When I Fall in Love

"When I Fall in Love" is a popular song, written by Victor Young (music) and Edward Heyman (lyrics). It was introduced in the film One Minute to Zero. The song has become a standard, with many artists recording it, though the original hit version was by Doris Day.

Doris Day's recording was made on June 5, 1952. It was released by Columbia Records as catalog number 39786 and issued with the flip side "Take Me in Your Arms." The song reached number 20 on the Billboard chart.[1]

A cover version was recorded by Nat King Cole on December 28, 1956. It was issued by Capitol Records on an LP album, Love Is the Thing, catalog number SW824. The single was released in the UK in 1957, and reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. This recording was re-released in 1987, reaching number 4 on that occasion. It competed with a version by Rick Astley released at the same time. Astley's version reached number 2.

Romantic singer Johnny Mathis recorded it on his album Open Fire, Two Guitars in 1959 which was charted in the UK and many other countries.

Blues-lounge singer Etta Jones hit the Billboard Top 100 with her 1961 version.

A version by The Lettermen issued as a single in 1961 also became quite popular reaching number seven on the Billboard pop chart and number one on the Easy Listening chart.[2]

The Carpenters recorded this song for their last television special, Music, Music, Music!. Richard Carpenter officially released it on their album, Lovelines in 1989, six years after his sister's death. The song appeared also on their second compilation, Interpretations in 1994. Carpenter released a VHS tape also called Interpretations, which held the "When I Fall in Love" music video.

Country singer Kenny Rogers included his version on his collection of love songs, Always and Forever.

Contents

Rick Astley version

"When I Fall in Love"
Single by Rick Astley
from the album Whenever You Need Somebody
Released December 1987
Format CD single, cassette single, 3" single, 7" single
Genre Traditional Pop
Length 3:02
Label RCA
Writer(s) Edward Heyman, Victor Young
Producer Stock Aitken Waterman
Rick Astley singles chronology
"Whenever You Need Somebody"
(1987)
"When I Fall in Love/My Arms Keep Missing You"
(1987)
"Together Forever"
(1988)
Music sample
"When I Fall In Love"
Music video
"When I Fall In Love" on YouTube

The version by Rick Astley was released in December 1987, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the release of Nat King Cole's version of the song. This single is mainly remembered for a closely fought contest for UK Christmas Number 1. Rivals EMI hoping to see their act, the Pet Shop Boys, reach #1, re-released the version by Nat King Cole.[3][4] This led to a slow down of purchases of Astley's version, allowing the Pet Shop Boys to reach the coveted top spot. Despite selling over 250,000 copies and gaining a Silver certification from the BPI,[5] it peaked in the UK at #2 for two weeks. The re-release by Nat King Cole reached number 4. Since the single was released as a double A-side, the other half of the single was My Arms Keep Missing You, which was successful in its own right in Europe.

Charts

Chart (1987) Peak
Position
Australian Singles Chart 5
Austria Top 40 21
German Singles Chart 7
Spanish Singles Chart 3
Sweden Singles Chart 12
Swiss Music Charts 14
UK Singles Chart 2

Year-end charts

End of year chart (1987) Position
UK Singles Chart[6] 50
End of year chart (1988) Position
German Singles Chart 78


Céline Dion and Clive Griffin version

"When I Fall in Love"
Single by Céline Dion and Clive Griffin
from the album Sleepless in Seattle and The Colour of My Love
Released June 28, 1993 (1993-06-28)
Format CD single, cassette single, mini CD single, 7" single
Genre Pop, classical
Length 4:20
Label Columbia, Epic
Writer(s) Edward Heyman, Victor Young
Producer David Foster
Céline Dion singles chronology
"Un garçon pas comme les autres (Ziggy)"
(1993)
"When I Fall in Love"
(1993)
"Did You Give Enough Love"
(1993)

The version by Céline Dion and Clive Griffin was featured in the romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle and released as a single on June 28, 1993 becoming one of the most acclaimed. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1994, and won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s). The award went to David Foster and Jeremy Lubbock. The song appears on both, the Sleepless in Seattle soundtrack (number 1 on the Billboard 200 and 4x platinum RIAA certification for selling over 4 million copies in the U.S.), and later on Dion's album The Colour of My Love, released in November 1993.[7]

The music video was directed by Dominic Orlando in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

"When I Fall in Love" reached top 40 in few countries, including number 22 in New Zealand, number 23 in the United States, and number 37 in the Netherlands. It was popular on the U.S. Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, peaking at number 6.

In 1998, Anne Murray performed "When I Fall in Love" with Céline Dion live and included it on her DVD called An Intimate Evening with Anne Murray...Live. Later, this version appeared on Murray's 2007 album Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends.

Formats and track listings

Worldwide CD single

  1. "When I Fall in Love" – 4:20
  2. "If I Were You" – 5:07

UK CD maxi single

  1. "When I Fall in Love" – 4:20
  2. "If You Asked Me To" – 3:55
  3. "An Affair to Remember" (instrumental) – 3:30

Charts

Chart (1993) Peak
Position
Australian Singles Chart[8] 93
Canadian Record's Contemporary Hit Radio Chart[9] 31
Canadian RPM Top Singles[10] 21
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary[11] 2
Dutch Singles Chart[12] 37
New Zealand Singles Chart[13] 22
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 23
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[15] 6
US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[16] 40

Recorded versions

References

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top Pop Records 1940–1955. Record Research. 
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 144. 
  3. ^ "The Ultimate Collection by Rick Astley". itunes.apple.com. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/take-me-to-your-heart/id277825763?i=277825791&ign-mpt=uo%3D4. Retrieved May 15, 2010. 
  4. ^ "Discography – When I Fall In Love". www.rickastley.co.uk. http://www.rickastley.co.uk/discography/singles/singles03.html. Retrieved May 15, 2010. 
  5. ^ "Certified Awards Search". BPI. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. Retrieved May 15, 2010. 
  6. ^ The Complete Book Of British Charts by Warwick/Kutner/Brown
  7. ^ The Colour of My Love. Retrieved January 31, 1996.
  8. ^ Australian Singles Chart
  9. ^ Lwin, Nanda (1999). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896594-13-1. 
  10. ^ Top Singles – Volume 58, No. 13, October 9, 1993. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
  11. ^ Adult Contemporary – Volume 58, No. 12, October 2, 1993. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
  12. ^ Dutch Singles Chart
  13. ^ New Zealand Singles Chart
  14. ^ Billboard Hot 100
  15. ^ Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
  16. ^ Top 40 Mainstream

Ken Dodd also recorded this in 1971.

See also