Pop Archives

Marcia Hines - Something’s Missing (In My Life) (1979)

(Paul Jabara - Jay Asher)
Australia Australia
#8 Sydney #11 Melbourne #8 Brisbane #12 Adelaide #23 Perth #5 NZ

Sixteen-year-old singer Marcia Hines came to Australia from the US in 1970 for Hair, stayed for Jesus Christ Superstar, and became Australia’s most popular female pop star of the late 70s, voted ‘Queen of Pop‘ for three years. She is still a TV star in Australia as a judge on Australian Idol.

See also From The InsideYou and Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees by Marcia Hines.

Suggested by Terry Stacey.


Freda Payne - Something’s Missing (In My Life) (1979)

(Paul Jabara - Jay Asher)
USA USA

On album Hot, on Capitol. See sleeve shot and tracklisting at DiscoMusic.com.


Paul Jabara - Something’s Missing (In My Life) (1978)

(Paul Jabara - Jay Asher)
USA USA
Original version

On album Keeping Time, on Casablanca label.

Brooklyn-born Paul Jabara (1948-1992) was a prolific songwriter identified with the 70s disco movement, as well as a producer, actor, and composer for film and stage. 

Paul Jabara’s compositions include:

  • Donna Summers – Last Dance (1978, #3 USA, from Thank God It’s Friday);
  • Barbra Streisand – The Main Event/Fight (1979, #3 USA, co-write with Bob Esty & Bruce Roberts, from The Main Event);
  • Barbra Streisand & Donna Summers – No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) (1979, #1 USA, co-write with Bruce Roberts);
  • The Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men (1983, #46 USA, #3 UK, co-write with Paul Shaffer); also by Geri Halliwell (2001, #1 UK, from Bridget Jones’s Diary).

Paul Jabara is often credited with co-founding the Red Ribbon Project. This promoted the red ribbon as a symbol of AIDS awareness, an influential example of using a coloured ribbon in this way.

Further reading: 1. JayAsher.com 2. PaulJabara.com 3. Paul Jabara-Red Ribbon Project entry at Wikipedia. 4. Paul Jabara filmography at IMDb. 5. Paul Jabara page at The Estate Project for Artists with AIDS.


Karen Carpenter - Something’s Missing (In My Life)

(Paul Jabara - Jay Asher)

USA 1979-80

Track recorded for unreleased solo album.

See co-writer Jay Asher’s comments on this recording at Karen Carpenter fan site LeadSister.com.


Ahmad Jamal - Something’s Missing in My Life (1980)

(Paul Jabara - Jay Asher)
USA USA
Later version

On album Night Song by distinguished jazz pianist (b.1930).

References: 1. Ahmad Jamal discography by Jean Prince at AhmadJamal.net. 2. Ahmad Jamal entry at Wikipedia..


Paul Jabara & Donna Summer - Something’s Missing (In My Life) (1989)

(Paul Jabara - Jay Asher)
USA USA
Later version

On Paul Jabara’s album Greatest Hits And Misses.


The Five Stairsteps & Cubie - Something’s Missing (1967)

(Clarence Burke Jr and Clarence Newton Burke)
USA USA
Red herring

Similar title but not the same song as ‘Something’s Missing (In My Life)’ by Marcia Hines.