"I Can't Stop Loving You" is a popular song written and composed by country singer, songwriter, and musician Don Gibson, who first recorded it on December 3, 1957, for RCA Victor Records. It was released in 1958 as the B-side of "Oh, Lonesome Me", becoming a double-sided country hit single. At the time of Gibson's death in 2003, the song had been recorded by more than 700 artists, most notably by Ray Charles, whose recording reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart.[5]
| "I Can't Stop Loving You" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Don Gibson | ||||
| from the album Oh Lonesome Me | ||||
| A-side | "Oh Lonesome Me" | |||
| Written | June 7, 1957[1][2] | |||
| Published | February 7, 1958 Acuff-Rose Publications, Inc.[3] | |||
| Released | December 1957 | |||
| Recorded | December 3, 1957[4] | |||
| Studio | RCA Studio B, Nashville | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:37 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Don Gibson | |||
| Producer(s) | Chet Atkins | |||
| Don Gibson singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Composition
editGibson wrote both "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "Oh, Lonesome Me" on June 7, 1957, in Knoxville, Tennessee.[5] "I sat down to write a lost love ballad," Gibson said in Dorothy Horstman's 1975 book Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy. "After writing several lines to the song, I looked back and saw the line 'I can't stop loving you.' I said, 'That would be a good title,' so I went ahead and rewrote it in its present form."[6]
Charts
editNote: This original recording was released as "I Can't Stop Lovin' You".[7]
| Chart (1958) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Norway (VG-lista)[8] | 2 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[9] | 7 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[10] | 81 |
Ray Charles version
edit| "I Can't Stop Loving You" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Ray Charles | ||||
| from the album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music | ||||
| B-side | "Born to Lose" | |||
| Released | April 1962 | |||
| Recorded | February 15, 1962 | |||
| Studio | United Western Recorders, United B, Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:37 (single version) 4:12 (album version) | |||
| Label | ABC-Paramount 10330 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Don Gibson[12] | |||
| Producer(s) | Sid Feller[12] | |||
| Ray Charles singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
The song was covered by Ray Charles in 1962, featured on Charles' Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, and released as a single. Charles' version reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962, for five weeks. This version went to number one on the U.S. R&B and adult contemporary charts.[13][14] Billboard ranked it as the No. 2 song for 1962.[15] Charles reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in July 1962, staying for two weeks.[16] In Sweden it was the first number one single on the sales chart Kvällstoppen on July 10, 1962.[17]
The Ray Charles version is noted for his saying the words before the last five lines of the song on the final chorus: "Sing the song, children". Choral backing was provided by The Randy Van Horne Singers. It was ranked No. 164 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and No. 49 on CMT's "100 Greatest Songs in Country Music".
In 1963 at the 5th Annual Grammy Awards, the Ray Charles version of the song won him the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording.[18]
This recording was featured in Metropolis, where it can be heard during the explosion of the skyscraper Ziggurat shortly after the climax.[19]
Charts
edit| Chart (1962) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[20] | 1 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen)[21] | 2 |
| Norway (VG-Lista)[22] | 4 |
| Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[17] | 1 |
| Sweden (Tio i Topp)[23] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[24] | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard R&B Singles | 1 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[25] | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart[12] | 1 |
All-time charts
edit| Chart (1958–2018) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[26] | 125 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[27] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Other versions
editThis section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: versions may not meet WP:SONGCOVER. (July 2018) |
The song has been recorded by many other artists. Some recordings are titled as "I Can't Stop Lovin' You" (with or without an apostrophe).
- 1958: Kitty Wells on her album Kitty Wells' Golden Favorites; No. 3 on the Billboard magazine country chart[citation needed]
- 1961: Roy Orbison on his album Sings Lonely and Blue; charted in the Variety magazine Top 100 Listings
- 1962: Ray Charles featured on Charles' Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, and released as a single.
- 1963: Count Basie's recording, a Quincy Jones arrangement, won the 1964 Grammy Award for "Best Instrumental Arrangement".[28][29]
- 1962: Ray Anthony recorded the song for the album Ray Anthony Plays Worried Mind
- 1963: Johnny Tillotson on his album Talk Back Trembling Lips (MGM Records – E 4188)
- 1963: Paul Anka on his album Songs I Wish I'd Written (RCA Victor – LSP-2744)
- 1963: Saxophonist Boots Randolph recorded an instrumental version of the song for his album Boots Randolph's Yakety Sax![30]
- 1964: Faron Young on his album Country Dance Favorites (Mercury Records - SR 60931)
- 1964: Frank Sinatra recorded the song for his album It Might As Well Be Swing, his second collaboration with Count Basie and his orchestra
- 1964: Jim Reeves on his last album The Jim Reeves Way which was released in 1965
- 1964: Ike & Tina Turner covered the song in 1964; released on their album Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show in January 1965.
