My Heart Can't Tell You No
"My Heart Can't Tell You No" is a song written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan. It was first recorded and released by British pop-rock artist Rod Stewart on his 1988 album Out of Order. Originally intended as a song for country artist Barbara Mandrell, Stewart ultimately claimed the song for himself. It was later covered in 2011 by American country artist Sara Evans and released as the second single from her sixth studio album, Stronger.
"My Heart Can't Tell You No" | ||||
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Single by Rod Stewart | ||||
from the album Out of Order | ||||
Released | 22 September 1988 | |||
Genre | Soft rock | |||
Length | 5:12 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Songwriter(s) | Simon Climie, Dennis Morgan | |||
Producer(s) | Rod Stewart, Andy Taylor | |||
Rod Stewart singles chronology | ||||
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Rod Stewart version
"My Heart Can't Tell You No" was a Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and adult contemporary charts, eventually reaching 4 and 3, respectively, in 1989. It was the highest charting single from the album. In the United Kingdom, the song reached a peak position of 49, becoming his second Top 50 single from Out of Order. A music video was also produced and released for the single. In some releases of the single and the album, the song was incorrectly identified as "My Heart Can't Tell Me No".
Critical reception
Jon Grein of the Los Angeles Times called the song "obviously commercial".[1]
Chart positions
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Sara Evans version
"My Heart Can't Tell You No" | ||||
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Single by Sara Evans | ||||
from the album Stronger | ||||
Released | June 20, 2011 | |||
Recorded | 2010 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 4:34 | |||
Label | RCA Nashville | |||
Songwriter(s) | Simon Climie, Dennis Morgan | |||
Producer(s) | Tony Brown | |||
Sara Evans singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"My Heart Can't Tell You No" on YouTube |
Critical reception
Jon Caramanica of The New York Times called Evans' version of the song a "gentle, regretful cover".[8] Giving it four stars out of five, Bobby Peacock of Roughstock called it a "worthwhile cover" and described the production positively, although he thought that the lyrics were "slightly cluttered and underfocused".[9] Kevin John Coyne, reviewing the song for Country Universe, gave it a D rating, calling it "watery, country-pop claptrap."[10]
Music video
The music video, directed by Peter Zavadil, was released on August 22, 2011. In it, Evans is shown watching, from various locations (including an apartment hallway and an underground parking garage, and a grocery store), a young woman crying and arguing with her "boyfriend." Later, Evans bumps into the young woman in a grocery store and begins to chat, when something catches the woman's eye. Lo and behold, it is the young woman's "boyfriend" with another woman. It is then that Evans realizes that the "boyfriend" is the young woman's lover and is cheating on his wife, who is now at the store with him. After bumping into them in an aisle and being introduced to the man's wife, the young woman who is shown clearly distraught walking away. The first ending then cuts to Evans in the parking garage as police and EMS rush to the room of the young woman, due to a presumed attempt at suicide. Two other alternate endings to the video were released as well, and were made available on Evans' website for streaming. The second ending shows the man going to the woman's apartment and the woman reluctantly letting him in yet again. The third ending shows the woman and man back in the parking garage where the woman finally walks away "for good."
The actress in the video is Vanessa Mandrell, Barbara Mandrell's niece. Her aunt was originally intended to record the song.
Note that the actress in Rod Stewart's video is Denise Greer.
Reception
The video for "My Heart Can't Tell You No" was nominated for Female Video of the Year at the 2012 CMT Music Awards.[11]
Chart positions
"My Heart Can't Tell You No" debuted at number 54 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week dated June 18, 2011.[12] It reached a peak position of 21 on the chart dated January 28, 2012.[13] The song did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but did peak at number 5 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles extension chart.[14]
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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References
- Grein, Paul (29 July 1989). "Rod Stewart Gets His New Image in `Order'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
- "Rod Stewart: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- "Rod Stewart Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- "Rod Stewart Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- "Top Singles - Volume 51, No. 8, December 23, 1989". RPM. December 23, 1999. Archived from the original on September 7, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- "1989 The Year in Music: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 101 (51): Y-22. December 23, 1989.
- "Billboard Top 100 – 1989".
- Pareles, Jon; Ben Ratliff; Jon Caramanica (7 March 2011). "Critics' Choice: New CDs". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
- Peacock, Bobby (23 June 2011). "Sara Evans — "My Heart Can't Tell You No"". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 26 June 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
- Coyne, Kevin John (May 30, 2011). "5 Five-Second Single Reviews: Laura Alaina, Rodney Atkins, Sara Evans, Joe Nichols, Kellie Pickler". Country Universe. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
- Dauphin, Chuch (April 23, 2012). "2012 CMT Awards: Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert Lead Nominees". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- Trust, Gary (June 9, 2011). "Weekly Chart Notes: Adele, Eddie Vedder, Kristine W". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- "Hot Country Songs" (The Week Of: January 28, 2012). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- "Sara Evans Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- "Sara Evans Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- "Sara Evans Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- "Best of 2011: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
- "Best of 2012: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2012.