(Todd Rundgren)
“Hello It’s Me” might have slinked off into the shadows of hits that never were had it not been recycled by its author, Todd Rundgren. It was intended to thrust The Nazz into the spotlight, but it didn’t register a blip in 1968. Four years later, it was jazzed up and blissfully over-produced by Rundgren, now a solo act, on his album Something/Anything?. It would reach #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and become Todd Rundgren’s biggest hit and signature song.
It has also been covered by a variety of artists including Christy Ballance, on her album Rhythm and Beach Superband, Paul Giamatti in the film Duets, Groove Theory, The Isley Brothers on their album Live It Up, and John Legend, whose version appeared in several Gap commercials.
Sources:
1. http://music.msn.com/search/song/?ss=The+Isley+Brothers+-+Hello+It’s+Me%20%20&affid=100001
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazz
3. http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2006/02/26/181/
4. http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/window/media/page/0,,1687821-4379874-WMLO,00.html
5. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=5871