This Guy's in Love with You
| "This Guy's in Love with You" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Herb Alpert | |
| from the album The Beat of the Brass and The Aristocats | |
| B-side | "A Quiet Tear" |
| Released | April 1968 |
| Format | 7" |
| Genre | Pop |
| Length | 3:55 |
| Label | A&M |
| Writer(s) | Burt Bacharach, Hal David |
| Certification | M |
"This Guy's in Love with You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and recorded by Herb Alpert. Although known primarily for his trumpet playing as the leader of the Tijuana Brass, Alpert sang lead vocals on this solo recording, arranged by Bacharach.
The recording's origin occurs, as documented in a "Biography" cable episode featuring Bacharach, when Alpert asked Bacharach, "Say, Burt, do you happen to have any old compositions lying around that you and Hal never recorded; maybe one I might use?" Alpert said he made it his practice to ask songwriters that particular question; often a lost "pearl" is revealed. As it happened, Bacharach recalled one, found the lyrics and score sheet, and offered it to Alpert: "Here, Herb . . . you might like this one."
The composition had an easy, recognizable Bacharach-David feel, a spot for a signature horn solo in the bridge and in the fadeout, and was an easy song to sing within Alpert's vocal range. Herb saw the possibilities for it for himself. Alpert originally sang "This Guy's in Love with You" on a 1968 television special, The Beat of the Brass. In response to numerous viewer telephone calls following the broadcast, it was decided by Alpert that the song should be released as a single recording, and the charted hit reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in June of that year, remaining in the top position for four weeks. It was not only Alpert's first #1 single, but it was also the first #1 single for his A&M record label. The song also spent ten weeks at #1 on the Easy Listening chart. For the single's B-side, Alpert chose "A Quiet Tear," an album track from his first album in 1962, The Lonely Bull.
It was eleven years later when Herb Alpert would become the first (and only) artist in a recording career to reach the prized #1 top position of the Billboard Hot 100 with both a vocal performance and an instrumental performance when his instrumental, "Rise", soared to the top of the hit chart.
Interestingly, Alpert's vocal was succeeded at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 by "Grazing In The Grass", an instrumental by Hugh Masekela. On the Billboard Easy Listening chart, Alpert's song was both preceded and succeeded at #1 by instrumental hits from Hugo Montenegro ("The Good, the Bad and the Ugly") and Mason Williams ("Classical Gas"), respectively.
[edit] Cover versions
- Dusty Springfield recorded the song for her 1968 album Dusty... Definitely.
- B.J. Thomas released a version of the song on his 1969 album Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.
- Sacha Distel covered the song in 1970.
- In Italy, the song has been sung by Fred Bongusto in English and by Herb Alpert himself as well as Tony Renis in Italian with the title "Un ragazzo che ti ama" ("A guy who loves you").
- Australian group The Reels released a version as a single and on the album Beautiful in 1982. It reached #7 in the Australian charts.
- The Bad Plus perform this song on their 2007 release, Prog (album).
- Faith No More has performed the song live in 1997, 2009 and 2011.
- Barry Manilow recorded a version of this song, which appears on his 2006 album, The Greatest Songs of the Sixties.
- Harry Connick, Jr. recorded it for the soundtrack of the film One Fine Day (1996).
- Noel Gallagher of Oasis sang the song live in 1996 at a Burt Bacharach concert at the London Festival Hall while Bacharach accompanied him on piano and conducted the orchestra.
- Fastball recorded the song and released it on the 1997 compilation "Lounge-A-Palooza", as well as on the soundtrack of the film Failure to Launch (2006).
- Dave Koz, smooth jazz saxophonist, has covered the song on his 2010 album, Hello Tomorrow. Herb Alpert himself was featured on trumpet.
- Several female vocalists have rendered the song as "This Girl's in Love with You", apparently beginning with Eydie Gormé for whom it was a Top 20 Easy Listening hit. Dionne Warwick's version was released as a single in 1969 reaching #7 and that same year Aretha Franklin cut the song to serve as title cut for her This Girl's in Love with You released in 1970. The song's also been recorded by Barbara Acklin, Petula Clark, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita Harris, Brenda Lee, Dusty Springfield, Marva Whitney and (Hildegarde Knef).
- Julio Iglesias covered the song on his 2006 album 'Romantic Classics'
- Eva Braun covered the song in 2002, but the song had not been officially released until 2008 on the compilation album Off The Record.
- Grenadine covered the song on their 1994 album "Nopalitos", with Jenny Toomey singing lead.
- Guy Klucevsek performed a dirge-like solo accordion version of the song, coupled with the Bacharach-David song "Who Gets the Guy?", on the 1997 Tzadik Records compilation Great Jewish Music: Burt Bacharach.
- Denny McLain, MLB baseball pitcher, on his album "Denny McLain At The Organ".
- Regis Philbin, as a duet with wife Joy Philbin, 2010.
- Freedy Johnston, on tour and as radio promos in 1994.
- Till Brönner recorded a version of this song which appears on his album Oceana - 2007(US Version)
- Jimmy Ruffin covered it on his album Forever, Motown 1970.
- Richard Clayderman recorded it for his 2005 compilation album "The Anniversary Collection"
- David T. Walker recorded a cover version as part of the Medley on "Going Up".
- Donny Osmond recorded it for his 1972 album "Portrait Of Donny"
- [Diana Ross and The Supremes with The Temptations] album track on the 1968 album Join The Temptations
[edit] References
- The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition, 1996
[edit] External links
| Preceded by "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" by Hugo Montenegro |
Billboard Easy Listening number-one single (Herb Alpert version) June 8, 1968 (10 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams |
| Preceded by "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon and Garfunkel |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single June 22 – July 19, 1968 (4 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Grazing in the Grass" by Hugh Masekela |
