I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)

"I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)"
Single by Lulu
from the album Don't Take Love for Granted
B-side	"Dance to the Feeling In Your Heart"
Released	1981
Label	Alfa Records, Inc
Writer(s)	Neil Harrison
Producer(s)	Mark London Lem Lubin

"I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)" was the fourth and final US Top 40 hit for Lulu.

History

"I Could Never Miss You" first appeared on Don't Take Love For Granted, a 1978 album release on Elton John's label, The Rocket Record Company. The song was composed by Neil Harrison and co-produced by Mark London. London had been the co-writer of Lulu's major hit, "To Sir, With Love" and was also the husband of Lulu's longtime manager, Marion Massey. The other co-producer was Lem Lubin, who had previously been associated with the bands Unit 4 + 2 and Christie.

Although "I Could Never Miss You" was not issued as a single off Don't Take Love For Granted the track garnered some attention being covered in 1980 by both Melba Moore (as "I Could Never Miss You More"). ^[1] and Bobbi Walker ^[2]

Alfa Records released the Lulu original as a single backed with "Dance to the Feeling in Your Heart" in the summer of 1981. ^[3] By then, Lulu's US profile had been raised somewhat by her participation in two ATV series devoted to rock and roll music show: Oh Boy had aired in the US in the autumn of 1980 while Let's Rock ran over the summer of 1981.^[4] Also the early 1980s saw a considerable boost in the popularity of easy listening music as exemplified by the success of the comparable Sheena Easton.

"I Could Never Miss You" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1981, rising to a #18 peak in October. This marked Lulu's first appearance in the US Top 20 since "To Sir, with Love" in 1967. ^[5] "I Could Never Miss You" - whose Cash Box peak was #14 ^[6] - also reached #2 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.^[5]

The US success of "I Could Never Miss You" only translated into a glimmer of interest in Lulu's native UK, where the single peaked at #62 in the final week of 1981 – it would mark Lulu's sole UK charting between "Take Your Mama For a Ride" in 1975 and "Shout" in 1986. ^[7] "I Could Never Miss You" also charted low in Australia at #71, although this was somewhat offset by a 16-week run.

Canada's RPM magazine ranked "I Could Never Miss You" with a #10 peak. The track had its strongest chart impact in New Zealand with an April 1982 peak of #3, which remains the highest post-1960s' peak on a national Pop chart for a solo recording by Lulu (tying with the 1974 UK chart peak of "The Man Who Sold the World").

Shirley Bassey recorded a Spanish rendering of "I Could Never Miss You" entitled "Nadie Más Te Quiso (Como Yo]" (Nobody loves you more [than me]) for her 1989 Spanish language album La Mujer whose producer Leonardo Schultz wrote the new lyrics.^[8] In addition, Syd Dale recorded an instrumental version of the song on his album Love Isn't Just For The Young ^[9]

References

1. "Soul & FunkMusic-Melba Moore". Retrieved 31 March 2009.
2. "Soul & Funk Music-Bobbi Walker". Retrieved 31 March 2009.
3. "The Lulu Web Site-Singles". Retrieved 31 March 2009.
4. "The Lulu Web Site-Bio". Retrieved 3 April 2009.
5. "AMG-Lulu". Retrieved 31 March 2009.
6. "Cash Box 10/10/81". Retrieved 31 March 2009.
7. "Chartstats". Retrieved 31 March 2009.
8. "Songs of Shirley Bassey". Retrieved 31 March 2009.
9. "Love Isn't Just For The Young". Retrieved 7 July 2011.