Can't Help Falling in Love explained

Can't Help Falling in Love
Cover:Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley US picture sleeve.png
Caption:One of original 1961 North American variants of the standard artwork
Type:single
Artist:Elvis Presley
Album:Blue Hawaii
B-Side:"Rock-A-Hula Baby"
Released:November 22, 1961
Recorded:March 23, 1961
Studio:Radio Recorders, Hollywood
Genre:Pop
Label:RCA Victor
Producer:Elvis Presley (Joseph Lilley for Paramount Pictures)[1]
Prev Title:Little Sister
Prev Year:1961
Title2:Rock-A-Hula Baby
Next Title:Good Luck Charm
Next Title2:Anything That's Part of You
Next Year:1962

"Can't Help Falling in Love" is a song written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss and published by Gladys Music, Inc. The melody is based on "Plaisir d'amour",[2] a popular French love song composed in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini. The song was initially written from the perspective of a woman as "Can't Help Falling in Love with Him", which explains the first and third line ending on "in" and "sin" rather than words rhyming with "you".[3]

Recorded by singer and actor Elvis Presley, it was part the album, Blue Hawaii (1961). There was the 1961 movie Blue Hawaii which inspired the album. This song subsequently was recorded in the 1960s by the likes of Perry Como, the Lennon Sisters, Doris Day, Patti Page, Andy Williams, Al Martino and Keely Smith.[4] Through the decades, European artists, including a Swedish group named A-Teens, and a British singing group named UB40 recorded their own versions. Newer versions continue to be recorded by newer artists, such as Kacey Musgraves who recorded a version in 2022 for a movie about Elvis Presley.

This song was one of the greatest songs of all-time by Rolling Stone Magazine. In 2012 it was ranking at #403.[5]

Background and release

Elvis Presley's version of the song topped the British charts in 1962, spending four weeks at no. 1. The single is certified Platinum by the RIAA, for US sales in excess of one million copies. In the United States, the song peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 behind Joey Dee and the Starliters' "Peppermint Twist" and went to No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart for six weeks.[6]

During Presley's late 1960s and 1970s live performances, the song was performed as the shows' finales. Most notably, it was also sung in the live segment of his 1968 NBC television special, and as the closer for his 1973 Global telecast Aloha from Hawaii. A version with a faster arrangement was the closing number in Presley's final TV special, Elvis in Concert. "Can't Help Falling in Love" was also the last song he performed live, at his concert in Indianapolis at Market Square Arena on June 26, 1977.[7]

The recording appeared on the 1997 CD re-issue Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 as a bonus track and on the 2002 career retrospective collection . In 2010, the song was included on the Viva Elvis: The Album. This is a remixed version that features Canadian singer Sherry St-Germain. Interestingly the track fades out with Elvis repeating part of the 1956 song "Love Me". In 2015, the song was included on the If I Can Dream album on the 80th anniversary of Presley's birth. The version uses archival voice recordings of Presley and his singers, backed by new orchestral arrangements performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The song is used as an anthem by several English football clubs since the 1960s, including Huddersfield Town, Hull City, Swindon Town and Sunderland.[8] According to a 2020 survey by OnBuy, the song is the most popular choice for couples as the song for the first dance at their wedding.[9]

Track listings

  1. "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You"
  2. "Rock-A-Hula Baby"

Personnel

Credits sourced from AFM union contracts and label records.[10]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1962)Peak
position
Australia 3
Austria 20
Canada (CHUM Hit Parade) 4
scope="row"
Italy 11
Netherlands 11
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[11] 2
South Africa (Springbok)[12] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)2
UK Singles (OCC)[13] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 2
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)1
US Cash Box Top 1004
West Germany (Media Control Charts)22

Year-end charts

Chart (1962)Position
South Africa[15] 5
UK[16] 6
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 57
US Cash Box Top 100[18] 28

