Put a Little Love in Your Heart
"Put a Little Love in Your Heart" is a song originally performed in 1969 by Jackie DeShannon, who composed it with her brother Randy Myers and Jimmy Holiday. In the U.S., it was DeShannon's highest-charting hit, reaching number 4 on the Hot 100 in August 1969 and number 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In late 1969, the song reached number 1 on South Africa's hit parade. The song rivalled the success of her signature song, "What the World Needs Now Is Love".
In 1988, Annie Lennox and Al Green released a cover version of "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" which reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
| Australia Kent Music Report | 15 |
| Canada RPM Top Singles | 12 |
| Canada Adult Contemporary | 9 |
| South African Singles Chart | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 4 |
| US Adult Contemporary | 2 |
Annie Lennox and Al Green version
In 1988, Annie Lennox and Al Green recorded a version that was released as the ending theme song to the 1988 film Scrooged. The song reached number 9 in the US on the Hot 100 in January 1989, and climbed all the way to number 2 on both the US Adult Contemporary and Canadian Singles charts, as well as becoming a top 40 hit in several countries worldwide, including number 28 in the UK for the festive season of 1988–1989. Although credited to Lennox, the song was produced by her Eurythmics partner David A. Stewart. The b-side "A Great Big Piece of Love" is an experimental track by Eurythmics, credited under the alias 'The Spheres of Celestial Influence'.The video was directed by Sophie Muller.
Personnel
- Annie Lennox – vocals
- Al Green – vocals
- David A. Stewart – background vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, drums
Other versions
- Siw Malmkvist, in Swedish Pröva litet kärlek nån gång on her LP Underbara Siw.
- Susan Raye, on her debut 1969 album, One Night Stand. It was released as a single and peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
- The Dave Clark Five, in 1969. Issued as a single in the UK, it spent four weeks in the top 75, reaching number 31.
- Andy Williams – Get Together with Andy Williams
- David Ruffin, on his second solo album, Feelin' Good.
- The Cuff Links covered the song on the 1969 album Tracy, with vocals provided by Ron Dante.
- Cilla Black – Sweet Inspiration
- The Isley Brothers, on their 1972 Brother, Brother, Brother album.
- Leonard Nimoy, on his 1974 album Outer Space/Inner Mind.
- Circle Jerks included a hard-core punk version on their 1982 album, Wild in the Streets.
- At the end of Richard Donner's film Scrooged, Bill Murray breaks the fourth wall to lead a sing-along of the Annie Lennox and Al Green version of the song.
- Dolly Parton included a version on her 1993 album Slow Dancing with the Moon.
- Canadian singer Anne Murray included a version on her 1999 album What a Wonderful World.
- The Flash musical episode "Duet" aired on March21, 2017, included a version sung by the show's various actors.
- Bright Light Bright Light included a duet, performed with Nerina Pallot, on his 2017 EP Cinematography III''.
- Amy Grant released a version as a single in 2022.