“Just One Look,” by Doris Troy.

Today’s track to remember takes us way into the depths of time, back to 1963 and the superb original version of “Just One Look,” by Doris Troy.

Becoming a UK hit for Manchester band The Hollies a year later in 1964, Linda Ronstadt and Anne Murray also covered the song.

Written by Doris (listed in the credits as Doris Payne) and co-collaborator, fellow R&B singer Gregory Carroll, it reached no.10 on the Billboard Hot 100, spending 14 weeks on the chart.

Born Doris Higginsen in 1937 in New York’s Bronx, she took her Grandmother’s name and grew up as Doris Payne. She was discovered by James Brown when working as an usherette at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and began songwriting and worked as a backing singer for Dionne Warwick, amongst others. She was known as “Mama Soul to her fans.

After moving to the UK in 1969, she signed for the Beatles’ Apple Records label, releasing an eponymous album “Doris Troy,” co-produced by herself and George Harrison, with Ringo Starr, Stephen Stills and Klaus Voormann also contributing as session musicians. 

In a 5-year period based in the UK, she also worked with the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and many others.

She died of emphysema in Las Vegas, aged 67, in 2004.

I very much like the Hollies' cover of the song, but Doris’ original exudes more raw energy, and the “plinky” piano in the background is totally sublime!