UB40 version

(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You
Cover:(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You by UB40 CD edition.jpg
Caption:European variant of standard CD/vinyl edition
Type:single
Artist:UB40
Album:Sliver: Music from the Motion Picture Promises and Lies
B-Side:Jungle Love"
Released:[19]
Genre:
Label:Virgin
Producer:UB40
Prev Title:One in Ten
Prev Year:1992
Next Title:Higher Ground
Next Year:1993

In 1993, British reggae band UB40 covered the original 1961 Elvis Presley recording as the first single from their tenth album, Promises and Lies (1993). The song, renamed "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You", was released on May 10, 1993 by Virgin Records, and eventually climbed to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, staying there for seven weeks, becoming their 4th and last top 10 hit. It also topped the charts of 11 other countries, including Australia, Austria, the Netherlands, New Zealand (where it was the most successful single of 1993), and the United Kingdom, where it spent two weeks at No. 1.[20]

The song appears on the soundtrack of the movie Sliver,[21] the trailer for Fools Rush In, and an episode of Hindsight. In the US, and on the Sliver soundtrack, the song title was listed as "Can't Help Falling in Love," rather than what appeared on the record sleeve, which included parentheses around the words "I Can't Help". The single version of the song also has a slightly different backing rhythm and melody.

The song and band also appear in the 1997 film .

Critical reception

In his review, Rovi Staff from AllMusic noted that "carried by the hit "Can't Help Falling in Love", Promises and Lies finishes UB40's transition from a reggae band to an adult-contemporary band that plays reggae-pop."[22] Another AllMusic editor, David Jeffries, said the song is "representing the ultra-slick, easy to swallow side of the band".[23] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "U.K. dancehall stars indulge in Elvis Presley memories on this first single from the soundtrack to Sharon Stone's new movie, Sliver." He added that it "has a pillowy, midtempo pace that dabbles in island beats and radio-conscious funk. Brassy horns are a jolting, though ultimately pleasing, element in the arrangement. A fun respite from usual top 40 fare."[24]

Marisa Fox from Entertainment Weekly said the song is "this album's equivalent" of their earlier version of Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine", noting that the band "revitalize" it. She also noted that "they try some snappy new production tricks", like the "full-blown orchestrations" on the song, adding that "those kinds of enhancements only make the blend that much more infectious."[25] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton wrote that "this was a hit almost before it had even been released."[26] Pan-European magazine Music & Media viewed it as a "reggae remake that sounds like the sun will never stop shining."[27] Alan Jones from Music Week described it as a "predictable ramble through the Elvis Presley/Andy Williams/Stylistics perennial".[28] A reviewer from People magazine called it a "Rasta-Lite" version.[29]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by American filmmaker Neil Abramson. It features scenes from the movie and snippets of the band playing and dancing.[30] It was later made available on YouTube in 2009 and had generated more than 86 million views as of June 2024.[31]

Track listings

  1. "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" – 3:24
  2. "Jungle Love" – 5:09
  1. "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" (Extended Mix) – 6:03
  2. "Jungle Love" – 5:09
  3. "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" – 3:24
  1. "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" – 3:24
  2. "Jungle Love" – 5:09
  1. "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" – 3:24
  2. "Jungle Love" – 5:09
  3. "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" (Extended Mix) – 6:03

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1993)Peak
position
Denmark (IFPI)[32] 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[33] 1
Europe (European Hit Radio)[34] 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[35] 1
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[36] 1
Italy (Musica e dischi)[37] 9
Spain (AFYVE)[38] 3
UK Airplay (Music Week)[39] 1
US Cash Box Top 100[40] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1993)Position
Australia (ARIA)[41] 5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[42] 5
Belgium (Ultratop)[43] 10
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[44] 6
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[45] 38
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[46] 8
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[47] 26
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[48] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[49] 8
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[50] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[51] 6
UK Singles (OCC)[52] 2
UK Airplay (Music Week)[53] 13
US Billboard Hot 100[54] 3
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[55] 43

