"Cupid" is a song by the American singer Sam Cooke, released on May 16, 1961. It charted at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 20 on the Hot R&B Sides chart; the track performed best in the United Kingdom, peaking at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. The song is featured on Cooke's greatest hits album, The Best of Sam Cooke (1962).

History Cooke's producers had asked him to write a song for Sandy Stewart, who they had seen on The Perry Como Show—but once they heard her sing more than one sing, they kept "Cupid" for Cooke himself. The song was recorded at Cooke's debut session at RCA Records in Los Angeles, produced by Cooke and Hugo & Luigi, but only Luigi Creatore was able to attend as co-producer Hugo Peretti was afraid of flying.

René Hall arranged the piece with French horn and strings. Personnel included Cooke's session regulars Clifton White and Hall on guitar, Clifford Hills on bass, Earl Palmer on drums and Joseph Gibbons on guitar and banjo. Cooke's original idea was to bring in the Sims Twins, the gospel duo of Bobbie and Kenneth Sims, to perform backing vocals mimicking the sound of a bow shooting an arrow.

The final version was chosen after seven takes. Cooke left for a tour of the West Indies shortly after completing the recording.

Reception An AllMusic critic described the track as a "perfect pop song" which combines "Latin, R&B, jazz, and mainstream pop elements".

Charts and certifications "Cupid" was ranked at number 452 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004 and at number 458 in 2010. Weekly charts

Chart (1961 - Sam Cooke)PeakpositionUS Cash Box Top 100Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 5, 196116

Year-end charts Chart (1961)RankUK The 100 Best-Selling Singles of 196174

Chart (1969–70 – Johnny Nash)PeakpositionCanada RPM Top Singles30Canada RPM Adult Contemporary32US Billboard Hot 10039

Chart (1976 – Tony Orlando and Dawn)PeakpositionCanada RPM Adult Contemporary5Canada RPM Top Singles27New Zealand (RIANZ)Flavour of New Zealand, 11 June 197622U.S. Billboard Hot 10022

Chart (1976)RankCanada 190

Chart (1980 – The Spinners)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)17Canada RPM Adult ContemporaryRPM Adult Contemporary, August 2, 19801

Chart (1980)RankAustralia 132UK 74US Billboard Hot 100Musicoutfitters.com29US Billboard R&B50US Cash Box Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 198032

Chart (2008 – Amy Winehouse)Peakposition

Certifications

Cover versions

In 1964, Johnny Rivers covered the song on his album In Action. In 1965, The Supremes covered the song on their tribute album We Remember Sam Cooke. In 1970, Johnny Nash's rocksteady and reggae version, released in late 1969, peaked at number 39 on the Hot 100 on January 24, 1970. In the United Kingdom, this version peaked at number 6 in May 1969.Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 333. . It was the B-side to his hit song "Hold Me Tight". In 1975, Gary Glitter covered the song on his album G.G.. In 1976, Dawn's cover peaked at number 22 on the Hot 100 on March 20–27, 1976, and number two on the Easy Listening chart. In 1980, the song was covered, in a medley with Michael Zager's "I've Loved You For a Long Time", by The Spinners. This version went to number four on July 19 - August 2, 1980, on the Hot 100, thus becoming the highest-charting version on the Hot 100, and number five on the R&B chart. Otis Redding was also known for covering a number of Cooke's songs including "Cupid". His cover was included on the 1993 box set Otis! The Definitive Otis Redding. In 2006, Amy Winehouse covered the song on her album Back to Black.

Other In 1970, the song's opening lyrics featured in Edwin Starr's "Running Back and Forth" from War & Peace. This song's melody is interpolated in Carly Rae Jepsen's song "Tiny Little Bows" from her second studio album, Kiss (2012).

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