I Won't Last a Day Without You
"I Won't Last a Day Without You" is a song with lyrics written by Paul Williams and music composed by Roger Nichols. It was released in the U.K. in September 1972, paired with Goodbye to Love as a double-A side. The single reached number 9 and spent 14 weeks on the chart. It was later released in the U.S. and became a hit single for the Carpenters in 1974, reaching number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number one on the easy listening chart.[1] It was the Carpenters' ninth number one on the easy listening chart.
"I Won't Last a Day Without You" | ||||
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Single by Carpenters | ||||
from the album A Song for You | ||||
B-side | "One Love (USA) / Goodbye to Love (UK double A side)" | |||
Released | March 25, 1974 (USA) / September 1972 (UK) | |||
Recorded | 1972 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:52 | |||
Label | A&M | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Jack Daugherty | |||
Carpenters singles chronology | ||||
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A Song for You track listing | ||||
13 tracks
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In 1972, Richard Carpenter had learned of a new song by Williams and Nichols, who had already contributed "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days and Mondays" to the Carpenters. He included it on their 1972 album A Song for You, but it would not be released as a single until 1974. Before then, Diana Ross heard it and included it on her 1973 album Touch Me in the Morning, as well as the B side of the title track single release, which became a number-one hit. Williams released his version on the 1972 album Life Goes On and as a single in 1973, but garnered only minor success. Maureen McGovern recorded the song and also released it as a single in 1973 (and included on her album The Morning After), reaching #89 Billboard, #72 Cash Box and #14 Adult Contemporary. In Canada, her version reached #12 AC.[2] The Carpenters' version was released as a single the following year.
Chart performance
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Other versions
Many other versions of the song have been recorded by famous artists. Among the most notable of the cover versions is Al Wilson's recording for his 1974 album La La Peace Song which featured "I Won't Last a Day Without You" in a medley with another Nichols/Williams composition: "Let Me Be the One". The medley was issued as a single in December 1974 to reach #18 on the R&B chart in Billboard magazine while crossing over to both Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart (#39) and the mainstream Pop chart the Billboard Hot 100 (#70).
Personnel
- Karen Carpenter – lead and backing vocals
- Richard Carpenter – backing vocals, piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, orchestration
- Joe Osborn – bass guitar
- Tony Peluso – electric guitar
- Hal Blaine – drums
- Louie Shelton – electric guitar
- Earl Dumler – English horn
- Uncredited – tambourine
See also
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1974 (U.S.)
References
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 107.
- RPM Adult Contemporary, November 30, 1973
- "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". bac-lac.gc.ca. July 22, 2014.
- "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". bac-lac.gc.ca. July 22, 2014.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
- "Carpenters Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
- "Carpenters Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
- "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". bac-lac.gc.ca. July 22, 2014.
- "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1974". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved July 16, 2015.