I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)

"I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)"
"I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)"
Single by Hank Williams and His Drifting Cowboys
A-side	"Howlin' at the Moon"
Released	1951
Recorded	March 16, 1951
Studio	Castle, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre	Country
Length	2:26
Label	MGM
Songwriter(s)	Hank Williams
Producer(s)	Fred Rose
Hank Williams and His Drifting Cowboys singles chronology

"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.^[1] 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."^[2] The song was recorded at Castle Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 16, 1951 and issued as MGM catalog No. 10961.^[3] 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.^[4] 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.(Hank Williams discography#singles)

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[]

Chart (1951)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	2

Notable cover versions[]

Many artists have covered the song. Among the most successful are the following:

Guy Mitchell briefly reached the Billboard charts with the song in 1951 achieving a peak position of No. 28.^[5]
Johnny Tillotson's 1962 rendition reached #24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #8 Adult Contemporary.^[6]
Linda Ronstadt covered the song on her 1974 album Heart Like a Wheel, reaching #2 on the U.S. Country chart.^[7] Her cover earned her the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female.
Cat Power covered the song on their 1996 album Myra Lee as "Still in Love".

References[]

^ "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
^ Escott, Colin (2004). Hank Williams: The Biography. New York: Back Bay Books. p. 163. ISBN 0316734977.
^ "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
^ Escott, Colin (2004). Hank Williams: The Biography. New York: Back Bay Books. p. 244. ISBN 0316734977.
^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 317. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 241.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 300.

[1] "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.

[2] Escott, Colin (2004). Hank Williams: The Biography. New York: Back Bay Books. p. 163. ISBN 0316734977.

[3] "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.

[4] Escott, Colin (2004). Hank Williams: The Biography. New York: Back Bay Books. p. 244. ISBN 0316734977.

[5] Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 317. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.

[6] Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 241.

[7] Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 300.

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