Decade-end charts

Chart (1990–1999)Position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[57] 20
US Billboard Hot 100[58] 22

Certifications

A-Teens version

Can't Help Falling in Love
Type:single
Artist:A-Teens
Album:Lilo & Stitch Pop 'til You Drop!
B-Side:Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride
Released:May 13,2002
Recorded:2002
Genre:Dance-pop
Label:Walt Disney Records
Producer:Mark Hammond
Prev Title:Heartbreak Lullaby
Prev Year:2001
Next Title:Floorfiller
Next Year:2002

"Can't Help Falling in Love" was the first single from Swedish pop music group A-Teens' third studio album, Pop 'til You Drop! (2002), and is also included in the Lilo & Stitch movie soundtrack. The song has two music videos, one to promote the Disney movie, the other for the album. The song is also included in the teen pop compilation album Disney Girlz Rock and featured as a bonus track on the A-Teens' album New Arrival for the European market. The music video was directed by Gregory Dark and filmed in Los Angeles, California. There are two different versions of the video: one which features scenes from Lilo & Stitch and one without.

Track listing

  1. "Can't Help Falling in Love" (album version) – 3:06
  2. "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" – 3:27

Performed by Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu and North Shore Children's Choir & Key Cygnetures

  1. "He Mele, No Lilo" – 2:28

Performed by Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu and North Shore Children's Choir & Key Cygnetures

