Sequel songs have been around from the dawn of the Rock Era and continue to be popular with music moguls today.
“Sequel”, Harry Chapin’s follow-up to “Taxi” is one of the most recognizable. Bobby Boris Pickett followed up “Monster Mash” with “Monster Swim”. And Jimmy Dean tried for a sequel to “Big Bad John” with “Cajun Queen.”
We all know the formula. Once a song is a hit, record companies want to cover it, clone it or answer it.
Sequels were often “answers” to the questions posed in the hit records that spawned them. One of the more famous is Neil Sedaka’s “Oh, Carol,” a thinly disguised ode to Carole King, prompted the Brill Building genius to respond with her composition, “Oh Neil.”
Here are 86 examples of hit records from the rock era that spawned “answers,” often from other artists, but in rare cases, from the originating artist themselves.
Thanks to our archivist, John Friest, the Motor City Music Detective, for help with this compilation.
| Title | Artist | Label | Year | Peak | Time |
| The Wild Side Of Life | Hank Thompson | (Capitol Single # 1942) | 1951 | 1 | 2:41 |
| It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels | Kitty Wells | (Decca Single # 28232) | 1952 | 1 | 2:29 |
| Back Street Affair | Webb Pierce | (Decca Single # 28369) | 1952 | 1 | 2:44 |
| Paying For That Back Street Affair | Kitty Wells | (Decca Single # 28578) | 1953 | 6 | 2:35 |
| Jambalaya (On The Bayou) | Hank Williams | (MGM Single # 11283) | 1952 | 20 | 2:51 |
| I’m Yvonne (From The Bayou) | Goldie Hill | (Decca Single # 28685) | 1952 | – | 2:15 |
| Lawdy Miss Clawdy | Lloyd Price | (Specialty Single # 428) | 1952 | 1 | 2:30 |
| Forgive Me Clawdy | Lloyd Price | (Specialty Single # 582) | 1956 | – | 2:05 |
| Don’t Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes | Perry Como | (RCA Victor Single # 5064) | 1953 | 1 | 2:43 |
| I Let The Stars Get In My Eyes | Goldie Hill | (Decca Single # 28473) | 1953 | 1 | 2:32 |
| Mexican Joe | Jim Reeves | (Abbott Single # 116) | 1953 | 1 | 2:37 |
| The Marriage Of Mexican Joe | Carolyn Bradshaw | (Abbott Single # 141) | 1953 | 10 | 2:35 |
| I Forgot More Than You’ll Ever Know | The Davis Sisters | (RCA Victor Single # 5345) | 1953 | 18 | 2:58 |
| I Found Out More Than You Ever Knew | Betty Cody | (RCA Victor Single # 5462) | 1953 | 10 | 3:03 |
| Yesterday’s Girl | Hank Thompson | (Capitol Single # 2553) | 1953 | 8 | 3:02 |
| I’m Yesterday’s Girl | Goldie Hill | (Decca Single # 28898) | 1953 | – | 2:53 |
| There Stands The Glass | Webb Pierce | (Decca Single # 28834) | 1953 | 1 | 2:23 |
| Please Throw Away The Glass | Betty Cody | (RCA Victor Single # 5600) | 1954 | ||
| I Really Don’t Want To Know | Eddy Arnold | (RCA Victor Single # 5525) | 1954 | 1 | 2:33 |
| I Really Want You To Know | Betty Cody | (RCA Victor Single # 5630) | 1954 | – | 2:28 |
| Sixteen Tons | Tennessee Ernie Ford | (Capitol Single # 3262) | 1955 | 1 | 2:34 |
| Sixteen Pounds (Housewives Lament) | Gloria Becker | (Real Single # 1304) | 1955 | – | 2:25 |
| Geisha Girl | Hank Locklin | (RCA Victor Single # 6984) | 1957 | 66 | 2:08 |
| Lost To A Geisha Girl | Skeeter Davis | (RCA Victor Single # 7084) | 1958 | 15 | 2:13 |
