I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)
| "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Hank Williams and His Drifting Cowboys | ||||
| A-side | "Howlin' at the Moon" | |||
| Released | 1951 | |||
| Format | 78 rpm record, 45 rpm record | |||
| Recorded | March 16, 1951 | |||
| Studio | Castle, Nashville, Tennessee | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:26 | |||
| Label | MGM | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Hank Williams | |||
| Producer(s) | Fred Rose | |||
| Hank Williams and His Drifting Cowboys singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)" is a song written and originally recorded by Hank Williams on MGM Records.[1] It hit number two on the Billboard country singles chart in 1951.
Recording and composition
According to Colin Escott's 2004 book Hank Williams: The Biography, fiddler Jerry Rivers always claimed that Hank wrote the song in the touring Sedan, and when he came up with the opening line, "Today I passed you on the street," and then asked for suggestions, steel guitarist Don Helms replied, "And I smelled your rotten feet."[2] The song was recorded at Castle Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 16, 1951 and issued as MGM catalog No. 10961.[3] Williams was backed on the session by members of his Drifting Cowboys band, including Rivers, Helms, Sammy Pruett (electric guitar), Jack Shook (rhythm guitar), Ernie Newton or "Cedric Rainwater", aka Howard Watts (bass), and either Owen Bradley or producer Fred Rose on piano.[4] It was released as the B-side of "Howlin' at the Moon" but on the strength of its simple language and passionate singing, soared to number two on the Billboard country singles chart.(Hank Williams discography#singles)
Williams sang the song with Anita Carter on the Kate Smith Evening Hour on April 23, 1952. The rare television appearance is one of the few film clips of Williams in performance.
Cover versions
- Guy Mitchell briefly reached the Billboard charts with the song in 1951 achieving a peak position of No. 28.[5]
- Ray Price cut the song on Columbia in 1957 for the album Ray Price – Sings Heart Songs.[6]
- Faron Young recorded the song in 1957 and included it to his album, Sweethearts or Strangers.
- Ricky Nelson recorded a version for Imperial in 1958 and it was included on his album Ricky Sings Again.
- Margaret Whiting - for the album Margaret (1958).[7]
- Elvis Presley made a home recording of it in 1959 and was included in A Life in Music album.
- Kitty Wells included it in her album Hall of Fame Vol. II (1981).[8]
- Adam Wade recorded the song in 1960 under the Coed label.
- Marty Robbins covered the song for Columbia in 1961 and it was included in his album Just a Little Sentimental.[9]
- Tennessee Ernie Ford cut the song in 1961 for his album Ernie Looks at Love.[10]
- George Jones included the song on his 1960 album George Jones Salutes Hank Williams. In his autobiography, Jones printed the first six lines of the song and stated, "Its lyrics couldn't be more simple - or profound."
- Sun Records released a version by Johnny Cash on the 1960 album Sings Hank Williams.
- Jerry Lee Lewis recorded a version for Sun Records. With characteristic bravado, he changed it to "You Can't Help It (If You're Still in Love with Me)".
- Patsy Cline included the song on her album Sentimentally Yours (1962).
- Ferlin Husky recorded it in 1961 for his album Walkin' and a Hummin'.[11]
- Connie Stevens recorded it on her 1962 album The Hank Williams Songbook.[12]
- Kay Starr - for her album Just Plain Country (1962).[13]
- Johnny Tillotson's 1962 rendition reached #24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #8 Adult Contemporary.[14]
- Hank Williams Jr. recorded it for his 1963 album LP Sings the Songs of Hank Williams.[15]
- Charlie Rich covered the song for his album Charlie Rich Sings Country & Western (1967).[16]
- Dean Martin cut the song for Reprise and it was included in his album Dean "Tex" Martin Rides Again (1963).
- Eddy Arnold recorded the song in 1964 for the album Pop Hits from the Country Side.[17]
- Eydie Gormé - for her album Gormé Country Style (1964).[18]
- Skeeter Davis recorded the song in 1965 and included it to her Written By The Stars album.
- Sue Thompson recorded the song in 1966 under Hickory Records label.
- B.J. Thomas recorded the song in 1967 for the album B.J. Thomas – Sings for Lovers and Losers.[19]
- Burl Ives included the song in his album The Big Country Hits (1968).[20]
- Marty Robbins included it on his 1968 LP I Walk Alone.[21]
- Ernest Tubb covered the song in 1968 for the album Ernest Tubb Sings Hank Williams.
- Stonewall Jackson recorded the song for Columbia in 1969 and it appeared on his album A Tribute to Hank Williams.[22]
- The song appears on Roy Orbison's 1970 LP Hank Williams the Roy Orbison Way.
- Isaac Hayes' rendition was the B-side of his hit 1971 recording of "Never Can Say Goodbye".
- Glen Campbell recorded it for his 1973 album I Remember Hank Williams.
- Linda Ronstadt covered the song on her 1974 album Heart Like a Wheel, reaching #2 on the U.S. Country chart.(Linda Ronstadt discography).
- The song is featured on the reissue of Willie Nelson's 1975 LP Red Headed Stranger album as a bonus track.
- Charlie McCoy recorded it as an instrumental in 1977.
- Charlie Pride recorded it on his 1980 tribute There's a Little Bit of Hank in Me.
- Conway Twitty included the song on his album Play, Guitar Play (1977).[23]
- The Breeders released the song on their 1993 single "Divine Hammer."
- Evil Conduct released the Song on their 2008 Album "King of Kings“
- Session Americana released the song on their 2011 album "Live."
- Daniel O'Donnell included the song on his album The Hank Williams Songbook (2015).[24]
- James Taylor recorded it as one of the bonus tracks of his 2016 album "Before This World"
Chart performance
| Chart (1951) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 2 |
References
- ↑ "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ↑ Escott, Colin (2004). Hank Williams: The Biography. New York: Back Bay Books. p. 163. ISBN 0316734977.
- ↑ "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ↑ Escott, Colin (2004). Hank Williams: The Biography. New York: Back Bay Books. p. 244. ISBN 0316734977.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 317. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ↑ "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ↑ "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 241.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
- ↑ "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ↑ "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
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