Don’t Give Up On Us – David Soul | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#1) & Adult Contemporary (#1); 1977
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Television stars who successfully transition into music are rather uncommon, Ricky Nelson being the most prominent example. For fans of the 70’s, David Soul might also come to mind.
Yet, even before his star turn on Starsky & Hutch, David had toured the Midwest as a folksinger, opening for major acts such as The Byrds and The Doors. A brash move – submitting a picture in which his face was covered by a mask to the prestigious William Morris Agency – brought David singing gigs on The Merv Griffin Show and Shindig as “The Covered Man.”
Once his acting career was in full gear, David returned to his first love: music. Don’t Give Up On Us was composed by Englishman Tony MacAulay, then one of the hottest songwriters in the world, and David’s rendition topped the U.S. and U.K. charts.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Tony Macaulay
Lyrics Written by:
- Tony Macaulay
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).