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Can't Smile Without You

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"Can't Smile Without You"
Martin (left), and Debbie (right), whom the song was written and inspired by.
Single by David Martin
B-side"Magic Roundabout"
Released25 July 1975
GenrePop, soft rock
Length3:35
LabelDJM
Songwriter(s)Christian Arnold, Geoff Morrow, David Martin
Producer(s)Chris Arnold, Geoff Morrow
David Martin singles chronology
"There's Still Time"
(1970) 		"Can't Smile Without You"
(1975) 		"I'm Just Mad About You Jean"
(1975)

"Can't Smile Without You" is a song written by Christian Arnold, David Martin and Geoff Morrow, and recorded by various artists including Barry Manilow and the Carpenters. It was first recorded and released by David Martin as a solo single in 1975. The version recorded by Manilow in 1977 and released in 1978 is the most well-known.[1]

Origin

The song was inspired by and written by Martin about a woman named Debbie, who appears on the cover alongside Martin.[2]

Carpenters version

"Can't Smile Without You"
Single by Carpenters
from the album A Kind of Hush
A-side"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft"
Released9 September 1977
Recorded1976
GenrePop
Length3:25
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Christian Arnold, Geoff Morrow, David Martin
Producer(s)Karen and Richard Carpenter
Carpenters singles chronology
"All You Get from Love Is a Love Song"
(1977) 		"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" / "Can't Smile Without You"
(1977) 		"The Christmas Song"
(1977)

The song was recorded in 1976 by the Carpenters and released on their May 1976 album, A Kind of Hush. It was also the B-side track for their 1977 single, "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft", released in support of their 1977 album, Passage.

Barry Manilow version

"Can't Smile Without You"
Single by Barry Manilow
from the album Even Now
B-side"Sunrise"
ReleasedJanuary 1978
Recorded1977
GenrePop, soft rock
Length3:13
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)Christian Arnold, Geoff Morrow, David Martin
Producer(s)Barry Manilow, Ron Dante
Barry Manilow singles chronology
"Daybreak"
(1977) 		"Can't Smile Without You"
(1978) 		"Even Now"
(1978)
Audio
"Can't Smile Without You" on YouTube

"Can't Smile Without You" was recorded by Manilow in 1977 and released on his 1978 album, Even Now. Manilow also issued the song as a single in 1978 where it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[3]

Manilow's version has slightly different lyrics from the Carpenters' version such as the Carpenters's line "I can't laugh and I can't walk/I'm finding it hard even to talk" which was changed in Manilow's version to "I can't laugh and I can't sing/I'm finding it hard to do anything". The Carpenters remixed the song with additional orchestration for the B-side of the 1977 "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" single, revising the lyrics to read "I can't laugh and I can't sleep/I don't even talk to people I meet".

Billboard said that Manilow's version starts "sweetly with a soft whistle" and builds in intensity over the course of the song, similar to other of Manilow's popular songs.[4] Record World said that it "moves at a moderate, catchy tempo with a lost-love lyric of the sort that has swelled the artist's audience."[5]

A version on Manilow's greatest hits box set, The Complete Collection and Then Some..., contains a slightly different version to the previously released version.

During live performances, Barry Manilow will pull a girl out of the audience to sing the song as a duet with him.

Chart performance

George Michael lawsuit

On behalf of the songwriters, publishing company Dick James Music sued George Michael for plagiarism in the mid-1980s claiming that the 1984 Wham! single, "Last Christmas", lifted its melody from "Can't Smile Without You". The case was reportedly dismissed when a musicologist presented 60-odd songs from the past century that had a comparable chord sequence and melody.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ Davis, Clive (December 17, 2009). "The Great American Seasonal Songbook; arts first night Cabaret". The Times. London. pp. 16–17.
  2. ^ David Martin - Can't Smile Without You, 1975, retrieved 2023-06-25
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 155.
  4. ^ "Hot Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. February 4, 1978. p. 88. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  5. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. February 4, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5501a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  7. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 5532." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  8. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 1978-05-28. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  9. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (M)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  10. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  11. ^ "Top 100 1978-04-22". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-10-04. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  12. ^ "Kent Music Report No 236 – 1 January 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1978". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 8 January 2022 – via Imgur.com.
  13. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  14. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1978/Top 100 Songs of 1978". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  15. ^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1978". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-10-27. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  16. ^ Aroesti, Rachel (2017-12-14). "Still saving us from tears: the inside story of Wham!'s Last Christmas". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
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