"
Candida" was the first single released by the American
pop music group
Dawn, with vocals by
Tony Orlando, 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.