"Don't Make Me Over"
Single by Dionne Warwick
from the album Presenting Dionne Warwick
B-side"I Smiled Yesterday"
ReleasedOctober 1962[1]
RecordedAugust 1962
StudioBell Sound (New York City)
Length2:46
LabelScepter
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Burt Bacharach
  • Hal David
Dionne Warwick singles chronology
"Don't Make Me Over"
(1962)		 "This Empty Place"
(1963)

"Don't Make Me Over" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, originally recorded by Dionne Warwick in August 1962 and released in October 1962 as her lead solo single from her debut album Presenting Dionne Warwick issued under Sceptor Records.[2][3] The song reached number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.

Dionne Warwick original

Warwick recorded "Don't Make Me Over" in August 1962, a song that was later chosen as the lead single for her debut album Presenting Dionne Warwick. In October 1962, Scepter Records released the track as her first solo single. Initially, Warwick had found out that "Make It Easy on Yourself"—a song on which she had recorded the original demo and had wanted to be her first single release—had been given to another artist, Jerry Butler.[4]

From the catchy contemporary phrase, "Don't make me over", Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote and produced their first US top 40 pop hit (No. 21) and US R&B hit (No. 5). It was also a top-forty hit in Canada, at number 38. The background vocals in the song were from the Gospelaires, which featured sister Dee Dee, Sylvia Shemwell and aunt Cissy Houston.[5]

In 2000, Dionne Warwick's 1962 version of "Don't Make Me Over" on Scepter Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[6]

Track listing

  • US, 7-inch vinyl single
A1: "Don't Make Me Over" – 2:51
B1: "I Smiled Yesterday" – 2:43
  • UK, 7-inch vinyl single
A1: "Don't Make Me Over" – 2:46
A2: "Shall I Tell Her" – 2:33
B1: "Make The Music Play" – 2:25
B2: "Any Old Time Of Day" – 2:25
  • France, 7-inch vinyl single
A1: "Don't Make Me Over" – 2:46
A2: "Shall I Tell Her" – 3:20
B1: "I Smiled Yesterday" – 2:44
B2: "Wishin' And Hopin'" – 2:25

Charts

Chart (1962–1963) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[7] N/A
Canada (CHUM) 38
France (IFOP)[8] 69
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 21
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[10] 5

Jennifer Warnes version

Chart (1979) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 67
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[12] 36
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[13] 84

Sybil version

"Don't Make Me Over"
Single by Sybil
from the album Sybil
B-side"Here Comes My Love"
ReleasedJuly 10, 1989 (1989-07-10)[14]
Genre
Length3:54
LabelNext Plateau Records Inc.
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Dolores Drewry
  • James Bratton
Sybil singles chronology
"Can't Wait (On Tomorrow)"
(1988)		 "Don't Make Me Over"
(1989)		 "Walk On By"
(1990)
Music video
"Don't Make Me Over" on YouTube

In July 1989, American singer Sybil released a dance cover of the song as the second single from her second album, Sybil (1989). Her version became a number-one hit in New Zealand for four weeks, reached number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, eventually receiving a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This version also became a UK hit, peaking at number 19 on the UK Singles Chart.

Critical reception

Bill Coleman from Billboard described Sybil's cover as a "spirited Soul II Soul-ish rendition of the Dionne Warwick classic [that] has smash written all over it".[15] In an retrospective review, Pop Rescue stated that it has a beat that musically reminds of "a hybrid" of Soul II Soul's "Keep On Movin'" and Take That's "Pray", calling it "mellow and soulful".[16] Miranda Sawyer from Smash Hits noted "the swoony dance wisples" of the song.[17] David Keeps from Spin felt Sybil "seems to be emerging as the Dionne Warwick of the Soul II Soul generation", remarking her "achingly sexy conga-strings-and-coos" version of "Don't Make Me Over".[18]

Track listings

7-inch single, Germany (1989)
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Make Me Over" (radio version)3:54
2."Here Comes My Love"3:58
12-inch single, Germany (1989)
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Make Me Over" (The KING-dom Come mix)7:20
2."Don't Make Me Over" (radio mix)3:54
3."Here Comes My Love" (vocal)3:58
4."Here Comes My Love" (instrumental)3:58
CD maxi, Germany (1989)
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Make Me Over" (Nightime mix)3:45
2."Don't Make Me Over" (Daytime mix)3:27
3."My Love Is Guaranteed" (Red Ink mix part 1)5:35
CD maxi, France (1989)
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Make Me Over" (The King-Dom Come mix)7:20
2."Don't Make Me Over" (radio mix)3:54
3."Here Comes My Love" (vocal)3:58
4."Don't Make Me Over" (instrumental version)3:36

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[34] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

Various other versions of the song have been recorded:

  • In 1964 the English singer Louise Cordet recorded the song which was released on Decca F11875 coupled with "Two Lovers".
  • In January 1966, Liverpudlian band the Swinging Blue Jeans released a version which peaked at No. 31 in the United Kingdom[35] and No. 83 in Canada[36]
  • Brenda & the Tabulations hit number 15 on the US R&B chart with their version in 1970.
  • Jennifer Warnes released a version which reached number 67 on the US Hot 100 in 1979.

References

  1. ↑ Billboard, October 27, 1962, page 13
  2. ↑ Butler, Jerry (2004). Only the Strong Survive: memoirs of a soul survivor. Bloomington IN: Indiana University Press. p. 116. ISBN 0-253-21704-0.
  3. ↑ Dominic, Serene (2002). Burt Bacharach, song by song: the ultimate Burt Bacharach reference for fans. London: Omnibus Press. p. 93. ISBN 0-8256-7280-5.
  4. ↑ Richardson, Kalia (January 1, 2023). "Dionne Warwick Is Ready for an Encore". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  5. ↑ Warwick, Dionne; Wooley, David Freeman (November 22, 2011). My Life, as I See It: An Autobiography. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4391-7135-6.
  6. ↑ "GRAMMY HALL OF FAME AWARD". www.grammy.com. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Dionne Warwick – Don't Make Me Over" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  8. ↑ "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque Artiste commençant par W". Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Dionne Warwick Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Dionne Warwick Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Jennifer Warnes Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Jennifer Warnes Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Jennifer Warnes Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  14. ↑ "New Singles". Music Week. July 8, 1989. p. 27.
  15. ↑ "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. July 29, 1989. p. 69. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Review: 'Walk On By' by Sybil (Vinyl, 1990)". Pop Rescue. March 23, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  17. ↑ Sawyer, Miranda (February 21, 1990). "Review: LPs". Smash Hits. p. 53. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  18. ↑ Keeps, David (May 1990). "Spins". Spin. p. 77. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 15 July 2015". imgur.com. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6660." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 6688." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 44. November 4, 1989. p. IV. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Sybil – Don't Make Me Over". top40.nl. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Sybil – Don't Make Me Over" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Sybil – Don't Make Me Over". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  26. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  27. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. December 2, 1989. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Dance Singles Sales". Billboard. October 21, 1989. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Dance Club Songs". Billboard. October 7, 1989. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. October 7, 1989. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  31. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Sybil – Don't Make Me Over" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  32. ↑ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  33. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1990". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  34. ↑ "American single certifications – Sybil – Don't Make Me Over". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  35. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 50 24 February 1966 - 02 March 1966". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  36. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Singles - May 2, 1966" (PDF).
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