| Fraulein | Bobby Helms | (Decca Single # 30194) | 1957 | 36 | 2:51 |
| I’ll Always Be Your Fraulein | Kitty Wells | (Decca Single # 30415) | 1957 | 10 | 2:46 |
| Ballad Of A Teenage Queen | Johnny Cash | (Sun Single # 283) | 1958 | 14 | 2:09 |
| Return Of The Teenage Queen | Tommy Tucker | (RCA Victor Single # 7838) | 1961 | – | 2:06 |
| Chantilly Lace | The Big Bopper | (Mercury Single # 71343) | 1958 | 6 | 2:19 |
| That Makes It | Jayne Mansfield | (Original Sound Single # 51) | 1958 | – | 2:26 |
| El Paso | Marty Robbins | (Columbia Single # 41511) | 1959 | 1 | 4:21 |
| El Pizza | Dudley | (Arvee Single # 587) | 1960 | – | 2:56 |
| Tall Pall | Annette Funicello | (Disneyland Single # 118) | 1959 | 7 | 1:32 |
| Short Mort | Carole King | (RCA Victor Single # 7560) | 1959 | – | 2:03 |
| The Long Black Veil | Lefty Frizzell | (Columbia Single # 41384) | 1959 | 6 | 3:04 |
| My Long Black Veil | Marijohn Wilkin | (Columbia) | 1961 | – | 3:18 |
| Oh! Carol | Neil Sedaka | (RCA Victor Single # 7595) | 1959 | 9 | 2:13 |
| Oh Neil | Carole King | (Alpine Single # 57) | 1959 | – | 2:04 |
| Deck Of Cards | Wink Martindale | (Dot Single # 15968) | 1959 | 7 | 3:51 |
| A Hillbilly’s Deck Of Cards | Simon Crum | (Capitol Single # 3270) | 1959 | – | 3:14 |
| There Goes My Baby | The Drifters | (Atlantic Single # 2025) | 1959 | 2 | 2:09 |
| I Found My Baby | The Fabulous Fabuliers | (Angletone Single # 539) | 1960 | – | 1:44 |
| Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie | Brian Hyland | (Kapp Single # 342) | 1960 | 1 | 2:20 |
| Four Shy Girls | The Girlfriends | (Pioneer Single # 71833) | 1961 | – | 2:27 |
| He’ll Have To Go | Jim Reeves | (RCA Victor Single # 7643) | 1960 | 2 | 2:17 |
| He’ll Have To Stay | Jeannie Black | (Capitol Single # 4368) | 1960 | 4 | 2:41 |
| Please Help Me I’m Falling | Hank Locklin | (RCA Victor Single # 7692) | 1960 | 8 | 2:20 |
| (I Can’t Help It) I’m Fallin’ Too | Skeeter Davis | (RCA Victor Single # 7767) | 1960 | 39 | 2:43 |
| Save The Last Dance For Me | The Drifters | (Atlantic Single # 2071) | 1960 | 1 | 2:26 |
| I’ll Save The Last Dance For You | Damita Jo | (Mercury Single # 71690) | 1960 | 22 | 2:13 |
| Just One Time | Don Gibson | (RCA Victor Single # 7690) | 1960 | 29 | 2:43 |
| I Want To See You Too (Just One Time) | Skeeter Davis | (From LP “Here’s The Answer”) | 1961 | – | 2:22 |
| Sink The Bismarck | Johnny Horton | (Columbia Single # 41568) | 1960 | 3 | 3:11 |
| (We Didn’t) Sink The Bismarck | Homer & Jethro | (RCA Victor Single # 7744) | 1960 | 108 | 2:31 |
| Poetry In Motion | Johnny Tillotson | (Cadence Single # 1384) | 1960 | 2 | 2:28 |
| Enormity In Motion | Simon Crum | (Capitol Single # 4499) | 1960 | – | 2:34 |
| Chain Gang | Sam Cooke | (RCA Victor Single # 7783) | 1960 | 2 | 2:39 |
| The Sound Of My Man | Theola Kilgore | (Candix Single # 311) | 1960 | – | 2:26 |
| Is There Something On Your Mind | Bobby Marchan | (Fire Single # 1022) | 1960 | 31 | 4:49 |
| There Is Nothing On My Mind | The Teen Queens | (Antler Single # 4014) | 1960 | 121 | 3:58 |
| I Like It Like That | Chris Kenner | (Instant Single # 3229) | 1961 | 2 | 1:57 |
