He was the last act scheduled on November 3, 1957, and after Ed introduced him, Sam strolled out looking very cool.
The music started, he sang “Darling, you-ou-ou send me. I know…”, and the show was over. It was live TV, and the show had run long. The Sullivan Show received so many complaints that they immediately re-booked him.
So on December 1, 1957, Sam returned. Ed Sullivan introduced him by saying “Sam, here’s the time.” Dressed neatly in suit and tie, Cooke delivered a stripped-down version of “You Send Me.” His performance used little more than backup vocals to compliment his singing, and centered on Cooke himself. As he crooned directly into the camera, his effortless charisma and charming smile made him a hit with audiences. Right after the show aired, “You Send Me” reached number one on the Billboard Top 100, displaying just how successful his performance was.

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