Can't Smile Without You

"Can't Smile Without You" is a song written by Christian Arnold, David Martin and Geoff Morrow, and recorded by various artists including Barry Manilow and the Carpenters. It was first recorded and released by David Martin as a solo single in 1975. The version recorded by Manilow in 1977 and released in 1978 is the most well-known.^[1]

"Can't Smile Without You"
Single by Carpenters
from the album A Kind of Hush
A-side	"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft"
Released	September 9, 1977 (single)
Recorded	1976
Genre	Pop
Length	3:25
Label	A&M
Songwriter(s)	Christian Arnold, Geoff Morrow, David Martin
Producer(s)	Karen and Richard Carpenter
Carpenters singles chronology
"All You Get from Love Is a Love Song" (1977) "Can't Smile Without You" (1977) "The Christmas Song" (1977)

"Can't Smile Without You"
Single by Barry Manilow
from the album Even Now
B-side	"Sunrise"
Released	January 1978
Recorded	1977
Genre	Pop, soft rock
Length	3:13
Label	Arista
Songwriter(s)	Christian Arnold, Geoff Morrow, David Martin
Producer(s)	Barry Manilow, Ron Dante
Barry Manilow singles chronology
"Daybreak" (1977) "Can't Smile Without You" (1978) "Even Now" (1978)
Music video
"Can't Smile Without You" (audio only) on YouTube

Barry Manilow version

"Can't Smile Without You" was recorded by Manilow in 1977 and released on his 1978 album, Even Now. Manilow also issued the song as a single in 1978 where it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[2]

Manilow's version has slightly different lyrics from the Carpenters' version such as the Carpenters's line "I can't laugh and I can't walk/I'm finding it hard even to talk" which was changed in Manilow's version to "I can't laugh and I can't sing/I'm finding it hard to do anything". The Carpenters remixed the song with additional orchestration for the B-side of the 1977 "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" single, revising the lyrics to read "I can't laugh and I can't sleep/I don't even talk to people I meet".

Billboard said that Manilow's version starts "sweetly with a soft whistle" and builds in intensity over the course of the song, similar to other of Manilow's popular songs.^[3]

A version on Manilow's greatest hits box set, The Complete Collection and Then Some..., contains a slightly different version to the previously released version.

During live performances, Barry Manilow will pull a girl out of the audience to sing the song as a duet with him.

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts Chart (1978) Peak position Australia KMR 3 Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[4] 2 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)^[5] 4 New Zealand^[6] 8 South Africa (Springbok)^[7] 13 UK 43 US Billboard Hot 100^[8] 3 US Billboard Adult Contemporary 1 US Cash Box Top 100^[9] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1978) Rank Australia^[10] 28 Canada^[11] 20 US Billboard Hot 100^[12] 27 US Cash Box^[13] 13

Carpenters version

The song was recorded in 1976 by the Carpenters and released on their May 1976 album, A Kind of Hush. It was also the B-side track for their 1977 single, "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft", released in support of their 1977 album, Passage.

Other versions

• Gino Cunico recorded it in the summer of 1975 and released the song in 1976 on his album, Gino Cunico.
• Engelbert Humperdinck also recorded and released the song in 1976 on his album, After the Lovin'. The lyrics are identical to the Carpenters' version.
• Menswear recorded a cover for the 1996 Childline charity album.
• In 2010, GP Maxine Brooks released the song as a charity single for Nurse's Aid, supporting wounded soldiers and in memory of a WWI heroine.^[14]
• In 2020, Sleeping At Last recorded and released a version on his album, “Covers Vol. 3”

George Michael lawsuit

On behalf of the songwriters, publishing company Dick James Music sued George Michael for plagiarism in the mid-1980s claiming that the 1984 Wham! single, "Last Christmas", lifted its melody from "Can't Smile Without You". The case was settled out of court.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1978 (U.S.)

References

1. Davis, Clive (December 17, 2009). "The Great American Seasonal Songbook; arts first night Cabaret". The Times. London. pp. 16–17.
2. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 155.
3. "Hot Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. February 4, 1978. p. 88. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
4. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5501a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
5. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 5532." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
6. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 1978-05-28. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
7. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (M)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
8. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
9. . Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-10-04. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
10. . Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
11. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
12. "Top 100 Hits of 1978/Top 100 Songs of 1978". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
13. . Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-10-27. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
14. "Maxine is on Song for War Heroine". Birmingham Mail. October 23, 2012. p. 16.