Without You (Badfinger song)

"Without You" is a song written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Welsh rock group Badfinger, and first released on their 1970 album No Dice. The power ballad<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> has been recorded by over 180 artists,<ref>According to the ASCAP</ref> and versions released as singles by Harry Nilsson (1971) and Mariah Carey (1994) became international number one hits. The Nilsson version was included in 2021's [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time|Rolling StoneTemplate:'s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time]].<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Paul McCartney once described it as "the killer song of all time".<ref name="VH1 Behind The Music">Paul McCartney VH1 Behind The Music Template:Webarchive, Retrieved 10 June 2009</ref>

In 1972, writers Ham and Evans received the British Academy's Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.<ref>Lister, David, Pop ballads bite back in lyrical fashion, The Independent, 28 May 1994</ref>

Badfinger original

First recorded by the rock group Badfinger, the song was composed by two of its members. Pete Ham wrote a song originally titled "If It's Love", but it had lacked a strong chorus. At the time of writing, the band shared residence with the Mojos at 7 Park Avenue in Golders Green. One evening, in the midst of the parties, songwriting, touring, in Golders Green, Ham and his girlfriend Beverly Tucker were about to go out for the evening. But just as they were leaving Tom Evans said he had an idea for a song – Ham said, "Not tonight, I've promised Bev." But she thought he would be wondering if he had done the right thing later, if he went out. She told him, "Go into the studio, I'm fine about it..."Template:Nbsp He replied, "Your mouth is smiling, but your eyes are sad." The song Ham wrote that night was called "If it's Love" and has the verse "Well I can't forget tomorrow, when I think of all my sorrow, I had you there but then I let you go, and now it's only fair that I should let you knowTemplate:Nbsp... if it's love". But Ham wasn't happy with the chorus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=stereo>Template:Cite web</ref>

Evans' relationship with his future wife Marianne influenced his lyrics: Template:Blockquote Both Ham and Evans said they did not consider the song to have much potential at the time Badfinger recorded it, and the track was slotted to close the first side of their 1970 album No Dice. Badfinger's recording of the song, which is more brusque than its successors' versions, was not released as a single in Europe or North America.

Stereogum reviewer Tom Breihan said of Badfinger's version that it "is strummy and direct, but it also sounds like a blueprint, not a final version. They could’ve turned it into a showstopping ballad, but they didn’t."<ref name=stereo/>

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated it as Badfinger's 4th-best song, calling it a "quiet gem" that "hits all the right emotional notes."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Classic Rock critic Rob Hughes rated it Badfinger's 6th-best song, saying it is "less saccharine and more understated [than the Nilsson and Carey versions], delivered with a genuine sense of anguish."<ref name=louder>Template:Cite web</ref> Paul McCartney called it "the killer song of all time."<ref name=louder/>

The two writers of the song, Ham and Evans, later died by suicide due to legal and financial issues. In Evans' case, it was a dispute over songwriting royalties for "Without You" that precipitated his action. Songwriting royalties had become the subject of constant legal wrangling for Evans, and in 1983, following an acrimonious argument with his bandmate Joey Molland over the royalties for the song, Evans hanged himself.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Harry Nilsson version

Background and history

File:Harry Nilsson (1973).png

Harry Nilsson (pictured in 1972) covered Badfinger's song "Without You".

Harry Nilsson, at the time best known for his hit "Everybody's Talkin'" and for composing "One", recorded by Three Dog Night, heard Badfinger's recording of "Without You" at a party,Template:Sfn and mistook it for a Beatles song.<ref name=stereo/>

After realising it was not, he decided to cover the song for his 1971 album Nilsson Schmilsson. According to Breihan, "He wanted his version of the song to be a stark, heavy solo-piano thing, but [producer Richard] Perry convinced him to turn it into a grand, crashing, theatrical monster-ballad, complete with orchestra."<ref name=stereo/> Gary Wright, who worked with Badfinger on George Harrison's projects, played the piano. Also featured are Klaus Voormann (bass), Jim Keltner (drums) and John Uribe (acoustic guitar). The string and horn arrangements are by Paul Buckmaster.

Commercial performance

The single was released by RCA in the autumn of 1971, and it first charted on radio stations across the US in early December. "Without You" debuted at number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 18 December 1971, and on its tenth week, in the chart dated 19 February 1972, started its four-week run at number one, as his only song to peak at that position. Billboard ranked it as the number-four single of 1972. The record topped BillboardTemplate:'s Easy Listening chart for five weeks.

The record spent five weeks at number one on the UK singles chart, beginning on 11 March, eventually selling almost 800,000 copies.<ref>Dafydd Rees and Luke Crampton, Rock Stars Encyclopedia (New York: DK Publishing, 1999), 714.</ref> It went to number one in several other countries, including Australia (for five weeks), Ireland (two weeks) and New Zealand (two weeks).

