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"Fever" is a song written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, who used the pseudonym John Davenport. It was originally recorded by American R&B singer Little Willie John in 1956 and released as a single in April of the same year. The song managed to top the ''Billboard'' R&B Best Sellers in the US and peak at number 24 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.〔(Little Willie John, "Fever" chart positions ). Retrieved June 20, 2015〕 It was received positively by music critics and included on several lists of the best songs during the time it was released. It has been covered by numerous artists from various musical genres, most notably by Peggy Lee whose rendition became the most widely known version of "Fever" and the singer's signature song. Lee's version contained rewritten lyrics different from the original and an altered music arrangement. It became a top-five hit on the music charts in the UK and Australia in addition to entering the top ten in the US and the Netherlands. "Fever" was nominated in three categories at the 1st Annual Grammy Awards in 1959, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Other notable cover versions of "Fever" include those by Elvis Presley, The McCoys, La Lupe, Beyoncé and Madonna. The latter released it as a single from her fifth studio album ''Erotica'' (1992) in March 1993 through Warner Bros. It topped the charts in Finland and the Hot Dance Club Songs in the US in addition to charting in the top 50 in many other countries. Madonna promoted "Fever" by filming and releasing a music video directed by Stéphane Sednaoui and performing the song on several television shows as well as her 1993 The Girlie Show World Tour. Various versions of "Fever" by different artists were used in many films, theater plays and television shows. ==Background and reception== The idea for "Fever" was presented to Otis Blackwell by an old friend, Eddie Cooley, who in 1956 had a hit song called "Priscilla". Blackwell said: "Eddie Cooley was a friend of mine from New York and he called me up and said 'Man, I got an idea for a song called 'Fever', but I can't finish it.' I had to write it under another name because, at that time, I was still under contract to Joe Davis."〔(Eddie Cooley at Black Cat Rockabilly )〕 Little Willie John reportedly disliked the song, but was persuaded to record it, on March 1, 1956, by King Records owner Syd Nathan and arranger and producer Henry Glover.〔(Peggy Lee Discography )〕 "Fever" is a soul and rhythm and blues minor key opus with an arrangement consisting of low saxophones played by Ray Felder and Rufus "Nose" Gore and a jazz guitar by Bill Jennings. The vocal style of Willie John is similar to moaning and he is backed by finger snaps. Bill Dahl from the website AllMusic noted a contrast between the song's "ominous" arrangement and the vocals along with the finger snapping which "marginally lightened the mood".〔 "Fever" was released as a single in April 1956〔 and became a double-sided hit along with the top-ten R&B song "Letter from My Darling". "Fever" reached number one for three weeks on the ''Billboard'' R&B Best Sellers chart in the United States, peaking at the top on July 21, 1956.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Little Willie John - Awards )〕 It also made the pop charts, peaking at number 24 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.〔 The song has sold one million copies in the US.〔 In a consumer review, Robert Christgau described Willie John's "Fever" as a very "fervid" song.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Consumer Guide Reviews: Little Willie John )〕 Bill Dahl from the website AllMusic credited "Fever" for winning the "boisterous teen an across-the-board audience" for Willie John.〔 The writer further opined that the singer's "sweaty case of love-rooted 'Fever' was seemingly grave, judging from his riveting intensity, yet he doesn't sound like he minds at all".〔 ''NME'' magazine listed "Fever" as the 96th best song of the 1950s. In his ''The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made'' list published in 1989, critic Dave Marsh ranked "Fever" at the position of 109. The song was included on the greatest hits albums ''Fever: The Best of Little Willie John'' (1993) and ''The Very Best of Little Willie John'' (2001). The Cramps' cover of the song was included on the soundtrack to the 2009 comedy film ''The Hangover''.〔http://www.amazon.com/The-Hangover-Original-Picture-Soundtrack/dp/B00274SIJW〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Fever (Little Willie John song)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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