Included in only Australian and one of European releases

Charts

Other notable versions

Notes and References

  1. Elvis Presley - A Life in Music by Ernst Jorgensen p.151-152
  2. Web site: Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley Songfacts . Songfacts.com . March 31, 2014 . April 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210418123420/https://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1159 . live .
  3. Book: Peterik, Jim. Songwriting for Dummies. Wiley. 2010. 9780470890417. February 17, 2019. September 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230905082417/https://books.google.com/books?id=IMdu3MS74V0C&pg=PT214. live.
  4. Web site: Willman . Chris . 2022-05-02 . Kacey Musgraves Is Covering 'Can't Help Falling in Love' for 'Elvis' Film Soundtrack . 2022-05-25 . Variety . en-US.
  5. 2003-12-11. 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. 2021-06-13. Rolling Stone. en-US.
  6. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Joel Whitburn . 2002 . Record Research . 196.
  7. Web site: Elvis Presley Setlist at Market Square Arena, Indianapolis. Setlist.fm. April 22, 2021. October 21, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201021124904/https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/elvis-presley/1977/market-square-arena-indianapolis-in-33d698cd.html. live.
  8. Web site: Football songs – a brief introduction. January 25, 2021. June 20, 2021. June 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624201321/https://www.sportingferret.com/2021/01/25/football-songs-a-brief-introduction/. live.
  9. News: Apparently 75% of marriages fail because of this wedding song. Troy-Pryde. Jadie. 23 September 2020. Marie Claire. 6 December 2021. September 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230905082419/https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/life/weddings/first-dance-song-likely-end-divorce-711446. live.
  10. Web site: Elvis Presley Recording Sessions. Keithflynn.com. April 22, 2021. September 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230905082420/https://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/610323.html#001. live.
  11. Flavour of New Zealand,
  12. Web site: SA Charts 1965–March 1989. 5 September 2018. August 11, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030811074221/http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(P).html. live.
  13. Web site: Official Charts Company . . 2020-04-14 . September 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230905082517/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19620222/7501/ . live .
  14. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 -
  15. Web site: Top 20 Hit Singles of 1962. 26 March 2020. September 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230905083513/http://www.rock.co.za/files/sahits_1962.html. live.
  16. Web site: Sixties City - Pop Music Charts - Every Week Of The Sixties. Sixtiescity.net. April 22, 2021. July 3, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200703203717/http://www.sixtiescity.net/charts/62chart.htm#top100. live.
  17. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1962/Top 100 Songs of 1962. Musicoutfitters.com. April 22, 2021.
  18. Web site: Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1962. Tropicalglen.com. April 22, 2021.
  19. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 27. May 8, 1993. June 22, 2021.
  20. Web site: (i can't help) falling in love with you full Official Chart History Official Charts Company . 2023-06-07 . www.officialcharts.com . en . November 1, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201101121104/https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/%28i-can%27t-help%29-falling-in-love-with-you/ . live .
  21. Book: King, Alex P. . Hit-parade – 20 ans de tubes . Pascal . 2004 . Paris . 342 . fr . 2-35019-009-9.
  22. Web site: Rovi . Staff . UB40 – Promises and Lies . . November 9, 2020 .
  23. Web site: David . Jeffries . UB40 – Greatest Hits . . November 9, 2020 .
  24. Larry . Flick . Single Reviews . . April 24, 1993 . 66 . October 26, 2020 . Larry Flick.
  25. Marisa . Fox . Promises and Lies . . July 30, 1993 . November 11, 2020 .
  26. Web site: Masterton. James. Week Ending May 22nd 1993. Chart Watch UK. May 16, 1993. September 11, 2021. James Masterton.
  27. New Releases: Singles. Music & Media. 10. 21. May 22, 1993. 19. October 24, 2021.
  28. Alan . Jones . Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles . Music Week . May 15, 1993 . 10 . March 26, 2021 .
  29. Picks and Pans Review: Promises and Lies . . September 13, 1993 . November 13, 2020.
  30. Web site: UB40: (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You. IMDb. September 11, 2021.
  31. Web site: UB40 - (I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You (Official Video). YouTube. June 4, 2009. September 11, 2021.
  32. Top 10 Sales in Europe. Music & Media. 10. 31. July 31, 1993. 20. March 22, 2018.
  33. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 10. 32. August 7, 1993. 15. November 24, 2019.
  34. EHR Top 40. Music & Media. 10. 28. July 10, 1993. 22. April 10, 2024.
  35. Book: Nyman, Jake. 2005. Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja. 1st. Tammi. Helsinki. 951-31-2503-3. fi.
  36. News: Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (4.–10. júní). Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 29. June 3, 1993. October 7, 2019.
  37. Top 10 Sales in Europe. Music & Media. 10. 37. September 11, 1993. 14. November 24, 2019.
  38. Book: Salaverri, Fernando. Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. 1st. September 2005. Fundación Autor-SGAE. Spain. 84-8048-639-2.
  39. Top 50 Airplay Chart. Music Week. June 19, 1993. 14. April 29, 2024.
  40. Top 100 Pop Singles. Cash Box. LVI. 47. July 31, 1993. 12. April 20, 2024.
  41. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart 1993. ARIA. May 16, 2021. March 13, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210313224452/https://www.aria.com.au/charts/1993/singles-chart. live.
