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I Don't Want to Talk About It
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Wikipedia article
"'I Don't Want to Talk About It'" is a song written by Danny Whitten. It was first recorded by American rock band Crazy Horse and issued as the final track on side one of their 1971 eponymous album. It was Whitten's signature tune, but gained more fame via its numerous cover versions, especially that by Rod Stewart.
'Cash Box' described it as "a magnificent ballad outing."
Original recording personnel
* Danny Whitten guitar, lead vocals
* Nils Lofgren guitar, backing vocals
* Ry Cooder slide guitar
* Billy Talbot bass guitar
Rod Stewart version
{{Infobox song
| name = I Don't Want to Talk About It
| cover = I Don't Want to Talk About It rod.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Rod Stewart
| album = Atlantic Crossing
| A-side =
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Soft rock
| length = 4:13 (single version)
| label = Riva
| writer = Danny Whitten
| producer = Tom Dowd
| prev_title = Get Back
| prev_year = 1976
| next_title = The First Cut Is the Deepest
| next_year = 1977
| misc =
}}
British singer Rod Stewart recorded the song at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama, for his album 'Atlantic Crossing'. This became successful when it was released as a single in 1977. In the United States, it became a top fifty hit on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 in early 1980, peaking at number 46 on the Hot 100, and number 44 Adult Contemporary. In New Zealand, it peaked at number 2. In the United Kingdom, it topped the UK Singles Chart as a double A-side with "The First Cut Is the Deepest" in 1977. The song is widely believed to have benefitted from being deliberately released as a budget single in order to keep the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" off the top of the UK Singles Chart. In February 2021, the song received a silver certification from the British Phonographic Industry for sales and streams of over 200,000.
In 1989, Stewart recorded a new version of "I Don't Want to Talk About It" for 'Storyteller The Complete Anthology: 19641990'. It was later included on 'Downtown Train Selections from the Storyteller Anthology' and released as a single in 1990. It received extensive airplay on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States as an album cut, reaching number two on the 'Billboard' Adult Contemporary chart. Stewart also sang this song as a duet with Amy Belle during his 2004 tour and it is included in his concert DVD. The official Rod Stewart video of the performance has received over 545 million Youtube views (as of December 16, 2021).Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/w46bWxS9IjY Ghostarchive] and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20160913041310/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w46bWxS9IjY&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]:
Charts
Everything but the Girl version
In 1988, English musical duo Everything but the Girl released their version of the song as a stand-alone single; it was later included on the reissue of their fourth studio album, 'Idlewild' (1988). Tracey Thorn has said that Stewart had been regarded as "a heroic figure" in her home when she was growing up, and that her brother Keith owned the "albums with grimy-sounding titles like 'An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down', and 'Gasoline Alley'". She herself had "always liked 'Atlantic Crossing'."Tracey Thorn, 'Bedsit Disco Queen', p.204
This version was also met with success in the UK, peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart. It was the duo's first British top-10 hit and would remain their only one until 1995, when the Todd Terry remix of "Missing" also peaked at number three. Outside the UK, the song reached number three in Ireland and number 19 in New Zealand.
Charts
Weekly chartsYear-end charts
Other cover versions
* In 1988, Arthur Conley, (famous for his 1967 hit "Sweet Soul Music") sang his version live on Dutch television. Conley had previously changed his name to Lee Roberts whilst living in The Netherlands.
* Other notable artists who have recorded versions of this song include Blue, Rita Coolidge, Billie Jo Spears, Ian Matthews, Nils Lofgren, Indigo Girls (on the 'Philadelphia' soundtrack) and Andy Williams.
References
Category:Rod Stewart songs
Category:Everything but the Girl songs
Category:Iain Matthews songs
Category:1971 songs
Category:1977 singles
Category:1988 singles
Category:Blanco y Negro Records singles
Category:Riva Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Bruce Botnick
Category:Song recordings produced by Russ Titelman
Category:Song recordings produced by Tom Dowd
Category:Songs written by Danny Whitten
Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles
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