Can't Help Falling in Love

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).

"Can't Help Falling in Love," by George Weiss, Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore, is a pop song based on "Plaisir d'amour" by Jean-Paul Egide Martini. It was rewritten for the 1961 film Blue Hawaii, starring Elvis Presley.

Contents

[edit] Elvis Presley's version

In the U.S., the Elvis Presley recording was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 47-7968 in 1961. Peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in that year, and at number four on the Cash Box magazine Best-Selling Records list in January of the following year, "Can't Help Falling in Love" was ranked #394 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In 1968, Presley, in both the sit-down and stand-up segments of his NBC-TV special, gave the song a new live treatment. By July 1969, Elvis used the song almost invariably to close his live concerts, including his last in late June 1977 at the old Indianapolis Market Square Arena.

[edit] Artists who covered the song after Elvis

  • Numerous artists followed suit with this Presley hit that had climbed to the top of the charts in the UK as well. Perry Como recorded "Can't Help Falling in Love" on June 26, 1962 for inclusion in his September 1962 album, By Request (RCA Victor Records catalog number LSP-2567).
  • A version of this song but with different English lyrics by the Greek expatriot band Aphrodite's Child that was called "I Want To Live" was released in 1969, on their It's Five O'Clock album. This version was more deep and passionate than the version that was made immortal by Elvis Presley, which was more of a romantic ballad, as "I Want To Live" gives the impression of it being about the torment and odyssey of Jesus Christ through his death and ending in his resurrection and assention, and not just a love ballad.
  • During the 1980s, Bruce Springsteen occasionally performed the song in his concert encores even though the vocal was out of his range. In 1987, Corey Hart's recording reached number twenty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100. The cover and song were used with the image of forlorn animals in desperate need of rescue for a fundraising television commercial for the Ontario Humane Society.
  • In 1993, British reggae band UB40's cover of "Can't Help Falling in Love" eventually climbed to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 after debuting at number 100 and appears in the soundtrack of the movie Sliver. It remained at number one for seven weeks. It was also number 1 in the UK. It was featured on the 1993 album Promises and Lies.
  • Clay Aiken performed a rendition of the song during the Elvis segment of his 2005 Jukebox Tour.
  • In early 2006, Andrea Bocelli recorded a new version of the song for his album, Amore.
  • Dave Matthews frequently interpolates a verse of the song at concerts during the end of his song, "The Stone".
  • Bob Dylan recorded a version of this song which was released on the 1973 album "Dylan" (Columbia Records).

[edit] Additional versions

  • Céline Dion performs a live rendition of the song on her 1995 DVD/VHS release The Colour of My Love Concert. This particular performance has been hailed as one of Céline's greatest vocal performances ever, live or recorded.
  • Pearl Jam covered "Can't Help Falling in Love" on October 22, 2000 at a concert in Las Vegas.

[edit] Selected list of recorded versions

Preceded by
"All That She Wants"" by Ace of Base		 UK Singles Chart Number 1 single
June 6, 1993 for 2 weeks		 Succeeded by
"Dreams" by Gabrielle
Preceded by
"Weak" by SWV		 Billboard Hot 100 number one single (UB40)
July 24, 1993- September 4, 1993		 Succeeded by
"Dreamlover" by Mariah Carey
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../c/a/n/Can%27t_Help_Falling_in_Love_92f2.html"
In other languages