"Candida" is the debut single by American pop music group Dawn, with vocals by Tony Orlando, released in July 1970. The song, written by Irwin Levine and Toni Wine, was produced by Dave Appell and Hank Medress for Bell Records. Appell and Medress originally recorded another singer on the track, but decided that a different vocal approach would be preferable. Medress then approached Orlando to do the vocals. Orlando had been a professional singer in the early 1960s, but now worked as a music publishing manager for Columbia Records. Although initially worried about losing his job at Columbia, Orlando eventually agreed to lend his voice to the track.
"Candida" became a worldwide hit, reaching number one in five countries, and the top ten in many others, including number 3 in the USA. It was included on Dawn's debut LP in 1970 and later appeared on several compilation albums. Andy Williams, Jesse Winchester, Ray Conniff, and Bernd Spier are among the artists who have covered the song.
Background and recording
In 1970 Hank Medress of the Tokens and Dave Appell were producing a song called "Candida" for Bell Records. The composition was written by Toni Wine and Irwin Levine. For the first recording of the song, the lead vocal was done by blues singer Frankie Paris, He asked his friend Tony Orlando, whose heritage is Puerto Rican and Greek, to perform its lead vocal.