If you were in the orbit of the Gibb brothers in the second half of the ‘70s and were blessed with musical talent, chances are you were somewhere near the top of the pop charts. The Bee Gees’ streak of songwriting dominance within that era has rarely been topped.
Videos by American Songwriter
But let’s give credit where credit’s due in the case of “If I Can’t Have You,” because Yvonne Elliman took the song to another level with her standout vocal performance. Here’s how this enduring pop-disco hit came into existence.
The Bee Gees’ Embarrassment of Riches
The Bee Gees came into the making of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack having hit upon a winning formula with songs like “Jive Talkiin’” and “You Should Be Dancing.” These tracks combined the band’s pop smarts with the disco rhythms that were so popular at that time.
They took it to a whole other level with the movie soundtrack, and a symbiotic relationship developed. The success of the movie was in part based on the strength of the music. And as the movie continued to wow audiences, it helped expose more of the songs to audiences.
Soon, an uptown problem developed. Well, the Bee Gees wrote so many killer songs their management worried that they might oversaturate the market if they released them all. That meant it was necessary to farm some of them out to other artists, which is where Yvonne Elliman entered the picture.
A Reluctant Disco Queen
Because “If I Can’t Have You” became such a massive hit (No. 1 in the U.S.), many people who hear it today assume Elliman was a one-hit wonder. But she had already hit the Top 40 three times before she had the chance to jump on the Saturday Night Fever bandwagon, including once with a Brothers Gibb-penned song (“Love Me” in 1976).
Elliman wasn’t all that fond of the disco craze. But her husband at the time was president of the Bee Gees’ record company, so it was natural she was chosen as a singer for the soundtrack. Originally, she was supposed to sing the ballad “How Deep is Your Love?”
It was decided, however, that the Bee Gees should keep that one and “If I Can’t Have You,” more of an uptempo number, would be Elliman’s to sing. Incredibly, the song became the fourth straight Billboard No. 1 song to have been written at least partially by Barry Gibb, a streak that included two Bee Gees songs and one by Andy Gibb.
What is “If I Can’t Have You” About?
“If I Can’t Have You” delivers a portrait of someone struggling to see how their life can have any meaning without the love of their life. Don’t know why I’m surviving every lonely day, Elliman begins. When there’s got to be no chance for me / My life would end. This is an all-in kind of love, and alternatives won’t suffice: if I can’t have you / I don’t want nobody, baby.
Elliman manages to deliver a performance that’s both pained and resilient, as her character faces up to the uncertainty of it all: Am I strong enough to see it through? Her regret is overwhelming as she looks back: I gave it all so easily to you, my love / To dreams that never will come true.
Maybe she wasn’t sold on disco, but Yvonne Elliman certainly proved she was adept at telling a story while the swirling streaks and thumping beats roiled around her. “If I Can’t Have You” might have been an assignment she couldn’t escape, but she aced the test with flying colors.
Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.