734 Gene Pitney (1940-2006) “I’m Gonna Be Strong” and “It Hurts to Be in Love” 1964

“Pitney’s career initially flourished with two major hits, the Spector-influenced ‘It Hurts to Be in Love’ and the Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil-penned ‘I’m Gonna Be Strong.’ Surprisingly, most of Pitney’s subsequent recordings scored higher on the British charts than at home. In the process, he earned the respect of the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, who wrote ‘That Girl Belongs to Yesterday’ for Pitney to record, making him the first American to record a Stones composition” (Ken Burke, Contemporary Musicians, 2003). 

Gene Pitney “I’m Gonna Be Strong”

Gene Pitney “It Hurts to Be In Love”