  42. Web site: Jahreshitparade Singles 1993. de. June 1, 2020. July 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180730204312/https://austriancharts.at/year.asp?cat=s&id=1993. live.
  43. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1993. Ultratop. nl. July 15, 2020. December 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131212105004/https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1993. live.
  44. The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993. RPM. Library and Archives Canada. November 24, 2019.
  45. The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993. RPM. Library and Archives Canada. November 15, 2019.
  46. 1993 Year-End Sales Charts. Music & Media. 10. 51/52. December 18, 1993. 15. November 18, 2019.
  47. News: Árslistinn 1993. Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 16. January 4, 1994. June 1, 2020. July 8, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200708131547/https://timarit.is/page/2621535?iabr=on#page/n15/mode/2up. live.
  48. Web site: Single top 100 over 1993. Top40. nl. April 15, 2010. October 4, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121004132245/http://www.top40.nl/pdf/top100/top100-1993.pdf. live.
  49. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1993. dutchcharts.nl. April 12, 2022. February 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210211014549/https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1993&cat=s. live.
  50. Web site: End of Year Charts 1993. Recorded Music NZ. November 15, 2019. April 17, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190417183913/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/index_chart%3Fchart%3D3882. live.
  51. Web site: Swiss Year-End Charts 1993. de. June 1, 2020. August 7, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200807164344/http://www.swisscharts.com/charts/jahreshitparade/1993. live.
  52. Top 100 Singles 1993. Music Week. 24. January 15, 1994.
  53. Airplay Top 50 1993. Music Week. January 15, 1994. 41. May 3, 2024.
  54. Web site: Billboard Top 100 – 1993 . August 27, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061110095203/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1993 . November 10, 2006 .
  55. The Year in Music 1993. Billboard. 105. 52. YE-46. December 25, 1993. August 16, 2021. June 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210627232050/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1993/BB-1993-12-25.pdf. live.
  56. Web site: Brazilian Top 100 Year-End 2013. April 3, 2018. Crowley Broadcast Analysis. January 30, 2022.
  57. Web site: Lwin. Nanda. https://web.archive.org/web/20000829070927/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/100_1990.html. August 29, 2000. Top 100 singles of the 1990s. Jam!. March 26, 2022.
  58. Book: Geoff Mayfield . 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s . . December 25, 1999 . October 15, 2010.
  59. http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/23165/lick-the-tins/ LICK THE TINS | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company
  60. Web site: Canadian RPM Weekly Charts - January 31, 1987. www.bac-lac.gc.ca. July 17, 2013 . August 1, 2023. August 10, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220810101342/https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.0769&URLjpg=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f4/nlc008388.0769.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.0769. live.
  61. Web site: Corey Hart - Billboard Hot 100 History. Billboard.com. August 1, 2023. February 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230218155756/https://www.billboard.com/artist/corey-hart/. live.
  62. Web site: Goodman . William . 2017-06-16 . Spiritualized’s Magnum Opus ‘Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space’ Turns 20 . 2024-06-11 . Billboard . en-US.
  63. Web site: can't help falling in love | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company. Officialcharts.com. April 22, 2021. November 22, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201122215911/https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/can%27t-help-falling-in-love/. live.
  64. https://www.billboard.com/artist/haley-reinhart/ Haley Reinhart Chart History
  65. Web site: Hear Perfume Genius Cover Elvis's "Can't Help Falling In Love" For Prada . . Luke . McCormick . 2016-09-16 . 2023-08-24 . August 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230824205136/https://www.thefader.com/2016/09/16/perfume-genius-elvis-cover-cant-help-falling-in-love-prada . live .
  66. Web site: A Guide to the Red, White & Royal Blue Soundtrack . . 2023-08-20 . 2023-08-24 . Emily . Burack . August 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230824205133/https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/g44809833/red-white-and-royal-blue-soundtrack-explained/ . live .
  67. Web site: Smith and Hay's Jazz [Deluxe] hits #1 on Billboard Jazz Charts]. Swaysuniverse.com. January 21, 2018. April 22, 2021. March 1, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210301014613/https://swaysuniverse.com/smith-and-hays-jazz-deluxe-hits-1-on-billboard-jazz-charts/. live.
  68. Who Sings At The 'Crazy Rich Asians' Wedding? "Can't Help Falling In Love" Adds So Much To The Ceremony. Angelica. Florio. Bustle. August 24, 2018. June 28, 2019.
  69. United States. Kina Grannis. Can't Help Falling in Love. August 5, 2022.
  70. Kacey Musgraves to Cover Elvis Classic 'Can't Help Falling in Love' for Baz Luhrmann Film. Emily. Zelmer. Rolling Stone. May 3, 2022. June 23, 2022.
  71. Web site: Corral . Kylie . 2022-08-29 . JVKE's new single is one you can't help falling in love with . 2023-09-05 . The Daily Illini . November 20, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221120175746/https://dailyillini.com/uncategorized/2022/08/29/jvkes-new-single-is-one-you-cant-help-falling-in-love-with/ . live .