"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.

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. Williams' recording peaked at number one on the Cashbox charts. 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. 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

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

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. 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".

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.

Charts