"Don't Make Me Over" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, originally recorded by American singer Dionne Warwick in August 1962 and released as the B-side of "I Smiled Yesterday" in October 1962 as her lead solo single from her debut album, Presenting Dionne Warwick (1963), issued under Scepter Records. The song reached number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.

Dionne Warwick original Warwick recorded "Don't Make Me Over" in August 1962, a song that was later chosen as the B-side of her lead single from her debut album Presenting Dionne Warwick. In October 1962, Scepter Records released the track as the B-side of her first solo single "I Smiled Yesterday". Initially, Warwick found out that "Make It Easy on Yourself"—the original demo of which she had recorded and had wanted to be her first single release—had been given to another artist, Jerry Butler.

From the contemporary phrase, "Don't make me over", Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote and produced their first US top 40 pop hit (No. 21) and US R&B hit (No. 5). It was also a top-forty hit in Canada, at number 38. The background vocals in the song were from the Gospelaires, which featured sister Dee Dee, Sylvia Shemwell and aunt Cissy Houston.

In 2000, Dionne Warwick's 1962 version of "Don't Make Me Over" on Scepter Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Track listing US, 7-inch vinyl single A1: "Don't Make Me Over" – 2:51 B1: "I Smiled Yesterday" – 2:43

UK, 7-inch vinyl single A1: "Don't Make Me Over" – 2:46 A2: "Shall I Tell Her" – 2:33 B1: "Make The Music Play" – 2:25 B2: "Any Old Time Of Day" – 2:25

France, 7-inch vinyl single A1: "Don't Make Me Over" – 2:46 A2: "Shall I Tell Her" – 3:20 B1: "I Smiled Yesterday" – 2:44 B2: "Wishin' And Hopin'" – 2:25

Charts Chart (1962–1963)PeakpositionCanada (CHUM)38France (IFOP)69US Cash Box Top 10017

Jennifer Warnes version

Chart (1979)Peakposition

Sybil version

In 1987, American singer Sybil included a dance cover of the song on her 1987 debut album, Let Yourself Go.Sybil - Let Yourself Go @ Amazon. Retrieved 20 December 2024."Don't Make Me Over" - Sybil (original 1987 version) @YouTube. Retrieved 20 December 2024. At the time, the song was not released as a single in its own right from the album.

However, in July 1989, Next Plateau Records released a remixed version of the song as the second single from Sybil's second album, Sybil (1989). This version reached number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Sybil's highest-charting Hot 100 song in the US, and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart. The song received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This version also peaked at number one in New Zealand for four weeks and became a UK hit, reaching number 19 on the UK Singles Chart.

Critical reception Bill Coleman from Billboard magazine described Sybil's cover as a "spirited Soul II Soul-ish rendition of the Dionne Warwick classic [that] has smash written all over it". In a retrospective review, Pop Rescue stated that it has a beat that musically reminds of "a hybrid" of Soul II Soul's "Keep On Movin'" and Take That's "Pray", calling it "mellow and soulful". Miranda Sawyer from Smash Hits noted "the swoony dance wisples" of the song. David Keeps from Spin felt Sybil "seems to be emerging as the Dionne Warwick of the Soul II Soul generation", remarking her "achingly sexy conga-strings-and-coos" version of "Don't Make Me Over".

Track listings

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1989–1990)PeakpositionAustralia (ARIA) 144Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 70Israel (Israeli Singles Chart) Search "Don't Make Me Over" for Israeli chart history. 6 Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg) 19Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade) 11US Billboard Hot 100 20US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard) 2US Dance Club Play (Billboard) 4US Hot Black Singles (Billboard) 2

Year-end charts Chart (1989)PositionUS 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard) 10US Dance Club Play (Billboard) 11US Hot Black Singles (Billboard) 5 Chart (1990)PositionNew Zealand (RIANZ) 17

Certifications

Release history RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)United KingdomJuly 10, 1989ChampionOctober 2, 1989JapanJanuary 1, 1990CDNext Plateau Inc.AustraliaJanuary 22, 1990Liberation

Other versions Various other versions of the song have been recorded: In 1964 the English singer Louise Cordet recorded the song which was released on Decca F11875 coupled with "Two Lovers". In January 1966, Liverpudlian band the Swinging Blue Jeans released a version which peaked at No. 31 in the United Kingdom and No. 83 in Canada Brenda & the Tabulations hit number 15 on the US R&B chart with their version in 1970.

References