"When Will I Be Loved" is a classic popular song written by Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers, who had a US top-ten hit with it in 1960. Linda Ronstadt covered the song in 1975, and her version was an even bigger hit in the US, peaking at No. 2.
The Everly Brothers version
Background
The Everly Brothers scored a number 8 hit single with "When Will I Be Loved" in the summer of 1960 on the BillboardHot 100 chart. The track had been recorded in 1960 while the duo were contracted to Cadence Records; by 1960 they had moved to Warner Brothers and recording in a more mainstream pop/rock style than previously. The belated release by Cadence of "When Will I Be Loved" provided the Everly Brothers with a final rockabilly-style hit.[1]
Personnel
The session, produced by Archie Bleyer, took place on February 18, 1960, at the RCA Studio in Nashville. Those present at the session included:
The song had its highest profile when Linda Ronstadt covered it on her album Heart Like A Wheel. This version rearranges the verses of the Everly Brothers original, transposing the first and fourth verses. Capitol Records was reportedly unsure whether to release "When Will I Be Loved" or "You're No Good" as the lead 45 off of Heart Like a Wheel, finally deciding to issue "You're No Good" as the premier single.[5] "When Will I Be Loved" was issued as the second single in March 1975.[citation needed]
The song hit number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June of that year, as well as number 1 in Cash Box;[1] only the chart dominance of the year's biggest hit, "Love Will Keep Us Together" by Captain & Tennille, prevented Ronstadt from having consecutive number 1 hit singles on the Hot 100.[6]Billboard did afford a number 1 ranking to "When Will I Be Loved" on its C&W chart.[7] The song has sold 268,000 copies in the United States since becoming available for digital download as of January 2020.[8]
John Denver recorded a cover of the album on his 1966 album John Denver Sings. However, the album was not released to the general public until 2011.
In 1967, Johnny Young & Kompany reached No. 3 in Australia with "When Will I Be Loved" charted in tandem with its flip "Kiss Me Now".
Sandy Denny recorded a version of the song with Linda Thompson on the rock n' roll covers album Rock On with The Bunch in 1972. The track was also released as a single that same year.
Tanya Tucker recorded "When Will I Be Loved" for her 1975 album Tanya Tucker; the track features a harmony vocal by the song's composer, Phil Everly.
Slik has taken this song on their album Slik in 1976.
Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds released a version of the song on their 1980 EP, Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds Sing The Everly Brothers.[13]
The 1985 Magnum, P.I. episode "Let Me Hear the Music" features a live performance of "When Will I Be Loved" by Amanda McBroom[14] while the "Jami McFame" episode of According to Jim (2008) features Jamison Belushi - daughter of series star James Belushi - performing the song.
Dolly Parton has performed the song live on numerous occasions, including on her 1987-88 TV series Dolly.
In the movie Cocktail (1988), Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Shue dance and sing along to the jukebox which is playing "When Will I Be Loved".
Ria performed the song in the movie When Will I Be Loved (2004).
