Brill Building Songwriters: Top 20

Brill Building Songwriters: Top 20

The Brill Building is in Manhattan, New York, at 1619 Broadway in the historic Tin Pan Alley neighborhood. In the early 1960s, it was considered the center of the American music industry with 165 music businesses contained there by 1962. The “Brill Building sound” was significant in shaping music after rock and roll’s first wave. It was a throwback to the pre-rock era when the song was more important than the singer. In fact, a specific singer could generally be easily replaced with another singer. Of the famous songwriters who emerged from there, Carole King said, “Every day we squeezed into our respective cubby holes with just enough room for a piano, a bench, and maybe a chair for the lyricist if you were lucky. You’d sit there and write and you could hear someone in the next cubby hole composing a song exactly like yours.” WK See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories. Gerry Goffin & Carole King 1. Carole King: Top 50 2. Barry Mann: Top 30 3. Cynthia Weil: Top 30 4. Gerry Goffin: Top 50 5. Jeff Barry 6. Ellie Greenwich 7. Doc Pomus 8. Jerry Leiber: Top 50 9. Mike Stoller: Top 50 10. Mort Shuman 11. Howard Greenfield 12. Neil Sedaka 13. Burt Bacharach 14. Hal David 15. Bobby Darin 16. Gene Pitney 17. Phil Spector 18. Paul Anka 19. Otis Blackwell 20. Laura Nyro Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories WK Wikipedia: Brill Building First posted 6/24/2026.

 

Cynthia Weil: Top 30 Songs

First posted 12/7/2019.

Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil

Songwriter born 10/18/1940 in New York City, NY. Worked frequently with Barry Mann, whom she married in 1961. Their song “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” as recorded by the Righteous Brothers, is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era, 1954-1999. For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

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Top 30 Songs

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Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. This list includes songs both written and sung by King. The recording artist is noted in parentheses. Songs which hit #1 on these charts are noted: United States Billboard Hot 100 pop chart (US), Cashbox (CB), Hit Records (HR), Radio & Records (RR), Billboard adult contemporary (AC), Billboard R&B (RB), United Kingdom pop chart (UK), Canadian pop charts (CN), and Australian pop chart (AU).

DMDB Top 1%:

1. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (The Righteous Brothers, 1964) #1 US, CB, HR, UK, CN

DMDB Top 5%:

2. On Broadway (The Drifters, 1963)
3. Here You Come Again (Dolly Parton, 1977) #1 CW
4. You’re My Soul and Inspiration (The Righteous Brothers, 1966) #1 US, CB, HR, CN
5. We Gotta Get Out of This Place (The Animals, 1965)
6. Don’t Know Much (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville, 1989) #1 AC
7. Somewhere Out There (Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram, 1986)
8. On Broadway (George Benson, 1978)

DMDB Top 10%:

9. He’s So Shy (The Pointer Sisters, 1980)
10. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (Daryl Hall & John Oates, 1980)
11. Running with the Night (Lionel Richie, 1983)
12. If Ever You’re in My Arms Again (Peabo Bryson, 1984)
13. Love Will Conquer All (Lionel Richie, 1986)
14. Saturday Night at the Movies (The Drifters, 1964)
15. Never Gonna Let You Go (Sergio Mendes, 1983)

DMDB Top 20%:

16. All of You (Julio Iglesias & Diana Ross, 1984)
17. He’s Sure the Boy I Love (The Crystals, 1962)
18. Kicks (Paul Revere & the Raiders, 1966) #1 CN
19. Somewhere Down the Road (Barry Manilow, 1981) #1 AC
20. Just Once (Quincy Jones & James Ingram, 1981)
21. Hungry (Paul Revere & the Raiders, 1966)
22. Uptown (The Crystals, 1962)
23. Walking in the Rain (The Ronettes, 1964)
24. Baby Come and Get It (The Pointer Sisters, 1983)
25. I’ll Take You Home (The Drifters, 1963)

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

26. Blame It on the Bossa Nova (Eydie Gorme, 1963)
27. Conscience (James Darren, 1962)
28. Where Have You Been All My Life (Arthur Alexander, 1962)
29. Bless You (Tony Orlando, 1961)
30. So Long Dixie (Blood, Sweat & Tears; 1972)

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Awards:

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Barry Mann: Top 30 Songs

First posted 12/6/2019.

Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil

Rock songwriter born Barry Imberman on 2/9/1939 in Brooklyn, NY. Often worked with Cynthia Weil, whom he married in 1961. Their song “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” as recorded by the Righteous Brothers, is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era, 1954-1999. For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

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Top 30 Songs

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Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. This list includes songs both written and sung by King. The recording artist is noted in parentheses. Songs which hit #1 on these charts are noted: United States Billboard Hot 100 pop chart (US), Cashbox (CB), Hit Records (HR), Radio & Records (RR), Billboard adult contemporary (AC), Billboard R&B (RB), United Kingdom pop chart (UK), Canadian pop charts (CN), and Australian pop chart (AU).

DMDB Top 1%:

1. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (The Righteous Brothers, 1964) #1 US, CB, HR, UK, CN

DMDB Top 5%:

2. On Broadway (The Drifters, 1963)
3. Here You Come Again (Dolly Parton, 1977) #1 CW
4. Sometimes When We Touch (Dan Hill, 1977) #1 CN
5. You’re My Soul and Inspiration (The Righteous Brothers, 1966) #1 US, CB, HR, CN
6. We Gotta Get Out of This Place (The Animals, 1965)
7. Don’t Know Much (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville, 1989) #1 AC
8. Somewhere Out There (Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram, 1986)
9. On Broadway (George Benson, 1978)
10. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (Daryl Hall & John Oates, 1980)

DMDB Top 10%:

11. I Love How You Love Me (Paris Sisters, 1961)
12. Saturday Night at the Movies (The Drifters, 1964)
13. Never Gonna Let You Go (Sergio Mendes, 1983)

DMDB Top 20%:

14. He’s Sure the Boy I Love (The Crystals, 1962)
15. Kicks (Paul Revere & the Raiders, 1966) #1 CN
16. Who Put the Bomp in the Bomp Bomp Bomp (Barry Man, 1961) #1 CN
17. Just Once (Quincy Jones & James Ingram, 1981)
18. Hungry (Paul Revere & the Raiders, 1966)
19. Uptown (The Crystals, 1962)
20. Walking in the Rain (The Ronettes, 1964)
21. How Much Love (Leo Sayer, 1977)
22. Baby Come and Get It (The Pointer Sisters, 1983)
23. I’ll Take You Home (The Drifters, 1963)

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

24. Blame It on the Bossa Nova (Eydie Gorme, 1963)
25. Conscience (James Darren, 1962)
26. Where Have You Been All My Life (Arthur Alexander, 1962)
27. Bless You (Tony Orlando, 1961)
28. So Long Dixie (Blood, Sweat & Tears; 1972)
29. I Just Can’t Help Believin’ (Elvis Presley, 1970)
30. I Will Come to You (Hanson, 1997)

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Awards:

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50 years ago: Dusty Springfield released Dusty in Memphis

First posted 4/8/2008; updated 12/1/2020.

Dusty in Memphis Dusty Springfield

Released: January 18, 1969 Charted: March 15, 1969 Peak: 99 US Sales (in millions): -- Genre: blue-eyed soul

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Just a Little Lovin’ (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil) [2:19] So Much Love (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) [3:33] Son of a Preacher Man (John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins) [2:28] (11/30/68, 10 US, 9 UK) I Don’t Want to Hear It Anymore (Randy Newman) [3:12] Don’t Forget about Me (Goffin, King) [2:54] (3/1/69, 64 US) Breakfast in Bed (Eddie Hinton, Donnie Fritts) [2:59] (4/12/69, 91 US) Just One Smile (Newman) [2:44] The Windmills of Your Mind (Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand) [3:54] (5/3/69, 31 US, 3 AC) In the Land of Make Believe (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) [2:34] (10/4/69, 27 AC) No Easy Way Down (Goffin, King) [3:11] I Can’t Make It Alone (Goffin, King) [4:01] Total Running Time: 33:31