- 1965: Duke Ellington recorded the song for his album Ellington '66
- 1965: Andy Williams on his album Andy Williams' Dear Heart
- 1966: Pavel Novak, Czech singer
- 1967: Ronnie Dove on his LP Cry
- 1969: Elvis Presley performed the song live from 1969 until his final tours in 1977, first recording it on the RCA release Elvis in Person at the International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
- 1969: Jerry Lee Lewis recorded it on the album Sings the Country Music Hall of Fame Hits, Vol. 2
- Guy & Ralna included a recording of the song on their 1973 album Country Songs We Love to Sing; the duo also performed the song numerous times on The Lawrence Welk Show, on which they were regulars.
- 1972: Conway Twitty on his album of the same name; reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart[31]
- 1974: Donna Hightower recorded in Spain it on her Columbia album "I'm In Love with Love" (also released as "I'm in Love with You" and "The One I Cried")
- 1974: Dolly Parton and Chet Atkins performed the song (to Atkins' guitar accompaniment) on The Porter Wagoner Show in 1974.
- 1974: Johnny Rodriguez covered the song on his album "Songs About Ladies And Love". This version is notable as Rodriguez alternates between singing in English and Spanish throughout the song.[32]
- 1977: Sammi Smith covered the song for her Mixed Emotions album. The song also reached No. 27 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.[31]
- 1978: Mary K. Miller reached No. 28 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.[31]
- 1981: Rez Band recorded a cover as their closing track on the platinum-selling Mommy Don't Love Daddy Anymore, hitting the Christian Rock charts.
- 1981: Millie Jackson recorded an upbeat, disco-influenced version for her Just a Lil' Bit Country album. The song was also released as a single in the U.S. and charted #62 R&B.
- 1982: Freddy Fender recorded the song on the self titled album, Freddy Fender.
- 1991: Van Morrison on his album Hymns to the Silence; also appears on a limited edition album Live at Austin City Limits Festival (2006)
- 2002: Anne Murray on her album Country Croonin'
- 2005: Martina McBride on her album Timeless
- 2014: Bryan Adams recorded a version for his album Tracks of My Years
References
edit- ^ "Don Gibson, 75, Songwriter Known for Country Standards". The New York Times. Associated Press. 2003-11-19. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
- ^ Staff 11/18/2003, CMT com. "Acclaimed Songwriter Don Gibson Dies". CMT News. Archived from the original on December 4, 2015. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Card .0867". vcc.copyright.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
- ^ "78/45 Singles - Don Gibson Discography". patsyclinediscography.com. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
- ^ a b Edwards, Joe (5 November 2003). "Country Legend Don Gibson Dies". CBS News. Associated Press. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
- ^ Horstman, Dorothy (1975). Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy (Third ed.). Country Music Foundation Press. p. 365. ISBN 0-915608-19-7.
- ^ "45cat - View Image".
- ^ "Don Gibson – I Can't Stop Loving You". VG-lista.
- ^ "Don Gibson Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Don Gibson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "This Is My Prayer: The Birth of Soul". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
- ^ a b c Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 66. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 113.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 52.
- ^ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1962
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 139. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ a b Hallberg, Eric (193). Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3: Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962 - 19. 8. 1975. Drift Musik. ISBN 9163021404.
- ^ "Ray Charles | Artist | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com.
- ^ Metropolis ending (2001) HD, 11 May 2013, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2021-07-25
- ^ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940 - 1969. Turramurra, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
- ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
- ^ "I Can't Stop Loving You". VG-lista 2022 (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2022-04-21.
- ^ Hallberg, Eric; Henningsson, Ulf (1998). Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök: 1961 - 74. Premium Publishing. ISBN 919727125X.
- ^ "Ray Charles Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Ray Charles Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- ^ "American single certifications – Ray Charles – I Can't Stop Loving You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (2004). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press. p. 2500. ISBN 9780199840441.
- ^ Henry, Clarence Bernard (2013). Quincy Jones: His Life in Music. University Press of Mississippi. p. 82. ISBN 9781617038617.
- ^ "Boots Randolph - Boots Randolph's Yakety Sax! Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ a b c Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 361.
- ^ "Original versions of I Can't Stop Loving You by Johnny Rodriguez | SecondHandSongs". SecondHandSongs.