Song: Suspicious Minds
Artists: Fine Young Cannibals
Original artist: Elvis Presley
At the risk of beginning to sound like a stuck record (remember them?) I should point
out that Elvis did not sing the original of Suspicious Minds, but he was the first to have
success with it (similar to Always on My Mind).
The 1968 original was sung by its writer Mark James who, incidentally, was also
involved in Always on My Mind. James’s recording did not fare well commercially, so
Elvis stepped in with totally the opposite effect. The Presley version went to No 1 in the
Billboard charts marking Elvis’s 18 th and final US chart-topper.
As is often the case with songwriting James had an autobiographical base for the lyrics.
At the time he was married to his first wife, but still had regard for a childhood
sweetheart who was also married. James’s wife had suspicions about his feelings and
the seed for Suspicious Minds was sewn.
In 2003 Rolling Stone magazine ranked it No 91 in its 500 Greatest Hits of all Time.
In 1986 the Fine Young Cannibals (FYC) cover was released and rose to No 8 in the UK
charts. If you listen closely to the song featured below you will hear the distinctive
backing vocals from Jimmy Somerville of Bronski Beat and Communards fame.
FYC would go on to have chart-topping successes with She Drives Me Crazy and Good
Thing.
In 1990, the band won two Brit Awards – Best British Group and Best British Album
for The Raw & the Cooked.
