Tell It Like It Is (song)

In 1966, Aaron Neville recorded and released the original version of "Tell It Like It Is" on his album also entitled Tell It Like It Is (Par-Lo Records). In November 1966, the track was issued as a single which peaked in early 1967 at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 (behind "I'm a Believer" by the Monkees) and No. 1 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.^[2] The personnel on the original recording included George Davis arranging and playing baritone saxophone, Emory Humphrey-Thompson (Umar Shariff) on trumpet, Deacon John on guitar, Alvin "Red" Tyler on tenor saxophone, Willie Tee on piano and June Gardner on drums.

In 2015, the version of the song recorded in 1966 by Aaron Neville was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.^[3]

His 1975 version touched the top 50 in the Canadian country charts,^[8] and was #16 in the AC charts.^[9]

In 1976, American Country singer John Wesley Ryles covered the song for his 1977 self-titled album, which also included a cover of When a Man Loves a Woman. Ryles's version became a minor hit, reaching Number 83 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.^[10]

"Tell It Like It Is"
Single by Heart
from the album Greatest Hits Live
B-side	"Strange Euphoria"
Released	November 1980
Recorded	September 1980
Genre	Blues rock
Length	3:49 (single version) 4:30 (album version)
Label	Epic
Songwriters	George Davis Lee Diamond
Producer	Heart
Heart singles chronology
"Bebe le Strange" (1980) "Tell It Like It Is" (1980) "Unchained Melody" (1981)

Heart covered "Tell It Like It Is" in 1980. It was a studio recording included on their Greatest Hits/Live album. It was the first of two singles released from the album, the other one a live recording but both of them cover hits. The song peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1981 and became their highest-charting single in the United States to that point. It had higher success in Canada, reaching number 4.^[11]

Record World commented that Ann Wilson's "sensitive vocal" gives the song "a woman's point of view" and that Nancy Wilson "adds hot guitar passion."^[12]

"Tell It Like It Is"
Single by Billy Joe Royal
from the album Tell It Like It Is
B-side	"I Was Losing You"
Released	January 1989
Recorded	October 1988
Genre	Country
Length	3:00
Label	Atlantic
Songwriters	George Davis Lee Diamond
Producer	Nelson Larkin
Billy Joe Royal singles chronology
"It Keeps Right On Hurtin'" (1988) "Tell It Like It Is" (1989) "Love Has No Right" (1989)

In 1988, American country soul^[16] singer Billy Joe Royal recorded a cover for his seventh studio album of the same name. Royal's version was released in January 1989 and reached Number 2 both on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Canada Country charts respectively.^[10]