| I Don’t Like It Like That | The Bobbettes | (Gone Single # 5112) | 1961 | 72 | 1:51 |
| Walk On By | Leroy Van Dyke | (Mercury Single # 71834) | 1961 | 5 | 2:18 |
| I’ll Just Walk On By | Margie Singleton | (Mercury Single # 71928) | 1961 | – | 2:21 |
| I Fall To Pieces | Patsy Cline | (Decca Single # 31205) | 1961 | 12 | 2:46 |
| I’ll Pick Up The Pieces | Gerrie Lynn | (Columbia Single # 44099) | 1961 | – | 2:28 |
| Stand By Me | Ben E. King | (Atco Single # 6194) | 1961 | 4 | 2:58 |
| I’ll Be There | Damita Jo | (Mercury Single # 71840) | 1961 | 12 | 2:45 |
| Runaround Sue | Dion | (Laurie Single # 3110) | 1961 | 1 | 2:38 |
| I’m No Runaround | Ginger Davis | (Swan Single # 4090) | 1961 | – | 2:38 |
| Will You Love Me Tomorrow | The Shirelles | (Scepter Single # 1211) | 1961 | 1 | 2:39 |
| Not Just Tomorrow But Always | Bertell Dache | (United Artists Single # 290) | 1961 | – | 2:47 |
| Big Bad John | Jimmy Dean | (Columbia Single # 42175) | 1961 | 1 | 2:59 |
| Small Sad Sam | Bob Kayli | (Tamla Single # 54051) | 1961 | – | 2:39 |
| Little Sister | Elvis Presley | (RCA Victor Single # 7908) | 1961 | 5 | 2:30 |
| Hey Memphis | Lavern Baker | (Atlantic Single # 2119) | 1961 | 102 | 2:27 |
| Shop Around | The Miracles | (Tamla Single # 54034) | 1961 | 2 | 2:48 |
| Don’t Let Him Shop Around | Debbie Dean | (Motown Single # 1007) | 1961 | 92 | 2:38 |
| Mother-In-Law | Ernie K-Doe | (Minit Single # 623) | 1961 | 1 | 2:31 |
| Son-In-Law | The Blossoms | (Challenge Single # 9109) | 1961 | 79 | 2:03 |
| Hit The Road Jack | Ray Charles | (ABC-Paramount Single # 10244) | 1961 | 1 | 1:56 |
| Well I Told You | The Chantels | (Carlton Single # 564) | 1961 | 29 | 2:24 |
| Tower Of Strength | Gene McDaniels | (Liberty Single # 55371) | 1961 | 5 | 2:19 |
| You Don’t Have To Be A Tower Of Strength | Gloria Lynne | (Everest Single # 19428) | 1961 | 100 | 2:12 |
| Daddy’s Home | Shep & The Limelites | (Hull Single # 740) | 1961 | 2 | 2:48 |
| Sorry Daddy | The Sweethearts | (Ray Starr Single # 778) | 1961 | – | 2:45 |
| Hello Walls | Faron Young | (Capitol Single # 4533) | 1961 | 12 | 2:23 |
| Hello Fool | Ralph Emery | (Liberty Single # 55352) | 1961 | 100 | 2:23 |
| Deck Of Cards | Tex Ritter | (Capitol Single # 1623) | 1961 | – | 4:32 |
| High School Yearbook (A Deck Of Cards) | Ray Stevens | (NRC Single # 031) | 1959 | – | 2:44 |
| Wolverton Mountain | Claude King | (Columbia Single # 42352) | 1962 | 6 | 2:55 |
| I’m The Girl From Wolverton Mountain | Jo Ann Campbell | (Cameo Single # 223) | 1962 | 38 | 2:42 |
| Charlie’s Shoes | Billy Walker | (Columbia Single # 42287) | 1962 | 1 | 2:13 |
| The Answer To Charlie’s Shoes | Jonie & Johnny Mosby | (Columbia Single # 42449) | 1962 | – | 2:21 |
| She’s Got You | Patsy Cline | (Decca Single # 31354) | 1962 | 14 | 2:57 |
| She Can Have You | Judy | (Capitol Single # 4745) | 1962 | – | 2:14 |
| Duke Of Earl | Gene Chandler | (Vee-Jay Single # 416) | 1962 | 1 | 2:21 |
| Duchess Of Earl | The Pearlettes | (Vee-Jay Single # 435) | 1962 | 96 | 2:14 |
| Save The Last Dance For Me | Jay & The Americans | (From The LP “She Cried”) | 1962 | – | 2:27 |
| You’re Having The Last Dance With Me | Billy Fury | (From LP “Halfway To Paradise”) | 1961 | – | 2:14 |
