♫ I Can’t Stop Loving You ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

This song was written and originally recorded by a country singer named Don Gibson in 1958.  Ray Charles was known as an R&B singer, but he defied convention and decided to record an album of country and western songs. His producer, Sid Feller, put together tapes containing about 150 classic country songs so Charles could choose which ones to record. Included on the tapes was I Can’t Stop Loving You, which Charles remembered from when he would listen to The Grand Ole Opry.  Funny, but I never thought of this as a country song … I always thought of it as uniquely Ray Charles, but it turns out that some 700 others have covered this song!  The 700 includes Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Paul Anka, Jim Reeves, Duke Ellington, Ike & Tina Turner, Andy Williams, Elvis Presley, and a bunch more!

According to SongFacts …

At first, this was not released as a single, but many DJs played it from the album and it started getting popular. A white singer named Tab Hunter heard Charles’ version and recorded his own, which was rushed out as a single. This infuriated Charles, so ABC Records quickly edited down the 4-minute album version and released it as a single with lots of publicity, including a full page ad in Billboard magazine. Charles’ version became a huge hit and went to #1 on the US Pop, R&B and Easy Listening charts.

I Can’t Stop Loving You
Ray Charles

I’ve made up my mind
To live in memory of the lonesome times
(I can’t stop wanting you)
It’s useless to say
So I’ll just live my life in dreams of yesterday
(Dreams of yesterday)

Those happy hours that we once knew
Tho’ long ago, they still make me blue
They say that time heals a broken heart
But time has stood still since we’ve been apart

I’ve made up my mind
To live in memories of the lonesome times
(I can’t stop wanting you)
It’s useless to say
So I’ll just live my life in dreams of yesterday

Those happy hours
(That we once knew)
That we once knew
(Tho’ long ago)
Tho’ long ago
(Still make me blue)
Still ma-a-a-ake me blue
(They say that time)
They say that time
(Heals a broken heart)
Heals a broken heart
(But time has stood still)
Time has stood still
(Since we’ve been apart)
Since we’ve been apart

I said I made up my mind
To live in memory of the lonesome times

It’s useless to say
So I’ll just live my life of dreams of yesterday
(Of yesterday)

Songwriters: Don Gibson
I Can’t Stop Loving You lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

14 thoughts on “♫ I Can’t Stop Loving You ♫”

  1. Oh i do luv me some Ray Charles! This man has the most brilliant smile and lights up my soul every time he sings. “I can’t stop loving you” is a total classic, I remember my granny playing this song in the kitchen while cooking, we’d both sing along, one of my fondest memories of her.
    If inspired, please play “Georgia on my mind”, “Hit the road Jack”, “What’d I say”… so many unforgettable songs ❤

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  3. Back in the day, everyone covered a hit song. Not sure why, but Ray Charles doing Don Gibson was definitely unexpected, and a great surprise.
    Tab Hunter, now there is a name from the past. it is always tied in my mind to Fabian for some reason. One of them sang a song about a tiger, the name escapes me for the moment. But their records had such similar photos on them, both with the Ricky Nelson “Big Wave” in their hair. I remember that because a friend of mine emulated that hairdo. Then when the Beatle’s came out, he just combed it down, and he already had long hair, though it had to be reshaped a bit. Me, I had to start from scratch.

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