red Widow Bourbon factorya bus...

  • Kentucky Green Box Set 1 to 3 synopsis, comments

    Kentucky Green Box Set 1 to 3

    Olivia Sands

    Welcome to the small town of Elm Ridge, Kentucky, where you’ll swoon, smile, and fall helplessly in love with the Green family.  Those three heartwarming romances have no clif...

  • KENTUCKY GREEN COMPLETE BOX SET synopsis, comments

    KENTUCKY GREEN COMPLETE BOX SET

    Olivia Sands

    Welcome to the small town of Elm Ridge, Kentucky, where you’ll swoon, smile, and fall helplessly in love with the Green family. Those seven heartwarming romances have no cliffhange...

  • Weston synopsis, comments

    Weston

    Olivia Sands

    The only girl he's ever wanted is all grown up and back in town ... and he's the last guy she'd look at. Weston Green decided he was going to marry Veronica Farmer when they were i...

  • Cloudy with a Chance Love synopsis, comments

    Cloudy with a Chance Love

    Olivia Sands

    Can a smalltown girl tame a hunky city slicker?  Julia Munoz grew up riding horses on her family’s Texas ranch.  Back from college, she has a new mission: help revitalize...

  • Hudson synopsis, comments

    Hudson

    Olivia Sands

    He's spent his whole life in her friend zone ... and it's time to break out. Hudson Green has big plans for his family farm. To fulfill them, he'll need further schooling in anothe...

  • Cloudy with a Chance of Family synopsis, comments

    Cloudy with a Chance of Family

    Olivia Sands

    Can two wounded hearts from broken families build a solid one together? Seeking a fresh start in Saint Cloud, Texas, Simon Smith gets more than he bargained for: an opportunity to ...

  • Cloudy with a Chance of Billionaire synopsis, comments

    Cloudy with a Chance of Billionaire

    Olivia Sands

    When opposites attract, can two strangers turn a rocky partnership into something more?  Brian Davis, the charismatic PR head of Cloud 9 Games, is ready to reinvent himself as...