| Sherry | The Four Seasons | (Vee-Jay Single # 456) | 1962 | 1 | 2:36 |
| Jerry (I’m Your Sherry) | Tracey Dey | (Vee-Jay Single # 467) | 1962 | – | 2:30 |
| Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello | Elvis Presley | (RCA Victor Single # 8041) | 1962 | 55 | 1:51 |
| Just Tell Him Jane Said Hello | Gerri Granger | (Big Top Single # 3150) | 1962 | – | 2:22 |
| Bring It On Home To Me | Sam Cooke | (RCA Victor Single # 8036) | 1962 | 13 | 2:41 |
| I’ll Bring It On Home To You | Carla Thomas | (Atlantic Single # 2163) | 1962 | 41 | 3:02 |
| Are You Lonesome Tonight? | Frank Sinatra | (From The LP “All Alone”) | 1962 | – | 3:29 |
| Yes I’m Lonesome Tonight | Dodie Stevens | (Dot Single # 16167) | 1961 | 60 | 3:31 |
| Sheila | Tommy Roe | (ABC-Paramount Single # 10329) | 1962 | 1 | 2:01 |
| Sheila | Jo Ann Campbell | (From The LP “All The Hits By Jo Ann Campbell”) | 1962 | – | 2:00 |
| Devil Woman | Marty Robbins | (Columbia Single # 42486) – Marty Robbins | 1962 | 16 | 2:51 |
| Devil Woman | Jo Ann Campbell | (From The LP “All The Hits By Jo Ann Campbell”) | 1962 | – | 2:54 |
| Speedy Gonzales | Pat Boone | (Dot Single # 16368) | 1962 | 6 | 2:32 |
| Tia Juana Ball | The Ralke | (Warner Brothers Single # 5369) | 1963 | – | 2:09 |
| Call Me Mr. In-Between | Burl Ives | (Decca Single # 31405) | 1962 | 19 | 2:40 |
| Little Miss In-Between | Jo Ann Campbell | (All The Hits By Jo Ann Campbell) | 1962 | – | 2:33 |
| 500 Miles Away From Home | Bobby Bare | (RCA Victor Single # 8238) | 1963 | 10 | 2:40 |
| He’s Comin’ Home | Mary Taylor | (Capitol Single # 5107) | 1963 | – | 2:59 |
| Detroit City | Bobby Bare | (RCA Victor Single # 8183) | 1963 | 16 | 2:47 |
| Why Don’tcha Come Home | Shirley Ray | (Epic Single # 9574) | 1963 | – | 2:59 |
| Sugar Shack | Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs | (Dot Single # 16487) | 1963 | 1 | 2:00 |
| Sugar Shack Queen | Georgia Lynn | (Challenge Single # 59220) | 1963 | – | 2:10 |
| Easier Said Than Done | The Essex | (Roulette Single # 4494) | 1963 | 1 | 2:06 |
| I’ll Believe It Wnen I See It | The Sierras | (Goldisc Single # 4) | 1963 | 108 | 2:09 |
| My Boyfriend’s Back | The Angels | (Smash Single # 1834) | 1963 | 1 | 2:35 |
| Your Boyfriend’s Back | Bobby Comstock & The Counts | (Lawn Single # 219) | 1963 | 98 | 2:06 |
| Hello Muddah Hello Fadduh! | Allan Sherman | (Warner Single # 5378) | 1963 | 2 | 2:41 |
| Hello Marvin (This Is Mama) | Sandra Gould | (Philips Single # 40138) | 1963 | 139 | 2:29 |
| Leader Of The Pack | The Shangri-Las | (Red Bird Single # 10-014) | 1964 | 1 | 2:57 |
| Leader Of The Laundromat | The Detergents | (Roulette Single # 4590) | 1965 | 19 | 3:09 |
| The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena) | Jan & Dean | (Liberty Single # 55704) | 1964 | 3 | 2:45 |
| The Little Old Doctor (From Ipanema) | The Detergents | (From LP “Many Faces Of”) | 1965 | – | 3:14 |
| Rag Doll | The Four Seasons | (Philips Single # 40211) | 1964 | 1 | 2:55 |
| Society Girl | The Rag Dolls | (Parkway Single # 921) | 1964 | 91 | 2:53 |
| King Of The Road | Roger Miller | (Smash Single # 1965) | 1965 | 4 | 2:26 |
