You Send Me is a gorgeous song with an interesting history. Sam Cooke first recorded it with his gospel group, The Soul Stirrers. It was rejected by the record company for being too secular. Big mistake: It was one of the biggest hits of Cooke’s brief but glorious career.

Sam Cooke wrote You Send Me in 1957. It was originally credited to his younger brother LC Cooke because of a dispute with Sam’s publisher.

We begin with the songwriter:

Otis Redding brought his characteristic passion and fire to this 1964 cover.

Aretha Franklin. Say no more.

Here’s an early solo recording by Mavis the Great:

Don and Phil Everly transformed the Cooke classic into an Everly Brothers song.

The instrumental versions don’t send me, so I’m closing with two New Orleans singers: Marva Wright and FCH regular Aaron Neville.

That’s it for this week. I propose a toast to Sam Cooke. Thanks for all the great music: You still send me, honest you do. It’s what Mac, Irma, Allen, and Aaron would want. Never argue with them,