The Songs New Bedford’s Tiny Tavares Wishes He Had Recorded

Occasionally, a performer turns down a role in a film and later regrets the decision as the movie turns out to be a smash hit for someone else.

MovieWeb.com says Burt Reynolds declined an offer to play James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever and later Han Solo in Star Wars. Jack Nicholson reportedly turned down the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather. I guess they failed to make him an offer he couldn't refuse.

The same is true of recording artists. Countless artists including Michael Jackson, Meat Loaf, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion turned down songs that became mega hits for other artists.

Pulse Music says Sara Evans rejected "Jesus, Take the Wheel," which was snatched up by Carrie Underwood. Evans reportedly thought the song was "stupid."

According to Pulse Music, Britney Spears cut "Telephone" from her Circus album." Lady Gaga took it instead.

I asked New Bedford's Tiny Tavares of the legendary R&B and soul group Tavares if he and his brothers ever turned down a song and later regretted it.

"Nope," Tavares said.

Tiny said Tavares recorded songs from some of the best writers, including Benjamin Wright, Freddy Perrin and Ken St. Louis, Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, Allen Abrahams, Johnny Bristol, and Rick Wyatt.

Tiny selected most of the songs Tavares recorded.

"It would take a couple of weeks to get an answer from everybody" about which songs to choose and which to toss away, he said.

So which Tavares hit is Tiny's favorite?

"I'm split between three: 'Don't Take Away The Music,' 'Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel' and 'Check It Out,'" he said. He quickly added a fourth song, "Whodunit," to the list.

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Which song was most impactful for Tavares?

"Too many to pick from," he said.

After some reflection, Tiny said, "One would think that 'Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel' would be the most impactful but all around the world we get a bigger response from 'Don't Take Away the Music.'"

"In Italy, 'More Than a Woman' was bigger than 'Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel," he said.

What about songs that other groups recorded that Tiny wishes Tavares had gotten its hands on first?

"Off the top of my head, Earth, Wind and Fire's 'September' and' Boogie Wonderland,'" he said. Other songs Tiny wished Tavares had found first included 'Get Down on It' and 'Ladies Night' by Kool & the Gang, Marvin Gaye's 'Sexual Healing' and 'Let's Get It On,' and 'My Girl' and 'Papa Was a Rolling Stone' by the Temptations.

Also on Tiny's long dream list are classics from The Four Tops, Jeffrey Osborne and Barry White.