"Reason to Believe" is a song written, composed, and first recorded by American folk singer Tim Hardin in 1965. It has since been recorded by artists including Bobby Darin in 1966, Karen Dalton also in 1966, Glen Campbell in 1968, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1969, the Carpenters in 1970, and Rod Stewart in 1971 and 1993.
After having had his recording contract terminated by Columbia Records, Tim Hardin achieved some success in the 1960s as a songwriter based in Greenwich Village. The original recording of "Reason to Believe" comes from Hardin's debut album, Tim Hardin 1, recorded in 1965 and released on the Verve Records label in 1966 when he was 25.[1]
Tim Hardin's original recording of the song is also on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Wonder Boys.[2]
The Carpenters[3] recorded "Reason to Believe" for their second LP, Close to You, in 1970. On television, the duo performed their version on The 5th Dimension Travelling Sunshine Show on August 18, 1971[4] and Make Your Own Kind of Music on September 7, 1971.[5] Richard Carpenter remixed the song for the release of the 1995 compilation, Interpretations: A 25th Anniversary Celebration.
"Reason to Believe" | ||||
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![]() German picture sleeve | ||||
Single by Rod Stewart | ||||
from the album Every Picture Tells a Story | ||||
B-side | "Maggie May" | |||
Released | July 1971 | |||
Recorded | 1971 | |||
Genre | Folk rock | |||
Length | 4:10 | |||
Label | Mercury | |||
Songwriter(s) | Tim Hardin | |||
Rod Stewart singles chronology | ||||
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Rod Stewart's version appeared as the first single from his 1971 album Every Picture Tells a Story, with "Maggie May" as the B-side. "Reason to Believe" reached No. 62 on the Hot 100 on its own before the more popular B-side overtook it on its way to No. 1 on the chart. The Hot 100 listed "Reason To Believe" as the flip side for the remaining 16 weeks of that run. Stewart's double-sided hit, which topped the Hot 100 during all five chart weeks of October 1971, held The Carpenters' "Superstar" at No. 2 during the third and fourth of those weeks.
A live version was released in 1993 on the album Unplugged...and Seated. Released as the second single from the album, it reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. The 1993 single includes a live version of "It's All Over Now", which was recorded during the MTV Unplugged performance but does not appear on the album.
Altogether, the two versions of "Reason to Believe" logged a total of 41 weeks on the Hot 100, more than any other Rod Stewart song.
Original version
Chart (1971) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] | 24 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[7] | 24 |
UK Singles (OCC)[8] Double A-side with "Maggie May" |
1 |
US Billboard Hot 100[9] | 62 |
US Cash Box Top 100[9] | 80 |
US Record World Singles Chart[9] | 29 |
Live version
Chart (1993) | Peak position |
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Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] | 3 |
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[11] | 1 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[12] | 79 |
UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 51 |
US Billboard Hot 100[14] | 19 |
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[15] | 2 |
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[16] | 24 |
Chart (1993) | Position |
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Canada Top Singles (RPM)[17] | 22 |
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[18] | 3 |
US Billboard Hot 100[19] | 90 |
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[20] | 23 |
Chart (1994) | Position |
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US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[21] | 44 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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New Zealand (RMNZ)[22] | Gold | 10,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Two of the softer spoken '60s folk-rockers, Tom Rush ("No Regrets") and Tim Hardin ("Reason to Believe"), get to stand up
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