The music world is mourning the loss of the supremely talented singer-songwriter and pianist Neil Sedaka, who died on Friday, February 27, at age 86. As a solo performer, Sedaka enjoyed an impressive chart from 1958 through 1963 that included more than a dozen Top-40 hits on the Billboard 200.
Among his those classic singles were “Oh! Carol,” “Calendar Girl,” “Next Door To An Angel,” and the chart-topping “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.” Neil co-wrote all of his major early hits with lyricist Howard Greenfield.
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: Legendary Singer-Songwriter Neil Sedaka Dead at 86]
Sedaka also enjoyed a career resurgence in the 1970s that saw him reach No. 1 twice on the Hot 100, with “Laughter In The Rain” and “Bad Blood,” the latter a duet with Elton John.
Beyond composing his own material, Neil co-wrote songs for many other famous artists, dating back to the late 1950s. Quite a few of these tunes also became big hits.
In commemoration of Sedaka’s passing, here are four hits he co-wrote for other well-known artists:
“Where The Boys Are” by Connie Francis (1961)
Sedaka and Greenfield had co-written a few songs that were hits for pop singer Connie Francis in the late 1950s. Among them were “Stupid Cupid” and “Fallin’.”
In 1960, Sedaka and Greenfield wrote the theme song for Where The Boys Are, a romantic comedy co-starring Francis that followed the adventures of four female college students on a “spring break” trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Francis was tasked with singing the theme song, and she suggested to the movie’s director that he consider hiring Sedaka and Greenfield to compose the tune.
A single version of “Where The Boys Are” was released in January 1961. The dreamy ballad went on to peak at No. 4 on the Hot 100.
Sedaka later pointed out that “Where The Boys Are” was the only song he was commissioned to write for another artist that became a hit. He noted that the others were songs he’d composed for himself that others had later covered.
“Ring Ring” by ABBA (1973)
“Ring Ring” was one of Swedish pop legends ABBA’s earliest singles. The song’s original version was co-written by band leaders Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and the group’s manager, Stig Anderson.
Looking for “Ring Ring” to have international appeal, ABBA asked Sedaka to write English lyrics to the song. He did so with help from Phil Cody, a lyricist who collaborated on a lot of Neil’s 1970s tunes.
The Swedish and English versions of “Ring Ring” topped Sweden’s singles chart. The latter also was a hit in many other countries, including the U.K.
“Love Will Keep Us Together” by Captain & Tennille (1975)
Sedaka co-wrote the infectious pop gem “Love Will Keep Us Together” with Greenfield and recorded it for his 1973 album The Tra-La Days Are Over.
In 1975, the pop duo Captain & Tennille recorded and released their own version as their debut single. As a tribute to Neil, frontwoman Toni Tennille sang “Sedaka is back” as the song faded out. “Love Will Keep Us Together” became a huge hit for Captain & Tennille, spending four weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in June and July of 1975. The song also served as the title track of the duo’s debut album.
“Love Will Keep Us Together” went on to win a Record of the Year Grammy in 1976. It also won a BMI award for the Most Performed Song of the Year for 1976, which Sedaka described as “the dream of a lifetime.”
“Solitaire” by The Carpenters (1975)
“Solitaire” was a tune Sedaka co-wrote with Cody that served as the title track of Neil’s 1972 studio album. The melancholy ballad told the sad story of “a lonely man who lost his love through his indifference.”
The Carpenters recorded “Solitaire” and released their version on their 1975 album, Horizon. The song reached No. 17 on the Hot 100 and also topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
In a 2011 interview with SongFacts, Cody said he considered The Carpenters’ version of “Solitaire” to be the best version he’d heard of the song, which has been covered dozens of times. “[W]hen I heard Karen Carpenter, I had chills down my spine,” he noted.
Other artists who’ve recorded “Solitaire” include Elvis Presley, Andy Williams, Petula Clark, Sheryl Crow, and Clay Aiken.
(Photo by Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)