| Queen Of The House | Jody Miller | (Capitol Single # 5402) | 1965 | 12 | 2:16 |
| Eve Of Destruction | Barry McGuire | (Dunhill Single # 4009) | 1965 | 1 | 3:32 |
| The Dawn Of Correction | The Spokesmen | (Decca Single # 31844) | 1965 | 36 | 3:20 |
| This Diamond Ring | Gary Lewis & The Playboys | (Liberty Single # 55756) | 1965 | 1 | 2:13 |
| (Gary Please Don’t Sell) My Diamond Ring | Wendy Hill | (Liberty Single # 55771) | 1965 | 134 | 2:10 |
| Almost Persuaded | David Houston | (Epic Single # 10025) | 1966 | 24 | 2:56 |
| (He Was) Almost Persuaded | Donna Harris | (ABC Single # 10839) | 1966 | 45 | 2:54 |
| Evil On Your Mind | Jan Howard | (Decca Single # 31933) | 1966 | 5 | 2:15 |
| Evil Off My Mind | Burl Ives | (Decca Single # 31997) | 1966 | 47 | 2:23 |
| When A Man Loves A Woman | Percy Sledge | (Atlantic Single # 2326) | 1966 | 1 | 2:55 |
| When A Woman Loves A Man | Esther Phillips | (Atlantic Single # 2335) | 1966 | 73 | 2:51 |
| They’re Coming To Take Me Away | Ha-Haaa! | Napoleon XIV (Warner Single # 5831) | 1966 | 3 | 2:09 |
| They Took You Away-I’m Glad I’m Glad | Josephine | (Valiant Single # 745) | 1966 | – | 2:02 |
| By The Time I Get To Phoenix | Glen Campbell | (Capitol Single # 2015) | 1967 | 26 | 2:41 |
| By The Time You Get To Phoenix | Wanda Jackson | (Capitol Single # 2085) | 1968 | 46 | 2:11 |
| Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line | Waylon Jennings | (RCA Victor Single # 9561) | 1968 | 2 | 2:19 |
| Only Mama That’ll Walk The Line | Jean Sheppard | (Capitol Single # 2694) | 1970 | – | 2:12 |
| Take Good Care Of My Baby | Bobby Vinton | (Epic Single # 10305) | 1968 | 33 | 2:45 |
| You Should Know I’m Still Your Baby | Sammi Lynn | (Sue Single # 752) | 1961 | – | 2:28 |
| Tip-Toe Thru’ The Tulips With Me | Tiny Tim | (Reprise Single # 0679) | 1968 | 17 | 1:49 |
| Get Off My Tulips | The Caretaker | (ABC Single # 11110) | 1968 | – | 2:27 |
| Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town | Kenny Rogers & The First Edition | (Reprise Single # 0854) | 1969 | 6 | 2:56 |
| Billy I’ve Got To Go To Town | Geraldine Stevens | (World Pacific Single # 77927) | 1969 | 57 | 2:53 |
| Okie From Muskogee | Merle Haggard | (Capitol Single # 2626) | 1969 | 41 | 2:41 |
| Hippie From Olema No. 5 | The Youngbloods | (From The LP “Good & Dusty”) | 1971 | – | 2:01 |
| Don’t Play That Song | Aretha Franklin | (Atlantic Single # 2751) | 1970 | 11 | 2:56 |
| Aretha Sing One For Me | George Jackson’ | (Hi Single # 2212) | 1972 | 38 | 2:55 |
| Help Me Make It Through The Night | Sammi Smith | (Mega Single # 0015) | 1971 | 8 | 2:31 |
| Help Me Make It Through The Yard | Pinkard & Bowden | (Warner Single # 29370) | 1984 | – | 1:47 |
| Good Hearted Woman | Waylon Jennings | (RCA Victor Single # 0615) | 1972 | 3 | 3:00 |
| Good Hearted Man | Connie Cato | (Capitol Single # 4113) | 1972 | – | 3:27 |
| Woman To Woman | Shirley Brown | (Truth Single # 3206) | 1974 | 22 | 3:53 |
| From His Woman To You | Barbara Mason | (Buddah Single # 441) | 1975 | 28 | 3:28 |
| Mama He’s Crazy | The Judds | (RCA / Curb Single # 13772) | 1984 | 1 | 3:12 |
| Mama She’s Lazy | Pinkard & Bowden | (Warner Single # 29205) | 1984 | 39 | 3:19 |
