I won't last a day-diana ross

[arr&bee]

So sue me,the darn thing is cute and diana does a great job with it,my fav of her solo work.

[RobertZ]

A great version of a great song! Funny - everybody and their mother recorded it, and no one had an actual hit [[that I know of) ...

[soulster]

A great version of a great song! Funny - everybody and their mother recorded it, and no one had an actual hit [[that I know of) ... Are you kidding me???? You never heard anyone had an actual hit with it??? The Carpenters took their single to #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles in the spring of 1974.

[arr&bee]

Well this is why i love sdf,i never knew anyone else sang it.

[soulster]

Well this is why i love sdf,i never knew anyone else sang it. I just find it hard to believe that, unless you were a jazz head or a metal freak in the 70s, that you didn't know that the Carpenters had a hit single with it.

[jack020]

"I Won't Last a Day Without You" is a song with lyrics written by Paul Williams [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Williams_%28songwriter%29) and music composed by Roger Nichols [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Nichols_%28songwriter%29). Williams released his version as a single in 1973 [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_in_music), but garnered only minor success. Maureen McGovern [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maureen_McGovern) recorded the song and also released it as a single in 1973 [[and included on her album The Morning After [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Morning_After_%28Maureen_McGovern_album%29)), with results similar to those of Williams. It became a hit single for The Carpenters [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Carpenters) in 1974 [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1974_in_music), reaching number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Hot_100) chart and number one on the easy listening [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_Contemporary_%28chart%29) chart,.[1] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Won%27t_Last_a_Day_Without_You#cite_note-1) "I Won't Last a Day Without You" was The Carpenters' ninth number one on the Easy Listening [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_Contemporary_%28chart%29) chart.
In 1972, Richard Carpenter had learned of a new song from his partners, Paul Williams and Roger Nichols, who had already contributed "We've Only Just Begun [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We%27ve_Only_Just_Begun)" and "Rainy Days and Mondays [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainy_Days_and_Mondays)" to the Carpenters's repertoire and catalogue of chart selections, and he included it on their A Song for You [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Song_for_You_%28Carpenters_album%29) album. Shortly after, Diana Ross [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Ross) heard it and included it on her album Touch Me in the Morning [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_Me_in_the_Morning_%28album%29) the following year. In 1974, Barbra Streisand [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbra_Streisand) included the song on her album ButterFly [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ButterFly_%28Barbra_Streisand_album%29). Andy Williams [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Williams) released a version in 1974 on his album, The Way We Were [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_We_Were_%28Andy_Williams_album%29). Mel Torme [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Torme) also sang a version of the song, culminating in holding one of the longest last notes in showbiz history, with a full six and a half bars.

[no_place_like_motown]

There were many artists that covered IWLADWY but Diana's version is tops for me - I love just about every cut on the TMITM album! Second and third would have to be Bab's & the Carpenters' version, which were also great.

In addition to those mentioned above, Ms. Bassey and Johnny Mathis also recorded IWLADWY. Al Wilson cut a version as a medley with "Let Me Be The One", another great tune that was covered by a slew of artists, including Diana.

[captainjames]

Positioned perfectly on "Touch Me In The Morning", Diana was officially the Queen of pop and then Motown went a different direction.

[jobeterob]

I think it was always expected this should have been a much bigger hit than it was. The carpenters were a little bit over exposed by that time as well. So I think the fact it was a hit got over looked somewhat

[captainjames]

Touch Me was a hit, Diana was having babies and Motown was making movies. There were a lot of things lost in the shuffle.

[Bluebrock]

Touch Me was a hit, Diana was having babies and Motown was making movies. There were a lot of things lost in the shuffle.
I also thought this could have been a good single for Diana. Here in the UK of course we got "all of my life" as the follow up single and it went top 10 so i guess Motown UK did a good job there but iwladwy was a lost opportunity.

P.S. This is my first post on this forum. After being an avid reader and viewer of the forum for several years i thought it about time i did some contributing.
You guys feel like friends to me and i hope i can become a useful and interesting member.:D

[soulster]

The song was on the B-side of "Touch Me In The Morning", so, someone at the label probably had the idea that it was a good single.

[supremester]

Hi Bluebrock - glad to have you!. This is the only album in Ross' 55 year career that I can't say for certain wha the best singles would be. All of side1 had hit potential. I think I would have followed up with We Need You, then All Of My Life, then, Brown Baby/Save The Children, then Leave A Little Room. Yes, I'd have done all 5 if they all were doing OK. It's a tough call, but IWLADWY would not make the cut, however, had it been on the next album, it would have been the follow up to Last Time I Saw Him as it definitely had potential, I just think the others were even stronger. Did Last Time hit in the UK?


I also thought this could have been a good single for Diana. Here in the UK of course we got "all of my life" as the follow up single and it went top 10 so i guess Motown UK did a good job there but iwladwy was a lost opportunity.

P.S. This is my first post on this forum. After being an avid reader and viewer of the forum for several years i thought it about time i did some contributing.
You guys feel like friends to me and i hope i can become a useful and interesting member.:D

[Bluebrock]

Last time I saw him was only a minor uk hit. It reached the top 40 as did "love me" the follow up but for me he whole LTISH album was a hurried and unbalanced effort much like "everything is everything". It was frustrating to follow such a strong album with a weak one but it seemed to happen more than one in the 70's with Diana.

[sansradio]

Well this is why i love sdf,i never knew anyone else sang it.

Freda Payne also did a version closely based on the Diana arrangement on her Payne & Pleasure LP in '74.

[Bluebrock]

So she did sansradio. I had totally forgotten about that. A good version too as I recall.

[sansradio]

So she did sansradio. I had totally forgotten about that. A good version too as I recall.

Yep! As much as I revere Freda, though, Diana's got the edge for me. Welcome, by the way! :D

[sophisticated_soul]

"I Won't Last A Day Without You" has become a modern day classic. It's a beautiful song and I don't recall it being done badly by anyone. Of all the many versions I have heard I give the edge to Miss Ross' ethereal version, with Shirley Bassey's more strident interpretation coming in a close second. Streisand also does a very nice rendering.

[supremester]

I'll never understand the thought process behind dumping her best album ever [[to date) after just one single in favor of an LP with no songs that could hit still SHM after 42 years. QUOTE=Bluebrock;280423]Last time I saw him was only a minor uk hit. It reached the top 40 as did "love me" the follow up but for me he whole LTISH album was a hurried and unbalanced effort much like "everything is everything". It was frustrating to follow such a strong album with a weak one but it seemed to happen more than one in the 70's with Diana.[/QUOTE]

[Bluebrock]

Thank you so much! Everyone on here has been very friendly so far!