"Reason to Believe" is a song written, composed, and first recorded by American folk singer Tim Hardin in 1965. It has since been recorded by artists including Bobby Darin in 1966, Karen Dalton also in 1966, The Youngbloods in 1967, Peter, Paul and Mary in 1968, Glen Campbell in 1968, Peggy Lee (both in studio and live) in 1968, Vince Guaraldi in 1969, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1969, the Carpenters in 1970, and Rod Stewart in 1971 and 1993. Wilson Phillips covered the song on their 1990 debut album.

Tim Hardin version

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.[1]

Tim Hardin's original recording of the song is also on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Wonder Boys.[2]

Vince Guaraldi version

Jazz musician Vince Guaraldi covered the song on his 1969 album, The Eclectic Vince Guaraldi. He also provided lead vocals.

The Carpenters version

The Carpenters[3] 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[4] and Make Your Own Kind of Music on September 7, 1971.[5] Richard Carpenter remixed the song for the release of the 1995 compilation, Interpretations: A 25th Anniversary Celebration.

Rod Stewart versions

"Reason to Believe"
German picture sleeve
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album Every Picture Tells a Story
B-side"Maggie May"
ReleasedJuly 1971
Length4:10
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)Tim Hardin
Producer(s)Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart singles chronology
"It's All Over Now"
(1970)		 "Reason to Believe"
(1971)		 "(I Know) I'm Losing You"
(1971)
"Reason to Believe (live)"
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album Unplugged...and Seated
B-side"It's All Over Now" (live)
ReleasedAugust 9, 1993 (1993-08-09)[6]
Length4:07
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Tim Hardin
Producer(s)Patrick Leonard
Rod Stewart singles chronology
"Have I Told You Lately (live)"
(1993)		 "Reason to Believe (live)"
(1993)		 "People Get Ready (live)"
(1993)

Background

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.

Stewart's version is noted for its instrumentation, featuring a piano, which is heard playing the slow introduction, before Stewart's voice is heard singing. This is followed by an electric organ, drums, and an acoustic guitar. It also features a solo violin, which is heard during the instrumental break of the bridge. The piano, along with the organ, play the outro. There is a 2 second pause, before Stewart's vocal is heard singing the bridge in Acapella, ("Someone like you"), before the piano enters, followed by the violin, the drums and the guitar, featuring a rhythm change from 2/4 to 3/4 for a few measures, before reverting back to the 2/4 rhythm, with Stewart repeating the bridge before he stops singing, with the instruments carrying on the melody to through the song's fade. The organist was not present during the repeated bridge session.

A live version was released in 1993 on the album Unplugged...and Seated. Released as the second single from the album in August 1993, 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.

Charts

Weekly charts

Original version

Chart (1971) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 24
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 24
UK Singles (OCC)[9]
Double A-side with "Maggie May"		 1
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 62
US Cash Box Top 100[10] 80
US Record World Singles Chart[10] 29

Live version

Chart (1993) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 3
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[12] 1
Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 79
UK Singles (OCC)[14] 51
US Billboard Hot 100[15] 19
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[16] 2
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[17] 24

Year-end charts

Chart (1993) Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[18] 22
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[19] 3
US Billboard Hot 100[20] 90
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[21] 23
Chart (1994) Position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[22] 44

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[23] Gold 10,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Steven Wilcock. "Tim Hardin". Triste article. Retrieved 2016-09-04.
  2. ↑ Mervis, Scott (2000-02-25). "WONDER BOYS SOUNDTRACK". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2021-11-01. Two of the softer spoken '60s folk-rockers, Tom Rush ("No Regrets") and Tim Hardin ("Reason to Believe"), get to stand up
  3. ↑ "Carpenters: Close To You album, 1970, Karen Carpenter, Richard Carpenter". Richardandkarencarpenter.com. Retrieved 2016-09-04.
  4. ↑ "Carpenters on TV". Archived from the original on 2007-02-19. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
  5. ↑ "カーペンターズ". Thecarpenters.tv. Archived from the original on 2007-02-23. Retrieved 2016-09-04.
  6. ↑ "Single Releases". Music Week. August 7, 1993. p. 21.
  7. ↑ "Rod Stewart – Reason to Believe" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7580." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  10. 1 2 3 Whitburn, Joel (2015). The Comparison Book. Menonomee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 285. ISBN 978-0-89820-213-7.
  11. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2270." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2285." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Rod Stewart – Reason to Believe" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  15. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2015). Top Pop Singles 1955 – 1996. Menonomee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 587. ISBN 978-0-89820-123-9.
  16. ↑ "Rod Stewart Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Rod Stewart Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  18. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved April 22, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  19. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved April 22, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  20. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  21. ↑ "The Year in Music 1993" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 52. December 25, 1993. p. YE-46. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  22. ↑ "1994 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. December 24, 1994. p. YE-68. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Rod's Got The Face In New Zealand" (PDF). Cash Box. 30 March 1974. p. 53. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
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