Tell Him

"Tell Him", originally "Tell Her", is a 1962 song that was written and composed by Bert Berns, who, when he did so, used the pen name of Bert Russell, and which was popularized through its recording by the Exciters. The song was recorded as "Tell Her" by Dean Parrish in 1966, and Kenny Loggins in 1989. Billboard named the Exciters version at No. 95 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time. According to Jason Ankeny at AllMusic, the Exciters' version of "Tell Him" "...boasted an intensity that signified a sea change in the presentation and perception of femininity in popular music, paving the way for such tough, sexy acts as the Shangri-Las and the Ronettes." Early recordings The song was first recorded in 1962 as "Tell Her", by Gil Hamilton, aka Johnny Thunder, with Berns producing. "Tell Her" was also a single for Ed Townsend in 1962, before Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller produced the version by the Exciters, released as "Tell Him" in October 1962. "Tell Him" reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated 26 January 1963. A No. 5 R&B hit in the United States, "Tell Him" was No. 1 in France for two weeks, reached No. 5 in Australia, and No. 12 in Canada. In the UK, the Exciters' single peaked at No. 46, whilst a cover version by Billie Davis reached No. 10. In Chile, Davis' version peaked at No. 1. Another UK cover version by Alma Cogan did not appear in the UK Singles Chart, but it became the singer's breakout hit in Sweden with a No. 10 peak. In the Netherlands, the Exciters', Billie Davis's, and Alma Cogan's respective singles of "Tell Him" charted in tandem with a peak at No. 17. Cogan also recorded five alternate versions of "Tell Him", with lyrics in German, Japanese, Italian, Spanish and French; her French rendition of "Tell Him" reached No. 53 in France, where the Exciters' version reached No. 1. Although Billie Davis' version was also more popular in Argentina, the song had previously been recorded under the name "Dile", performed by the singer Juan Ramón in 1962. A year later, in 1963, Luis Aguilé recorded it , who emigrated to Spain and had resounding success with this song in that country. Dusty Springfield, en route to Nashville in 1962 to make a country music album with the Springfields, was on a stop-over in New York City when she heard the Exciters' "Tell Him" playing while taking a late night walk by the Colony Record Store on Broadway.