Can't Get Used to Losing You

"Can't Get Used to Losing You" is a song written by Jerome "Doc" Pomus and Mort Shuman, first made popular by Andy Williams in a 1963 record release, which was a number-two hit in both the US and the UK. Twenty years later, British band the Beat took a reggae re-arrangement to number three in the UK.

"Can't Get Used to Losing You"
One of US single picture sleeves
Single by Andy Williams with Robert Mersey and his Orchestra
from the album Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests
B-side	"Days of Wine and Roses"
Released	March 1963
Recorded	December 1962
Genre	Easy listening
Length	2:20
Label	Columbia 42674
Songwriter(s)	Jerome "Doc" Pomus, Mort Shuman
Producer(s)	Robert Mersey
Andy Williams with Robert Mersey and his Orchestra singles chronology
"Don't You Believe It" (1962) "Can't Get Used to Losing You" (1963) "Days of Wine and Roses" (1963)

Andy Williams recording

"Can't Get Used to Losing You" was recorded by Andy Williams in December 1962 and released in 1963. It peaked at number two in both the US and the UK. In the US, the single spent four weeks at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (behind "He's So Fine" by the Chiffons and "I Will Follow Him" by Little Peggy March) and topped the Easy Listening chart for four weeks, peaking on both in April 1963.^[1] Williams' recording peaked at number one on the Cashbox charts.^[2] Williams' vocals on the song's verses were double-tracked in unison, and overdubbed on the choruses so the listener hears Williams singing harmony with himself.^{[citation needed]} The song appears on an album titled Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests in North America and Can't Get Used to Losing You and Other Requests in the United Kingdom.

Charts

Chart (1963)	Peak position
Germany (GfK)[3]	39
UK Singles (OCC)[4]	2
US Billboard Hot 100[5]	2
US Cashbox	1
US Adult Contemporary[5]	1
US Hot R&B[5]	7

Other 1960s and 1970s covers

In 1963, Patti Page recorded a version, with strings background, as part of the Say Wonderful Things album. In the same year, Paul Anka included it on the album Song I Wish I'd Written, and Julie London performed it on The Wonderful World of Julie London. Bobby Rydell did his rendition the same year. In 1965, Chad and Jeremy's cover appeared on their Before and After. Vic Laurens recorded in it 1963 in french on the Mercury label, title in french : Je ne peux pas t'oublier ( I can't forget you.)

Dandy and the Israelites performed it as reggae in 1970, whilst Danny Ray released a ska version in 1976.

The Beat version

"Can’t Get Used to Losing You"
Song by The Beat
from the album I Just Can't Stop It
Released	May 1980 (1980-05)
Genre	Two-tone[6] pop[6] ska[7]
Length	3:04
Label	Go-Feet Sire
Songwriter(s)	Doc Pomus Mort Shuman
Producer(s)	Bob Sargeant
Official audio
"Can't Get Used to Losing You" (2012 Remaster) on YouTube

"Can’t Get Used to Losing You (1983 Remix Version)"
Single by The Beat
from the album What Is Beat?
B-side	"Spar Wid Me"
Released	15 April 1983 (1983-04-15)
Genre	Two-tone[6] pop[6] ska[7]
Length	3:23
Label	Go-Feet Arista
Songwriter(s)	Doc Pomus Mort Shuman
Producer(s)	Bob Sargeant
The Beat singles chronology
"I Confess" (1982) "Can’t Get Used to Losing You (1983 Remix Version)" (1983) "Ackee 1-2-3" (1983)

The Beat (known as The English Beat in the USA) originally recorded their cover of "Can't Get Used to Losing You" as a track on their 1980 album I Just Can't Stop It. It was not released as a single until three years later, just as the Beat announced that they were breaking up. The single was remixed slightly from the album track, and became the band's fifth and final top ten UK hit, and their highest charting single release ever.

Elvis Costello, who singled out the song as his favorite Doc Pomus composition, had hoped to cover the song, but scrapped the idea after "the Beat beat me to it".^[8]

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.^[9]

• Dave Wakeling – lead vocals; rhythm guitar
• Ranking Roger – toasting; vocals
• Andy Cox – lead guitar
• David Steele – bass guitar
• Everett Morton – drums
• Saxa – saxophone

Charts

Chart (1983)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10]	9
Ireland (IRMA)[11]	2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12]	9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13]	12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14]	47
UK Singles (OCC)[15]	3

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1963 (U.S.)

References

Citations

1. Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
2. "PopularSong.org, "Meet the Boxes, Juke and Cash"".
3. "Andy Williams – Can’t Get Used to Losing You" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
4. "Andy Williams: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
5. "Can't Get Used to Losing You (song by Andy Williams) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
6. Chick, Stevie (2015). "The Beat - "Save It for Later". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. New York: Universe. p. 515.
7. Molanphy, Chris (December 18, 2021). "Chestnut Roasters Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
8. Costello 2016, p. 357.
9. I Just Can't Stop It (liner notes). The Beat. Go-Feet Records. 1980. BEAT 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. "The Beat – Can’t Get Used to Losing You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Can’t Get Used to Losing You". Irish Singles Chart.
12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Beat" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
13. "The Beat – Can’t Get Used to Losing You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
14. "The Beat – Can’t Get Used to Losing You". Top 40 Singles.
15. "The Beat: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.

Sources

• Costello, Elvis (2016). Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink. New York: Blue Rider Press. ISBN 978-0399185762.