The story behind Jackie DeShannon’s “Put A Little Love in Your Heart”
Songwriter Jackie DeShannon tells the story behind the song
NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison and songwriter Jackie DeShannon discuss their song “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” for the “Story Behind the Song” series.
Jackie DeShannon’s recording of “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” has endured decades since its release in 1969.
However, for the respected singer and songwriter, the record was the second best vocal performance she had ever recorded.
DeShannon: “I called my mom right after I recorded the vocal and said, ‘I think you’d be so proud of me. I think I did the best vocal I’ve ever done.’ So I went into the control room and asked to play it and they said, ‘It’s not here.’ I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ They said it’s not here. Your vocal got erased.”
DeShannon had to go back, put on her headphones and sing the song again, even though she knew it wouldn’t be as good as the first one.
Bart Herbison, International Executive Director of the Nashville Songwriters Association, recently met with DeShannon to learn the story behind the song “Put A Little Love in Your Heart.”
Herbison: “‘Put A Little Love in Your Heart’ is probably played as much, if not more, today than when you wrote it. But Randy (your brother and co-writer of the song) was instrumental in it. If I remember correctly, a little guitar riff introduced the song, right?”
JD: “Actually, he played a little piano riff that we thought sounded really good. We were working with our co-writer Jimmy Holiday on this album and just thinking up different songs to get ideas and then it just happened. Put a little love in your heart… My mom always said that and somehow it came in here and came out there.”
The song became a ’70s anthem that exuded peace, love and unity. DeShannon said it was a message that needed to be heard, adding that all the things that were happening in the late ’60s certainly influenced the song. And to this day, it’s still her favorite song she’s ever written and recorded.
JD: “I wish everyone would wake up with ‘Put a little love in your heart.’ … (And) just a moment or two to be kind. A moment or two to … be a little more open to people, because we all need to pull together, because this country is not just divided into this group and that group. America is everyone and we need to affirm that in ourselves and … try to understand what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes. Isn’t that the way we can get back to being the best we can be individually and as a nation?”
More stories: The story behind the song: Find out how “Wichita Lineman” came about
More stories: Songwriter Siedah Garrett co-wrote “Man in the Mirror” for Michael Jackson. Here’s how
Although it was not intended as a gospel song, DeShannon’s experience as a gospel singer was incorporated.
JD: “When you hear Mahalia Jackson sing it… it takes on something different. But isn’t the mark of a great song that it gets new life through different arrangements and whatever? And I think you can ask most songwriters, can you play any great song on a guitar or a piano, but no matter what arrangement you put behind it, it’s going to be a country song, it’s going to be a pop song, no matter what label you use now. But a great song resonates with people. A great song, people take to their hearts. That’s, you know, what I think a songwriter wants to achieve.”
“This episode was produced in collaboration with NSAI and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and their songwriter interview series Poets and Prophets. The show was filmed and premiered on May 23 as part of the Museum’s Live at the Hall digital programming series. It can be streamed at: https://watch.countrymusichalloffame.org/live-at-the-hall-series.”
About the series
In partnership with the Nashville Songwriters Association International, the “Story Behind the Song” video interview series features Nashville songwriters discussing one of their compositions. Full video interviews with all of our interviewees can be found at www.tennessean.com/music.
Taylor Swift fans ‘confused’ by The National: Berninger
A classical composer’s reaction to hearing a Taylor Swift song for the first time
Man arrested in Richmond for animal cruelty after death of Pomeranian
About The Author
