"You Showed Me" is a song written by Jim McGuinn and Gene Clark of The Byrds in 1964.[3] It was recorded by The Turtles and released as a single in 1969, becoming the group's last big hit in the U.S.[2] The song has also been covered by a number of other bands and artists over the years, including The Lightning Seeds, Salt-n-Pepa, and Lutricia McNeal.[4] Like many of the songs that Gene Clark had a hand in writing during the 1960s, "You Showed Me" contains a mix of major and minor chords, arranged in unexpected progressions.[2] Lyrically, the song recounts the tale of a lover who is being tutored in the ways of love by a more experienced partner.[2]
History
The song was composed by McGuinn and Clark in early 1964 at a time when the pair were performing as a duo at The Troubadour and other folk clubs in and around Los Angeles.[3][5] McGuinn and Clark soon formed a trio with David Crosby and named themselves The Jet Set.[5] The trio began rehearsing at World Pacific Studios under the guidance of their manager Jim Dickson, with Michael Clarke and Chris Hillman joining the group soon afterward.[6] Dickson recorded many of The Jet Set's rehearsal sessions at World Pacific and it was during this time that demos of "You Showed Me" were recorded by the band.[3][7] The song was soon abandoned by the group, who had now changed their name to The Byrds, and was not included on their debut album for Columbia Records, Mr. Tambourine Man.[8][9] However, recordings of "You Showed Me" by the band, dating from 1964, were eventually released on the archival albums Preflyte and In the Beginning.[3][10]
In 1968 the song was recorded by The Turtles as part of their album The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands and was also released as a single in 1969, reaching #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.[11][12] "You Showed Me" had been introduced to The Turtles by their producer and former bass player, Chip Douglas, who had first become acquainted with the song after hearing Clark, McGuinn and Crosby perform it at The Troubadour in 1964.[13] Douglas had also performed the song with Clark during 1966, while he was a member of Gene Clark and the Group.[2]
Although the song had originally been an uptempo number, Douglas first demonstrated it for The Turtles' vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman on a harmonium with a broken bellows, requiring him to play the song slowly.[14] The slower tempo impressed Kaylan and Volman and consequently, The Turtles' recording of the song uses this slower arrangement.
Chart performance
Weekly singles charts
|
Year-end charts
| Chart (1969) |
Position |
| Canada [20] |
59 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [21] |
80 |
| U.S. Cash Box [22] |
58 |
|
Salt n Pepa's Version
Salt-n-Pepa covered the song on their 1990 album, Blacks' Magic. It was released as the fifth and final single from that album. The track reaching #15 in the UK charts when it was released as a single in 1991.[23][24]
Track Listing
- You Showed Me (The Born Again Mix) - 3:25
- You Showed Me (The Born Again Club Mix) - 5:41
- Let's Talk About Sex (Universal Club) - 7:16
Weekly charts
Sampling and Controversy
The Turtles version also features a gently rising and falling string section, which was sampled by U2 in 1997 for their song "The Playboy Mansion" on their album Pop.[14]
The American hip hop group De La Soul also sampled The Turtles' recording of "You Showed Me" for their song "Transmitting Live From Mars (Interlude)" on their 1989 album, 3 Feet High and Rising but did not ask permission or clear the sample. The Turtles took litigation against the group, suing them for $1.7 million. An out-of-court settlement was reached for an undisclosed sum . It is said to be the first time that a hip hop act was ever sued for unethical use of another artist's music.[2]
Other Covers
In 1997, the song was covered in a trip hop style[39] by The Lightning Seeds and was released as a single. It reached #8 on the UK Singles Chart.[40] The Lightning Seeds' version was also included on the Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery soundtrack.[39] The song has also been covered by Lutricia McNeal on her 2002 album, Metroplex.[41] In addition, Kanye West based his song "Gorgeous", from his 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, on elements derived from "You Showed Me".[42] In 2011, the alternative country duo The Watson Twins offered a free download of their cover of "You Showed Me" on their website.[43]
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