The song was first popularized in 1974, following its initial 1973 inclusion on the album Bazaar by disco-funk artist Sylvester,[1] when it was recorded and released by five artists in one year: Frankie Miller (on High Life), B. J. Thomas (on Longhorns & Londonbridges), Three Dog Night (on Hard Labor), the James Montgomery Band (as "Brickyard Blues" on High Roller) and Maria Muldaur (as "Brickyard Blues" on Waitress in a Donut Shop).

[2] Besides his version of "Brickyard Blues"—so entitled—included on his High Life album and serving as B-side of his non-charting single "Little Angel", Frankie Miller's live take on "Brickyard Blues" may be heard on the 1975 multi-artist live album Over the Rainbow recorded on 16 March 1975 at the Rainbow Theatre, where Miller was backed by Procol Harum.

Ensuant to the August 1974 single release of the James Montgomery Band's version of "Brickyard Blues", the Three Dog Night version of "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)" was issued in September 1974 as the third single off the Hard Labor album, which had already generated the hits "The Show Must Go On" and "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here", which would prove to be respectively the group's final top ten and top thirty hits.

Later versions of the song were recorded by Levon Helm (1978),[4] Herman Brood (1980 on Wait a Minute) and Toots Thielemans (1993).

[5] Toussaint's own version of his song originally appeared on a compilation called Live at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 1976, featuring sets by many of his Crescent City contemporaries.