I'll Never Fall in Love Again

"I'll Never Fall in Love Again"
Single by Dionne Warwick
from the album I'll Never Fall in Love Again
B-side "What the World Needs Now Is Love"
Released December 1969 (1969)
Label Scepter
Writer(s)
Dionne Warwick singles chronology
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling"
(1969)
"I'll Never Fall in Love Again"
(1969)
"Let Me Go to Him"
(1970)

"I'll Never Fall in Love Again" is a popular song by composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David that was written for the 1968 musical Promises, Promises. Several recordings of the song were released in 1969, the most popular of which was by Dionne Warwick, who took it to number six on Billboard magazine's Hot 100[1] and spent three weeks with it at number one on the magazine's list of the 40 most popular Easy Listening songs in the US.[2]

Promises, Promises

In the fall of 1968 Bacharach and David were in Boston for previews of Promises, Promises, the new musical for which producer David Merrick had asked if they would write the score, and Merrick realized, "'We're missing a song in the middle of the second act, and what we need is something the audience can whistle on their way out of the theater.'"[3] But around this time, Bacharach was hospitalized with pneumonia and wasn't able to sit at a piano to write the music until after he was released. By that time "Hal had already come up with the lyrics to 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again,' and my hospital stay had inspired him to write, 'What do you get when you kiss a girl? / You get enough germs to catch pneumonia / After you do, she'll never phone you.'"[4] When he finally sat with the lyrics in front of him, he recalls, "I wrote the melody for 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again' faster than I had ever written any song in my life."[3] The surge of creativity paid off. "We came in with the song the next morning, and it went into the show a couple of nights later. 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again' became the outstanding hit from the score and pretty much stopped the show every night."[3] Promises, Promises had its Broadway premiere on December 1 of that year,[5] and the song was originally performed as a duet between the characters played by Jill O'Hara and Jerry Orbach as they ruminate on the various troubles that falling in love brings. They recorded it for the original Broadway cast album.[6]

Chart hits

The first recording of "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" to reach any of the charts in Billboard was by Johnny Mathis, whose cover debuted on the magazine's Easy Listening chart in the issue dated May 17, 1969, and reached number 35 over the course of three weeks there.[7] Bacharach's own version, which was sung by a female chorus, overtook the Mathis release after a May 31 debut on that same chart and got as high as number 18 during its nine-week stay.[8] It also peaked at number 93 on the Hot 100 during the two weeks it spent there in July.[9] Bobbie Gentry entered the UK singles chart with the song the following month, on August 30, and enjoyed one of her 19 weeks there at number one.[10] She also peaked at number one in Ireland,[11] number three in South Africa,[12] and number five in Norway.[13]

The most successful version of the song to be released as a single, however, was by Bacharach-David protégée Dionne Warwick, whose recording made its first appearance on the Hot 100 in the issue dated December 27, 1969, to start an 11-week run that took it to number six.[1] The January 3, 1970, issue marked its first of 11 weeks on the magazine's Easy Listening chart, where it enjoyed three weeks at number one,[2] and a seven-week stay on their list of the 50 Best Selling Soul Singles in the US began in the next issue and included a peak position at number 17.[14] Her version also spent four weeks at number one on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart[15] and reached number three on the Canadian pop chart.[16]

In 1972 the Liz Anderson recording of the song peaked at number 56 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart,[17] and in 1990 the Scottish pop rock band Deacon Blue opted for a slower arrangement on the duet between their vocalists Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh that got as high as number two in Ireland[18] and number 72 in the Netherlands.[19]

Grammy nomination (1970) and win (1971)

At the 12th Annual Grammy Awards on March 11, 1970, Bacharach and David were the songwriting nominees of "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" in the Song of the Year category but lost to Joe South for "Games People Play".[20] Because the eligibility period ended on November 1, 1969,[20] however, Warwick was not nominated until the following year, when she won in the category of Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Female.[21]

Chart performance (Dionne Warwick version)

Weekly singles charts

Chart (1969-70) Peak
position
Canada RPM Top Singles[16] 3
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[15] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[1] 6
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary[2] 1
U.S. Billboard R&B[14] 17
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[22] 6

Year-end charts

Chart (1970) Rank
Canada [23] 52
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[24] 95
U.S. Cash Box[25] 63

Cover versions

"I'll Never Fall in Love Again"
Version by Bradley Joseph.

