Samson and Delilah (Middle of the Road song)

"Samson and Delilah"
Cover of the single released in the Netherlands
Single by Middle of the Road
from the album Acceleration
B-side	"Try a Little Understanding"
Released	January 1972
Recorded	October 1971
Studio	RCA Studios, Rome
Genre	Bubblegum pop
Length	3:04
Label	RCA Victor
Songwriter(s)	Lally Stott Giosy Capuano Mario Capuano
Producer(s)	Giacomo Tosti
Middle of the Road singles chronology
"Sacramento (A Wonderful Town)" (1971) "Samson and Delilah" (1972) "Bottoms Up" (1972)

"Samson and Delilah" is a song by Scottish band Middle of the Road, released as a single in January 1972. It peaked at number 26 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's final charting single there.[1]

Release

"Samson and Delilah" was first released in January 1972 in France with the B-side "Sacramento (A Wonderful Town)". Elsewhere, "Sacramento" had been released as the A-side with a different B-side. "Samson and Delilah" was then released in the Netherlands and Germany in March 1972 with the B-side "The Talk of All the U.S.A.". It was released in the UK on 30 June 1972 with the B-side "Try a Little Understanding".[2]

Track listings

7" (UK)

1. "Samson and Delilah" – 3:04
2. "Try a Little Understanding" – 3:22

7" (France)

1. "Samson and Delilah" – 2:48
2. "Sacramento (A Wonderful Town)" – 2:48

7" (Europe)

1. "Samson and Delilah" – 2:48
2. "The Talk of All the U.S.A." – 3:13

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1972) Peak position Argentina (Escalera a la Fama)[3] 2 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[5] 2 Denmark (IFPI)[6] 5 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[7] 15 France (IFOP)[8] 2 Italy (Musica e dischi)[9] 24 Malaysia (Rediffusion)[10] 5 Mexico (Radio Mil)[11] 5 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[14] 11 Rhodesia (Lyons Maid)[15] 7 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[16] 5 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 3 UK Singles (OCC)[1] 26 West Germany (GfK)[18] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1972) Position Argentina (CAPIF) [19] 20 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[20] 17 France (IFOP)[21] 32 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[22] 22 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23] 19 West Germany (Official German Charts)[24] 9

Cover versions

• In February 1972, French singer Sheila released a French-language version, titled "Samson et Dalilah", which became a top-ten hit in France and peaked at number 12 in Wallonia.[25][26]
• In March 1972, Dutch duo Big Secret released a version of the song as their debut single, which peaked at number 17 on the Dutch Single Top 100 and number 13 on the Dutch Top 40.[27][28]

References

1. "Middle of the Road: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
2. "Middle of the Road (page 2)". rockfiles.co.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
3. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 3 June 1972. p. 50. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
4. "Middle of the Road – Samson and Delilah" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
5. "Middle of the Road – Samson and Delilah" (in French). Ultratop 50.
6. "Hitlisten". Ekstra Bladet. 4 May 1972. p. 29.
7. Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit MEN - MIK". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
8. "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque artiste commençant par M". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
9. Spinetoli, John Joseph. Artisti In Classifica: I Singoli: 1960-1999. Milano: Musica e dischi, 2000
10. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 20 May 1972. p. 56. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
11. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 19 August 1972. p. 46. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Middle of the Road" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
13. "Middle of the Road – Samson and Delilah" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
14. "Middle of the Road – Samson and Delilah". VG-lista.
15. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: Singles Chart Book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
16. "SA Charts 1969–March 1989". Retrieved 17 November 2021.
17. "Middle of the Road – Samson and Delilah". Swiss Singles Chart.
18. "Offiziellecharts.de – Middle of the Road – Sacramento" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
19. "ARGENTINA - Top 50 Singles of 1972" (PDF). Cashbox. 30 December 1972. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
20. "Jaaroverzichten 1972". Ultratop. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
21. "TOP - 1972". top-france.fr. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
22. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1972". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
23. "Jaaroverzichten - Single 1972". www.dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
24. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
25. "TOP Hebdo". www.top-france.fr. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
26. "Sheila - Samson et Dalila - ultratop.be". www.ultratop.be. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
27. "Big Secret - Samson And Delilah". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
28. "Big Secret - Samson And Delilah". Top40.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 November 2021.