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)" is a song written and originally recorded by Hank Williams on MGM Records. It hit number two on the Billboard country singles chart in 1951.

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."^[1] The song was recorded at Castle Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 16, 1951, the same session that yielded "Hey Good Lookin'", "My Heart Would Know", and "Howlin' at the Moon". 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.^[2] 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.

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.

Cover versions

• Ray Price cut the song on Columbia in 1957.
• Faron Young recorded the song in 1957 and included it to his album, Sweethearts Or Strangers.
• Ricky Nelson recorded a version for Imperial in 1958.
• Elvis Presley recorded it in 1959 and was included in A Life in Music album.
• Kitty Wells recorded it for Decca.
• Adam Wade recorded the song in 1960 under the Coed label.
• Marty Robbins covered the song for Columbia in 1961.
• Tennessee Ernie Ford cut the song in 1961.
• George Jones included the song on his 1960 album George Jones Salutes Hank Williams. In his autobiography, Jones printed the first six lines of the song and stated, "Its lyrics couldn't be more simple - or profound."
• Sun Records released a version by Johnny Cash on the 1960 album Sings Hank Williams.
• Jerry Lee Lewis recorded a version for Sun Records. With characteristic bravado, he changed it to "You Can't Help It (If You're Still in Love with Me)."
• Patsy Cline cut the song for Decca.
• Burl Ives recorded the tune for Decca.
• Ferlin Husky recorded it in 1961.
• Connie Stevens recorded it on her 1962 album The Hank Williams Songbook.
• Hank Williams Jr. recorded it for his 1963 album LP Sings the Songs of Hank Williams.
• Charlie Rich covered the song in 1963.
• Dean Martin cut the song for Reprise.
• Eddy Arnold recorded the song in 1964.
• Skeeter Davis recorded the song in 1965 and included it to her Written By The Stars album.
• Sue Thompson recorded the song in 1966 under Hickory Records label.
• B.J. Thomas recorded the song in 1967 under Scepter Records.
• Marty Robbins included it on his 1968 LP I Walk Alone.
• Ernest Tubb covered the song in 1968.
• Stonewall Jackson recorded the song for Columbia in 1969.
• The song appears on Roy Orbison's 1970 LP Hank Williams the Roy Orbison Way.
• Glen Campbell recorded it for his 1973 album I Remember Hank Williams.
• Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris covered the song in 1974.
• The song is featured on the reissue of Willie Nelson's 1975 LP Red Headed Stranger album as a bonus track.
• Charlie McCoy recorded it as an instrumental in 1977.
• Charlie Pride recorded it on his 1980 tribute There's a Little Bit of Hank in Me.
• Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn recorded the song as a duet.
• The Breeders released the song on their 1993 single "Divine Hammer."
• Session Americana released the song on their 2011 album "Live."

Chart performance

References