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"I'll Never Fall in Love Again" has been covered by a variety of artists:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Whitburn 2009, p. 1042.
  2. 1 2 3 Whitburn 2007, p. 291.
  3. 1 2 3 Bacharach 2013, p. 135.
  4. Bacharach 2013, p. 134–135.
  5. Bacharach 2013, p. 138.
  6. 1 2 (1968) "Promises, Promises" by the original Broadway cast [album jacket]. New York: United Artists Records UAS 29011.
  7. Whitburn 2007, p. 178.
  8. Whitburn 2007, p. 16.
  9. Whitburn 2009, p. 60.
  10. "I'll Never Fall in Love Again". Official Charts. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  11. "The Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  12. "South African Rock Lists Website – SA Charts 1965–1989 Acts (G)". South Africa's Rock Lists. South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  13. "Norwegian Charts" (in Norwegian). norwegiancharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  14. 1 2 Whitburn 2004, p. 610.
  15. 1 2 "Adult". RPM. RPM Library Archives. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  16. 1 2 "RPM100". RPM. RPM Library Archives. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  17. Whitburn 2002, p. 12.
  18. "The Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  19. "Dutch Charts" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  20. 1 2 O'Neil 1999, p. 155.
  21. O'Neil 1999, p. 169.
  22. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles: Week Ending February 7, 1970". Cash Box Magazine. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  23. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  24. "Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970". Music Outfitters, Inc. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  25. "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1970, Top 100 Pop Singles (As published in the December 26, 1970 issue)". Cash Box Magazine. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  26. (1969) Solid Gold 69 by Chet Atkins [album jacket]. New York: RCA Victor LSP 4244.
  27. (1969) Make It Easy on Yourself by Burt Bacharach [album jacket]. New York: A&M Records SP 4188.
  28. (1969) Does Anybody Miss Me by Shirley Bassey [album jacket]. Los Angeles: United Artists Records UAS 9040.
  29. (1969) Ella by Ella Fitzgerald [album jacket]. New York: Reprise Records RS 6354.
  30. (1969) Touch 'Em with Love by Bobbie Gentry [album jacket]. Los Angeles: Capitol Records ST 155.
  31. (1970) Fancy by Bobbie Gentry [album jacket]. Los Angeles: Capitol Records ST 428.
  32. (1969) "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" /"Love Is Everywhere" by Anita Harris [7" single]. London: CBS Records 4467.
  33. (1969) Gliding Bird by Emmylou Harris [album jacket]. New York: Jubilee Records JGS 8031.
  34. (1969) Love Theme from "Romeo and Juliet" (A Time for Us) by Johnny Mathis [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 9909.
  35. (1970) Close to You by The Carpenters [album jacket]. New York: A&M Records SP 4271.
  36. (1970) Arizona by Mark Lindsay [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 9986.
  37. (1970) Honey Come Back by Patti Page [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 9999.
  38. (1970) México 70 by Wilson Simonal [album jacket]. London: Odeon Records SLOM 10108.
  39. (1970) Promesse... Promesse ... by Catherine Spaak & Johnny Dorelli [album jacket]. Milan: Compagnia Generale del Disco FGS 5063.
  40. (1970) I'll Never Fall in Love Again by Dionne Warwick [album jacket]. New York: Scepter Records SPS 581.
  41. (1971) Black Moses by Isaac Hayes [album jacket]. Memphis: Enterprise Records ENS-5003.
  42. (1971) Pasaporte a Dublin by Karina [album jacket]. Madrid: Hispavox HH 11-205.
  43. (1971) Anne Murray by Anne Murray [album jacket]. Los Angeles: Capitol Records ST-667.
  44. (2005) Lost Treasures by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass [CD booklet]. Los Angeles: Shout Factory DK 32867.
  45. (2008) The Complete A&M Recordings by Liza Minnelli [CD booklet]. Itasca: Collectors' Choice Music CCM-976.
  46. (1972) "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (stereo)/"I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (mono) by Liz Anderson [7" single]. New York: Epic Records 510840.
  47. (1972) The Dells Sing Dionne Warwicke's Greatest Hits by The Dells [album jacket]. Chicago: Cadet Records CA 50017.
  48. (1990) Four Bacharach & David Songs by Deacon Blue [album jacket]. London: CBS Records DEAC T12.
  49. (1997) My Best Friend's Wedding: Music from the Motion Picture by various artists [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music Soundtrax OT 68166.
  50. (1998) To Hal and Bacharach by various artists [CD booklet]. New York: WEA Records 3984228212.
  51. (1999) Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: Music from the Motion Picture by various artists [CD booklet]. Burbank: Maverick 936247348-2.
  52. (2002) Sogni Proibiti by Ornella Vanoni [CD booklet]. New York: Epic Records 510240 2.
  53. (2005) For the Love of It by Bradley Joseph [CD booklet]. Saint Francis, MN: Robbins Island Music 01069 00042.
  54. (2005) Pop Collection by The Real Group [CD booklet]. London: EMI Music Distribution 61015 .
  55. (2005) 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover by Tok Tok Tok [CD booklet]. Köln: BHM Productions 3002-2.
  56. (2006) The Look of Love by Trijntje Oosterhuis [CD booklet]. New York: Blue Note 37683.
  57. (2007) My Bossa Nova by Sitti [CD booklet]. Manila: Warner Music Phillipines 5051442297225.
  58. (2010) Promises, Promises: The New Broadway Cast Recording by various artists [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Masterworks 88697 74144 2.
  59. (2011) When Ronan Met Burt by Ronan Keating [CD booklet]. London: Polydor Records 2765649.
  60. (2015) Glee: The Music, Season 6 - What the World Needs Now Is Love by the cast of Glee [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music 4547366240566.
  61. (2015) Strange Magic: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by various artists [CD booklet]. Los Angeles: Walt Disney Records D002150592.

Bibliography

  • Bacharach, Burt; Greenfield, Robert (2013), Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music, Harper Collins, ISBN 0062206060 
  • O'Neil, Thomas (1999), The Grammys, Perigree Books, ISBN 0-399-52477-0 
  • Whitburn, Joel (2004), Joel Whitburn Presents Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles, 1942-2004, Record Research Inc., ISBN 0898201608 
  • Whitburn, Joel (2007), Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961-2006, Record Research Inc., ISBN 0898201691 
  • Whitburn, Joel (2009), Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 1955-2008, Record Research Inc., ISBN 0898201802 

External links

Preceded by
"Je t'aime... moi non plus" by
Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg
UK number-one single
by Bobbie Gentry

October 18, 1969 (one week)
Succeeded by
"Sugar, Sugar"
by The Archies
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