Rating: 3.807 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings) Quotable: “The All-time rock-era torch record” – Robert Christgau Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “The idea of taking England’s reigning female soul queen to the home of the music she had mastered was an inspired one.” RW That “home” was specifically the American Sound Studio in Memphis where Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and others had recorded. Although she’d self-produced her earlier albums, she went with outside producers this time around using Atlantic Records’ Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, and Arif Mardin to create what critic Robert Christgau called “the perfect instance of how a production team should work.” WK Springfield had “very real anxiety about being compared with the soul greatest who had recorded in the same studios.” WK She had recorded R&B songs before, but this was the first time she committed to an entire album’s worth. WK The “production and engineering team picked mostly perfect songs, and those that weren’t so great were salvaged by Springfield’s marvelous delivery and technique.” RW She was backed by the house band, the Memphis Cats, who had worked with Elvis Presley, Wilson Pickett, and King Curtis. She covered songs written by the famed writing teams of Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and Burt Bacharach and Hal David. “This set has definitive numbers in So Much Love, Son of a Preacher Man, Breakfast in Bed, Just One Smile, I Don't Want to Hear About It Anymore, and Just a Little Lovin'.” RW The album didn’t perform well initially, peaking at #99 in the US and failing to reach the UK top 40. Music journalist Peter Robinson said the album stalled Springfield’s career, but eventually became “a popcultural milestone [and] timeless emotional reference point.” WK Entertainment Weekly’s Tony Scherman called it “one of the greatest pop records ever recorded.” WK Christgau called it “the all-time rock-era torch record.” WK “It’s truly a disc deserving of its classic status.” RW Notes: A reissue added three bonus tracks including a cover of Willie and Laura Mae Jones’ That Old Sweet Roll (Hi-De-Ho) and an unreleased version of What Do You Do When Love Dies from the original Memphis sessions. A 25-song Rhino reissue included those three songs as well as “songs left over from sessions for the unfairly underrated Gamble- and Huff-produced Brand New Me album, and the unissued 1971 Jeff Barry-produced sides for a never-released third Atlantic album.” BE Also featured are “covers of David Gates' Make It with You and Carole King’s You’ve Got a Friend, the gospel-flavored Love Shine Down, and the hard-rocking Natchez Trace.” BE

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Dusty Springfield BE All Music Guide review by Bruce Eder of Rhino reissue RW All Music Guide review by Ron Wynn WK Wikipedia

Today in Music (1965): The Righteous Brothers hit #1 with “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”

You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ The Righteous Brothers

Writer(s): Phil Spector/Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil (see lyrics here) First Charted: December 11, 1964 Peak: 12 US, 13 CB, 12 GP, 13 HR, 3 RB, 12 UK, 11 CN, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.2 UK Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 10.0 radio, 27.86 video, 72.07 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: From the first notes of “Lovin’ Feelin’,” it is clear something powerful is affot. The song builds to an explosion between the interplay of Bill Medley baritone and Bobby Hatfield’s tenor, both seemingly wrenching the word “baby” straight from their souls. This is “classic pop at its most sublime.” LW It is the kind of pop song that makes others wonder why they even try. Radio listeners support that sentiment – performing rights organization BMI says this is the all-time most-played song on the radio with more than 10 million airplays. SHOF Legendary producer Phil Spector signed the duo after seeing them on the bill of a Ronettes show. RS500 He asked the songwriting team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil SHOF to develop a ballad that fit his signature Wall of Sound. KL Using the Four Tops’ “Baby I Need Your Lovin’” as inspiration, FB the husband and wife team found themselves forging the new genre of blue-eyed soul, which bridged “the gap between white and black musical styles.” TB The words “You’ve lost that lovin’ feelin’” were initially dummy lyrics. FB Weil recalls telling Spector that they would get something better, to which Phil responded, “No, that’s the title.” KL Phil also threw them off with Medley’s impossibly deep intro. Mann and Weill were both concerned about “the range of the two male voices, with Medley’s bass being chased by Hatfield’s falsetto.” LW Mann remembers Phil playing it for him over the phone. Mann told him, “Phil, you have it on the wrong speed!” RS500 Hatfield was at a loss, but his concern regarded what he should do while Medley sang the entire first verse. Spector told him, “You can go directly to the bank.’” RS500 Resources: FB Fred Bronson (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (5th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. KL Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh (2005). 1000 UK Number One Hits: The Stories Behind Every Number One Single Since 1952. London, Great Britain: Omnibus Press. Page 106. LW Alan Lewens (2001). Popular Song – Soundtrack of the Century. Billboard Books: New York, NY. Pages 124-5. RS500 RollingStone.com (2011). “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” SHOF “Songwriters Hall of Fame” TB Thunder Bay Press. (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits & Classic Cuts. Outline Press Ltd.: San Diego, CA. Page 71. Related Links: First posted 7/13/2014; last updated 11/22/2022.