The Top 250 Hits of the Last 50 Years - #214 To Sir WIth Love - Lulu

"To Sir, with Love" is the theme from the 1967 film To Sir, with Love. The song was written by Don Black and Mark London, husband of Lulu's longtime manager Marion Massey. The recording session was produced by Mickie Most, and arranged and conducted by Don Leander.
"To Sir, with Love" was initially recorded by Lulu (with The Mindbenders, who also acted in the film). Her single was released in 1967 and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining in the top position for five weeks and earning the number one position for the entire year. Canada's RPM Magazine put the song at #2 for the year 1967. In fact, the song holds the distinction of being the only song by a British artist to hit number one on the US charts and not even chart in the UK.
In Lulu's native UK, the song was never released in its own right, instead appearing as the B-side to the 1967 No. 11 hit "Let's Pretend."

Other cover versions

• Al Green covered the song in 1978 on the album Truth n' Time.
• Vicki Sue Robinson covered the song in 1984.
• Trash Can Sinatras covered the song in 1996 on the album A Happy Pocket.
• New Zealand songstress Ngaire had covered the song in 1991, resulting in a NZ no. 1 hit
• The song was performed by 10,000 Maniacs with Michael Stipe at the MTV inaugural ball for Bill Clinton in 1993.
• Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles recorded a version in 1997 and included it as an uncredited bonus track on her self-titled CD.
• Soul Asylum recorded a live version in 1997 and included it on the album After the Flood: Live from the Grand Forks Prom, June 28, 1997.
• Canadian singer-songwriter Jann Arden included a cover of "To Sir With Love" on her 1997 album Happy?.
• Luscious Jackson included a cover version of the song as a B-side to their Ladyfingers single released in 1999.
• Chaka Khan covered the song on her 2005 album "ClassiKhan". The Japanese edition included a remix of this song (the Barry Harris Club Mix).
• On the ABC television show Boy Meets World, Eric Matthews sang this song in the episode "Graduation" in hopes to keep Mr. Feeny from retiring.
• On the FX Channel television show Sons of Anarchy, Katey Sagal sang this song in the episode "J'ai Obtenu Cette" during the show's opening.
• Al Green covered the song on Ally McBeal episode 49, "Seeing Green" (Season 3, Episode 3, 1999)
• Glee (TV Series) produced by Fox Broadcasting Company cast members with soloists Lea Michele, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer covered the song in the episode, Journey to Regionals, season 1, episode 22 and it was later featured on their EP Journey to Regionals (aired 8 June 2010)