Top 10 Three Dog Night Songs With Cory Wells On Lead Vocals

Feature Photo: Feature Photo: Contemporary Public Relations, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Cory Wells was one of rock’s most distinctive voices, a singer whose soulful tone helped define one of the most successful American bands of the early 1970s. Born Emil Lewandowski on February 5, 1941, in Buffalo, New York, he came from a struggling working-class background where music provided both an escape and a sense of purpose. His early life was marked by hardship, as he grew up in poverty and endured an abusive home environment. After finishing high school, Wells joined the United States Air Force, where he formed an interracial band inspired by his admiration for The Del-Vikings. Those years helped develop his discipline and performance skills, setting the foundation for a professional music career that would soon take flight.

If you are reading this article on any other site besides ClassicRockHistory.com, then you are reading stolen work. The writers, editors, and publishers at ClassicRockHistory.com are the original creators of this article. Any website reposting this material without our consent is committing intellectual property theft.

After leaving the Air Force, Wells returned to Buffalo and joined a band called the Vibratos. With guidance from Gene Jacobs, the band moved to California in pursuit of bigger opportunities, changing their name to The Enemys. They quickly became a staple of the Los Angeles music scene, serving as the house band at the Whisky a Go Go and appearing in popular television shows such as The Beverly Hillbillies and Burke’s Law. The Enemys also toured with Sonny & Cher, during which Wells met Danny Hutton, a fellow musician and songwriter. This meeting would become the catalyst for one of the most enduring collaborations in American rock history.

In 1968, Hutton and Wells decided to form a group built around three distinct lead vocalists. After recruiting Chuck Negron as the third singer, they assembled a full band that included guitarist Michael Allsup, keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon, bassist Joe Schermie, and drummer Floyd Sneed. The result was Three Dog Night, a group whose vocal blend and tight arrangements produced a string of hit singles throughout the late 1960s and 1970s. Wells sang lead on the group’s first No. 1 single, “Mama Told Me (Not to Come),” written by Randy Newman. The song became a defining moment for the band, and Newman would later thank Wells personally, saying his performance had helped put his own children through college.

Three Dog Night became a dominant force in the charts, known for hits like “Joy to the World,” “Eli’s Coming,” and “One.” Their combination of rock, pop, and soul influences made them one of the most accessible and successful acts of the decade. Wells, known for his disciplined approach, avoided the excesses that claimed so many of his peers. He stayed clear of drugs and heavy drinking, choosing instead to focus on his craft and maintain a steady life with his wife, Mary Jane Catalano, and their family.

When Three Dog Night disbanded in 1976, Wells launched a solo career with A&M Records, releasing Touch Me in 1978 and Ahead of the Storm in 1979. Although his solo albums did not match the massive success of his work with the band, they showcased his vocal range and love of soulful, melodic rock. By the early 1980s, Wells and Danny Hutton reunited to revive Three Dog Night, releasing an EP titled It’s a Jungle in 1983. The re-formed band, which also included guitarist Michael Allsup, toured heavily throughout the following decades, performing to loyal audiences across the country.

Wells continued performing with Three Dog Night until his passing. Even as age and illness began to take their toll, he remained dedicated to the stage. His longtime bandmate Jimmy Greenspoon passed away in March 2015, and only months later, Wells himself died in his sleep on October 20, 2015, at the age of seventy-four. His death was later attributed to multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer he had been battling since September of that year.

# 10 – You Can Leave Your Hat On

We open up our Corey Wells tribute article with the first of two Randy Newman cover songs. This one was released on the Three Dog Night album, Coming Down Your Way. The last great Three Dog Night album. Joe Cocker did a fantastic version of this one, but of course Cory Wells holds his own and delivers, in his own way, Three Dog Night Style.

Read More: Top 10 Three Dog Night Deep Tracks

# 9 – Woman

The rocking tune Woman stands as one of Three Dog Night’s heaviest songs they ever released. This one should have been a big hit, but it was probably just a little too heavy for the AM radio hits that Three Dog Night was known for. The song was released on the band’s It Ain’t Easy album. The group knew they had a good one with this one as they opened up the record with it. The band is on fire and the harmonies are killing it. If you don’t know this one, make sure you listen.

Read More: Top 10 Three Dog Night Deep Tracks

# 8 – Sure As I’m Sittin’ Here

Written by John Hiatt and produced by Jimmy Ienner, the song first appeared on Hiatt’s 1974 debut Hangin’ Around the Observatory before Three Dog Night transformed it into a chart success later that same year. The band’s version, recorded for their album Hard Labor and released as a single in June 1974, featured Cory Wells on lead vocals, delivering Hiatt’s reflective lyrics with a soulful clarity that fit the band’s evolving sound. Supported by Michael Allsup’s fluid guitar lines, Jimmy Greenspoon’s keyboards, Joe Schermie’s steady bass, and Floyd Sneed’s rhythmic precision, the track embodied the seasoned polish of a band that had dominated the charts for half a decade.

