Variable assignment that depends on a generated target

[David Wuertele]

I have a variable named VERSION that is set thusly:

   VERSION := $(shell grep VERSION /path/to/some/file)

The problem is that /path/to/some/file is a target that is generated after the
VERSION is assigned.

I would like to force /path/to/some/file to get generated before VERSION is
assigned.  Is there a way to specify that?

Dave