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Only Love Can Break a Heart
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Wikipedia article
"'Only Love Can Break a Heart'" is a popular song from 1962, performed by the American singer-songwriter Gene Pitney. The song was written by Hal David (words) and Burt Bacharach (music) and appears on Pitney's second album 'Only Love Can Break a Heart'.
Gene Pitney version
Pitney had enjoyed some success as a songwriter prior to breaking through as a performer in his own right. He wrote the songs "Hello Mary Lou", "Rubber Ball", and "He's a Rebel", the last a number-one 'Billboard' Hot 100 hit for The Crystals in 1962.Bronson, Fred (2003). 'The Billboard Book of No. 1 Hits', 5th Edition (Billboard Publications) Ironically, Pitney's success as a singer was beginning at that time, and, on November 3, 1962, "He's a Rebel" kept "Only Love Can Break a Heart", Pitney's highest charting hit, at No. 2 for one week, from topping the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart.Whitburn, Joel (1996). 'The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits', 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)Casey Kasem noted that fact on the May 24, 1986, edition of American Top 40. The song also spent two weeks at No. 1 on the 'Billboard' Easy Listening chart in October and November 1962,Hyatt, Wesley (1999). 'The Billboard Book of No. 1 Adult Contemporary Hits' (Billboard Publications) while reaching No. 2 on New Zealand's "Lever Hit Parade".[http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=Lever%20hit%20parades&qyear=1962&qmonth=Nov&qweek=15-Nov-1962#n_view_location "Lever Hit Parade" 15-Nov-1962], 'Flavour of New Zealand'. Accessed October 21, 2015 Pitney did his own whistling on the song.
Chart performance
Country music versions
Country music singers Sonny James and Kenny Dale also recorded cover versions of "Only Love Can Break a Heart". Both versions reached the Top 10 on the 'Billboard' Hot Country Singles chart during the 1970s. James' version peaked at No. 2 in March 1972, held out of the top by Freddie Hart's "My Hang-Up Is You." As a result, "Only Love ..." just missed continuing James' record-breaking streak of consecutive number-one singles, which had reached 16.Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 19442005," 2006. Dale's version of the song reached number seven on the Hot Country Singles chart in 1979 and it was his biggest hit on the country charts.
Other versions
Margaret Whiting charted with the song in 1967. Whiting's version reached No. 96 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 and No. 4 on 'Billboard'
Bobby Vinton released the song in 1977, and it reached No. 99 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100,[http://www.billboard.com/artist/295525/bobby-vinton/chart?f=379 Bobby Vinton Chart History The Hot 100], 'Billboard.com'. Accessed October 21, 2015 while reaching No. 44 on 'Billboard'
Dionne Warwick released her version of the song as a single in 1977, but it only reached No. 9 on the "Bubbling Under" portion of the 'Billboard' Hot 100, as well as No. 46 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Charts.
In 1999, Glen Campbell recorded the song on his album 'My Hits and Love Songs'.
See also
*List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1962 (U.S.)
References
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