If I Didn't Care

"If I Didn't Care" is a song written by Jack Lawrence that was originally sung and recorded by The Ink Spots in 1939. According to Lawrence, he mailed the song before showing it to some of his friends. His friends' reaction to the song was almost universally negative, but he remained positive on it and later it became one of his biggest successes.^[1] The song in its original form sold over 19 million copies on the Decca record label, making it one of the fewer than thirty all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) copies worldwide.

In the 1950s both The Hilltoppers and Connie Francis charted with the song, and in 1974 a version was recorded by David Cassidy. Another notable cover came from The Platters. In 1970, the soul group The Moments (later known as Ray, Goodman & Brown) had a hit with the tune that reached number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was also covered by Madness for their 1999 album Wonderful. In 1999 Bryan Ferry covered the song as a b-side on the As Times Goes By-cd-single. It was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame and was number 271 on the "Songs of the Century" list.

In popular culture

• The song appeared in the film Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, sung by the actors Amy Adams and Lee Pace.
• The Ink Spots' recording was used on the soundtracks of the films The Shawshank Redemption, Get Low, and Radio Days.
• It was also used in the television series The Wonder Years.
• It can be heard in the video game BioShock.
• The song is often sung by Fred G. Sanford (Redd Foxx) on the 1970s television series Sanford and Son and was his character's favorite song.
• It was also used in the teaser trailer for The Strangers.
• The song is sung by a civilian in the "X-Cops" episode of The X-Files.
• It was featured in the trailer campaign for Blade Runner.

References