The single was re-released in 1976 where it went back to number one in Ireland for two weeks and peaked at #22 in the UK.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Critical reception

Billboard said it was "by far [Nilsson's] most commercial driving rock ballad in some time."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Cashbox said of the single "Couple a winning Badfinger tune with Gary Wright's piano and Nilsson's wideranging voice, and you've got Harry's biggest hit since 'Everybody's Talkin'.'"<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Record World said that "Nilsson's brilliant rendition of this Badfinger song has more than enough of the stuff of which hits are made."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Breihan described the song as "going-for-it schmaltz," compared with Badfinger's "vaguely embarrassed schmaltz", but basically considered it a "big and silly and down-the-middle breakup ballad."<ref name=stereo/>

The single, Grammy-nominated for Record of the Year, was produced by Richard Perry, who later explained, "It was a different record for its time. It was a big ballad with a heavy backbeat, and although many artists have cut songs like it since, no one was doing it then."<ref name="super">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1973, the single won Nilsson the Grammy award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male.Template:Sfn While Nilsson rarely gave live concerts, he did perform the song with Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas in September 1992.<ref>Chip Madinger and Mark Easter, Eight Arms To Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium (Chesterfield, MO: 44.1 Productions, 2000), 543.</ref>

In 1972 Evans said of finding out that Nilsson had recorded the song as a single:Template:Quote

In 2021, this version was ranked 496th on [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time|Rolling StoneTemplate:'s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time]].<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Harry Nilsson track listing

Worldwide Single

1. "Without You" – 3:17
2. "Gotta Get Up" – 2:24

EP (Portugal)

1. "Without You" – 3:17
2. "The Moonbeam Song" – 3:18
3. "Gotta Get Up" – 2:24
4. "Jump into The Fire" – 3:32

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Template:SinglechartTemplate:SinglechartTemplate:SinglechartTemplate:SinglechartTemplate:SinglechartTemplate:SinglechartTemplate:Singlechart

Chart (1971–1972)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name="Kent">Template:Cite book</ref>	1
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	24
France Singles Chart	46
Italy Singles Chart	3
New Zealand (Listener)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	1
Philippines Singles Chart<ref name="Billboard">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	1
South Africa Singles Chart	2
US Billboard Hot 100<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1972)	Rank
Australia<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	2
Canada Top Singles (RPM)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	44
UK	4
US Billboard Hot 100<ref>"Top Pop 100 Singles" Billboard 30 December 1972: TA-3</ref>	4

All-time charts

Chart (1958–2018)	Position
US Billboard Hot 100<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	446

Personnel

According to the 1971 LP credits:<ref name="credits">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

• Harry Nilsson – vocals
• Gary Wright – piano
• John Uribe – acoustic guitar
• Klaus Voormann – bass guitar
• Jim Keltner – drums
• Paul Buckmaster – string and French horn arrangements

Mariah Carey version

Template:Main American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey's version, based on Harry Nilsson's version rather than the Badfinger original, was released as the third single off Music Box in the first quarter of 1994. Its US release date of 21 January 1994 by Columbia Records fell a week after Nilsson's death following a heart attack on 15 January 1994. In the US "Without You" was promoted as a double A-side with "Never Forget You". While she had heard Nilsson's version as a very young girl, Carey's decision to remake his hit was based on a chance hearing during the recording of Music Box: "I heard that song in a restaurant and just knew it would be a huge international hit" recalls Carey.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Carey's version has been considered very popular on talent shows.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> "Without You" was later included on some non-US pressings of her compilation albums #1's (1998) and #1 to Infinity (2015), and her 2001 compilation, Greatest Hits. "Without You" was also included on her 2008 compilation The Ballads.

"Without You" reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks. "Without You" remains Carey's biggest hit across Europe. In the United Kingdom, where Carey had yet to score a number one hit, "Without You" made its UK chart debut at number one where it remained for four weeks in total, and later ended as the 7th best-selling single of 1994 in the United Kingdom.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It topped the European Hot 100 Singles chart for two weeks and reached number one for ten weeks in Switzerland; eight weeks in Austria and Sweden; seven weeks in Belgium; five weeks in Ireland and the Netherlands; four weeks in Germany and Iceland; and two weeks in Scotland.

Other versions

• In 1975: Ruby Winters - U.S. R&B No. 95<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• In 1977: Susie Allanson on the album A Little Love - U.S. C&W No. 77 (1979); by Heart on the album Magazine
• In 1983: Herman van Veen on the album On Broadway; T. G. Sheppard from the album Greatest Hits - U.S. C&W No. 12
• In 1991: Air Supply on the album The Earth Is...<ref>Template:YouTube</ref> - U.S. AC No. 48<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:YouTube</ref>
• In 2008: Valentina Hasan, a contestant auditioning for the Bulgarian show Music Idol, interpreted the song as "Ken Lee"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

ASCAP and Ivor Novello recognition

Template:One source On 15 May 1995, at ASCAP's twelfth annual Pop Music Awards in Beverly Hills, California, "Without You" was recognised as one of the 50 most-played songs of 1994 (due largely to Mariah Carey's recording). Discrepancies in ASCAP's books, resulting from a lawsuit against the Ham and Evans estates by their former manager, incorrectly attributed the song as being composed not only by Ham and Evans, but also by Badfinger's other bandmembers, Mike Gibbins and Joey Molland, and their former manager, Bill Collins. This designation and a lack of correction by ASCAP prompted the Ham Estate to boycott the ceremony. The song was also nominated for "Song of the Year" in London at the Ivor Novello Awards.<ref name="Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger">, page 395, Matovina, Dan. Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger Template:Webarchive, Google Books, 2000. Retrieved 17 June 2009</ref>

See also

• List of Billboard Easy Listening number ones of 1972
• List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1972
• List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1994
• List of number-one hits of 1994 (Austria)
• List of number-one hits of 1994 (Germany)
• List of number-one singles of 1972 (Canada)
• List of number-one singles of 1994 (Ireland)
• List of number-one singles of the 1990s (Switzerland)
• List of UK singles chart number ones of the 1970s
• List of UK singles chart number ones of the 1990s

References

Sources

• Template:Cite book

External links

• Template:YouTube