I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)
{{Short description|1951 single by Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys}}
{{Infobox song
| name = I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)
| cover = I_Can't_Help_It_(If_I'm_Still_in_Love_with_You)_-_Hank_Williams_and_His_Drifting_Cowboys.jpg
| alt =
| published = {{Start date|1951|4|25}} Acuff-Rose Publications{{Cite web|title=U.S. Copyright Office Virtual Card Catalog 1946-1954|url=https://vcc.copyright.gov/browse|access-date=2021-09-09|website=vcc.copyright.gov}}
| type = single
| artist = Hank Williams With His Drifting Cowboys
| album =
| A-side = Howlin' at the Moon
| released = May 1951{{Cite web|title=Howlin' At the Moon|url=https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20708792|access-date=2021-09-24|website=www.wikidata.org|language=en}}
| recorded = March 16, 1951{{Cite web|title=Hank Williams 78rpm Issues|url=https://jazzdiscography.com/Artists/hank-williams/hank-williams-78-releases.php|access-date=2021-09-23|website=jazzdiscography.com}}
| studio = Castle Studio, Nashville
| venue =
| genre = Hillbilly, Honky-tonk, Country blues
| length = {{Duration|m=2|s=26}}
| label = MGM 10961
| writer = Hank Williams
| producer = Fred Rose
| prev_title = Ramblin' Man
| prev_year = 1951
| next_title = Hey Good Lookin'
| next_year = 1951
}}
"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.{{cite web|title=45cat.com|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/k10961us|website=45cat.com|access-date=December 26, 2017}} It hit number two on the Billboard country singles chart in 1951. In his autobiography, George Jones printed the first six lines of the song and stated, "Its lyrics couldn't be more simple - or profound."
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."{{cite book|last1=Escott|first1=Colin|title=Hank Williams: The Biography|date=2004|publisher=Back Bay Books|location=New York|isbn=0316734977|page=163}} The song was recorded at Castle Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 16, 1951, and issued as MGM catalog No. 10961.{{cite web|title=The Online Discographical Project|url=https://www.78discography.com/MGM10500.htm|website=78discography.com|access-date=December 26, 2017}}
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.{{cite book|last1=Escott|first1=Colin|author-link1=Colin Escott |title=Hank Williams: The Biography|date=2004|publisher=Back Bay Books|location=New York|isbn=0316734977|page=244}} 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.
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.
Chart performance
| class="wikitable" |
| Chart (1951)
!Peak |
|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles
| style="text-align:center;"|2 |
Notable cover versions
Many artists have covered the song. Among the most successful are the following:
- Guy Mitchell's 1951 version peaked at No. 28 on Billboard charts.{{cite book|last1=Whitburn|first1=Joel|title=Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954|date=1986|publisher=Record Research Inc|location=Wisconsin, USA|isbn=0-89820-083-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/317 317]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/317}}
- Johnny Tillotson's 1962 rendition reached No. 24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, No. 8 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and No. 23 in Canada.{{cite book|first= Joel |last= Whitburn |author-link= Joel Whitburn |year= 1993 |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993 |publisher= Record Research |page=241}}{{cite web|url=https://chumtribute.com/62-11-26-chart.jpg| title=CHUM Hit Parade - November 26, 1962}}
- Skeeter Davis recorded the track in 1965. Her version was released as a single and peaked at number 26 on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles chart the same year.{{cite book |last1=Whitburn |first1=Joel |title=Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2010 |date=2011 |publisher=Record Research |isbn=978-0898201888 |page=221}}
- Linda Ronstadt covered the song on her 1974 album Heart Like a Wheel, reaching No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=300}} Her version won her the 1976 Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Hank Williams}}
{{Johnny Tillotson}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Hank Williams
Category:Song recordings produced by Fred Rose (songwriter)
Category:Cadence Records singles