Read More: Top 10 Three Dog Night Albums

# 7 – Let Me Serenade You

This is one that I have always really loved. The piano groove that warps around Cory’s vocals at the start oozes and drips with soulful groove. Written by John Finley and originally recorded as “I Will Serenade You” by Rhinoceros in 1968, the song found new life when the band reimagined it for their 1973 album Cyan. , “Let Me Serenade You” reached number seventeen on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to number eleven in Canada, becoming one of the highlights of Cyan.

# 6 – Play Something Sweet

This one easily has one of the most ferocious and rocking lead vocals that Cory ever recorded with Three Dog Night. Written by the legendary New Orleans songwriter Allen Toussaint, the song was recorded for the band’s 1974 album Hard Labor and produced by Jimmy Ienner. Released as a single in October 1974, it featured Cory Wells on lead vocals, capturing Toussaint’s spirited groove with a touch of the group’s signature three-part harmony and polished pop-rock sound. The single reached number thirty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number twenty-five in Canada.

Read More: Top 10 Three Dog Night Love Songs

# 5 – Mama Told Me Not To Come

Written by Randy Newman and brought to electrifying life by Three Dog Night, the 1970 hit became a defining moment for the band and a career highlight for lead vocalist Cory Wells. Recorded between 1969 and 1970 the song turned Newman’s sardonic story of a naive young man overwhelmed by a wild party into a soulful, funky anthem of wide-eyed disbelief. Backed by Jimmy Greenspoon’s punchy Wurlitzer piano, Michael Allsup’s tight guitar work, and the rhythmic drive of Joe Schermie and Floyd Sneed, Wells delivered the song with a playful mix of confusion and swagger that perfectly captured the character’s moral panic. The track reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Cash Box while earning a Gold Record.

# 4 – Shambala

Few songs captured the bright optimism of the early 1970s like “Shambala,” a spirited anthem of hope and harmony that became one of Three Dog Night’s biggest hits. Written by Daniel Moore and produced by Richard Podolor, the track was recorded and released as a single on May 11, 1973, through Dunhill Records before appearing on the band’s ninth studio album, Cyan. With Cory Wells on lead vocals, the song blended elements of pop, rock, and gospel, creating a radiant sound that reflected its lyrics about a mythical land where kindness and joy prevail. “Shambala” soared to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary charts

# 3 – Try a Little Tenderness

Otis Redding set the gold standard for this song, but Cory Wells sure stepped up to the plate when he recorded his lead vocal for Three Dog Night’s version. When Cory Wells delivered the impassioned lead vocal on “Try a Little Tenderness,” he brought Three Dog Night into the lineage of one of popular music’s most enduring songs. Originally written in 1932 by Harry M. Woods, Jimmy Campbell, and Reg Connelly, the tune had been interpreted for decades by jazz and pop vocalists before finding new life in the late 1960s through the band’s soul-infused rock performance. Their version, borrowing stylistically from Otis Redding’s celebrated 1966 arrangement, retained the slow, emotive opening that gradually built into a powerful crescendo, mirroring Redding’s dynamic approach.

Released in 1969 and produced in the rich harmonic tradition that defined the group’s sound, Three Dog Night’s recording reached No. 29 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to No. 19 in Canada. The song appeared on their debut album Three Dog Night, with the band’s signature vocal trio supported by guitarist Michael Allsup, keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon, bassist Joe Schermie, and drummer Floyd Sneed.

# 2 – Eli’s Coming

We included this one on Chuck Negron’s list as well, because it features a shared lead vocal. Chuck opens up the song with that amazing falsetto, and after Chuck’s opening, Cory takes over the lead. This has always been one of our favorites by Three Dog Night. This is such a stunning version of Laura Nyro’s fabulous song.

# 1 – Never Been to Spain

Every time I write an article about Three Dog Night, this song always comes up in the comments. This one is easily one of the biggest fan favorites among Three Dog Night fans. Written by Hoyt Axton and produced by Richard Podolor, the song was recorded for the band’s 1971 album Harmony, with Cory Wells delivering the lead vocal in his trademark soulful style. Axton’s lyrics muse about the allure of faraway places the narrator has never seen, contrasting imagined experiences abroad with the grounding truth of his own Oklahoma roots. The band’s version struck a chord with listeners, climbing to number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and number eighteen on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1972, while also reaching number three in Canada, number twelve in New Zealand, and number thirty-four in Australia. Supported by Michael Allsup on guitar, Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards, Joe Schermie on bass, and Floyd Sneed on drums

Check out similar articles on ClassicRockHistory.com Just click on any of the links below……

Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business, or organization is allowed to re-publish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission. All photos used are either public domain Creative Commons photos or licensed officially from Shutterstock under license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photo credits have been placed at the end of the article. Album Cover Photos are affiliate links and the property of Amazon and are stored on the Amazon server. Any theft of our content will be met with swift legal action against the infringing websites.