History - Discography - Video & Audio
In 1989, after Like a yo-yo/Funky girl and Pirate of love, Sabrina's Italian label decided to publish another 12". Finally, Doctor's orders, was chosen. This song had been first popularized by Sunny, the female singer of the group Brotherwood of Man. The single had reached #7 in the UK in 1974. A few months later, the song was covered by an American singer, Carol Douglas and this version is very often considered as the original version. In the US, the single reached the top 10 in late 1974. Like the other cover versions recorded by Sabrina, Doctor's orders remains a classic.
While an extended version of the song (featuring on the Italian CD of Super Sabrina) could have been used for the 12" release, two new remixes and two instrumentals were finally commissioned to a DJ, Bortolotti. Unfortunately, of all the remixes produced for Sabrina's second album, those were by far the less successful and that's probably why Sabrina never promoted them. Concerning the cover of the 12" which used a picture taken from her concerts in Moscow, it is probably the worst of her career. In the end, this release wasn't really necessary and the promotion was finally inexistent. Even Sabrina's label probably didn't believe in it and we may be tempted to think that very few copies were issued as the record is nowadays quite rare to find.
In some other countries, Doctor's orders was only a B-side for Like yo-yo in Germany (only on the promo 7") and in Scandinavia. Sabrina's manager probably preferred to conquer the international market with original songs rather than with cover versions.
"Doctor's orders" on Italian TV, Odiens, 1989
"Doctor's orders" by Sunny, 1974
"Doctor's orders" by Carol Douglas, 1974
Doctor's orders was covered by many artists. In France, our Sheila made a french cover version in 1974, a few years before her international smash hits in English under the name of Sheila B. Devotion (Singing in the rain, Spacer...).