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The song “Fever” has always been credited to Eddie Cooley and John Davenport, the latter a pseudonym for Otis Blackwell. It was introduced by R&B singer Little Willie John in 1956. When Peggy recorded her version two years later – which peaked at #8 on the Billboard charts, was nominated for three Grammy Awards and went on to become the song most closely associated with her – she added lyric stanzas about Romeo and Juliet, Captain Smith and Pocahontas, “Everybody’s got the fever, that is something you all know...,” and “Now you’ve listened to my story...” These added lyrics, never copyrighted, have been sung in most of the hundreds of “Fever” recordings by other artists. Having returned to Capitol Records from Decca in 1957, she recorded her hit single on May 19, 1958. She recorded live versions in 1961, 1968 and 1977, and another studio version in 1990.