I Ain't Never

"I Ain't Never" is the title of a song, recorded in 1972, by American country music artist Mel Tillis. It was his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles (now Hot Country Songs) charts.

Co-written by Tillis and country singer Webb Pierce, it was Pierce who had the first hit recording of "I Ain't Never." Pierce's version was released in 1959, eventually spending nine weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot C&W Sides chart that year (held out by "The Three Bells (Les Trois Cloches)" by The Browns). The pop market accepted the Webb Pierce version, crossing it into the Billboard Top 40 and peaking at #24. The success of the 1972 version was limited to country music stations.

Chart performance

Webb Pierce

Mel Tillis

Additional recordings

Since its original release, the song has been recorded by several other artists, including the following:

• Jimmie Vaughan
• John Fogerty
• BR5-49
• Kippi Brannon
• Delbert McClinton
• Roger Miller
• Perfect Stranger
• Ricky Skaggs
• Dave Edmunds
• The Four Preps
• Jerry Garcia w/ David Grisman
• Little Richard
• The Oak Ridge Boys
• Shocking Blue