"I'll Still Love You" is a song written by the English rock musician George Harrison and first released in 1976 by his former Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr. Produced by Arif Mardin, the track appeared on Starr's debut album for Atlantic Records and Polydor, Ringo's Rotogravure. The composition had a long recording history before then, having been written in 1970 as "Whenever", after which it was copyrighted with the title "When Every Song Is Sung".
Harrison originally intended the song for Welsh singer Shirley Bassey, who had a hit in the summer of 1970 with a cover version of his Beatles composition "Something". Although Harrison recorded "When Every Song Is Sung" himself during the sessions for All Things Must Pass that year, it was not included on his album. He went on to produce recordings of the track by former Ronette Ronnie Spector in February 1971, and Cilla Black in August 1972, but neither version was completed for release. Mary Hopkin and Leon and Mary Russell also attempted the song during the first half of the 1970s, with Harrison participating in the Russells' recording. A later version by Black – produced by David Mackay and titled "I'll Still Love You (When Every Song Is Sung)" – appeared on her 2003 compilation Cilla: The Best of 1963–78.
Together with John Lennon and Paul McCartney's respective contributions, the song's inclusion on Rotogravure marked the second occasion when Starr's former bandmates had each supplied a song for one of his albums, after Ringo in 1973. While Starr's rendition is often held in low regard, some commentators consider "I'll Still Love You" to be one of Harrison's finest love songs and on a par with "Something". Author Ian Inglis describes the song as "an unfinished masterpiece".
Background and composition
In late 1969, George Harrison's song "Something" was issued on the A-side of a single by the Beatles – the first time that one of his compositions had been given that honour.The Editors of Rolling Stone, p. 39. Discussing the song, Harrison remarked in an interview: "There's a lot of songs like that in my head. I must get them down. Maybe even other people would like to sing them."Mark Lewisohn, "Something Else", in Mojo Special Limited Edition: 1000 Days of Revolution (The Beatles' Final Years – Jan 1, 1968 to Sept 27, 1970), Emap (London, 2003), p. 118.Alan Smith, "Beatles Single – By George!", NME, 1 November 1969, p. 3. In the summer of 1970, "Something" gave Welsh singer Shirley Bassey her biggest UK hit in nine years,"Shirley Bassey", Official Charts Company (retrieved 18 July 2015). an achievement that led her to tell the press that she and Harrison could become a singer-and-songwriter pairing on the scale of Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach.Harrison, p. 228. Although he would later be dismissive of Bassey's version of "Something",Paul Du Noyer, "George's Uncertain Something" , Mojo, January 2002 (retrieved 18 July 2015).Mark Ellen, "A Big Hand for the Quiet One", Q, January 1988, p. 59. Harrison wrote a new song for her to record after reading these comments. Originally titled "Whenever", it became "When Every Song Is Sung" and later "I'll Still Love You".Clayson, George Harrison, p. 332.
As he had with "Something",The Editors of Rolling Stone, p. 176. Harrison composed the melody on a piano, part-way through a recording session – in this case, while working on his first post-Beatles solo album, All Things Must Pass (1970).Allison, p. 147. As reproduced in his 1980 autobiography, I, Me, Mine, Harrison's original lyrics carried the title "WHENEVER (by Shirley Bassey)".Harrison, p. 229. He recalls in the book: "I got the chord sequence, and 'When every song is sung' were the first words to come out of my mouth, and it developed from there."
Harrison's musical biographer, Simon Leng, considers it to be an "emotionally complex lyric that ponders how love will even survive, 'when every soul is free'".Leng, p. 198. Christian theologian Dale Allison interprets the subject matter of the song as moksha, or liberation from rebirth, in the Hindu faith.Allison, p. 37. He writes: "'I'll Still Love You (When Every Song Is Sung)' looks forward to the time when all souls are 'free,' when all eyes will 'see,' and when all human beings will be of the same mind. 'All Things Must Pass,' but no one really ever passes away."Allison, pp. 37–38.
Author Robert Rodriguez describes the musical tone as that of a "moody torch song".Rodriguez, Fab Four FAQ 2.0, p. 168. Leng notes that the verses have the same descending semitone pattern as "Something" and, structurally, it features a middle eight that is "harsher" and "dramatic" compared to the verses, just like the middle eight in Harrison's 1969 composition.
Pre-Ringo's Rotogravure recording history
George Harrison Still using the title "Whenever",Rodriguez, Fab Four FAQ 2.0, p. 38. Harrison recorded "When Every Song Is Sung" for All Things Must Pass in 1970 but did not include it on the album.Huntley, p. 60. The sessions took place between late May and August that year,Spizer, pp. 220, 222.Unterberger, pp. 287, 288. at London's Abbey Road and Trident studios.Badman, p. 10. According to bootlegs subsequently compiled from the sessions, 44 takes of the song were taped.Madinger & Easter, p. 433. The recordings reveal a musical arrangement featuring acoustic guitars, piano, bass, drums and jazz-inflected horns.Unterberger, p. 290.
Along with other unreleased material from the All Things Must Pass sessions, Harrison's "When Every Song Is Sung" became available in the 1990s on unofficial outtake compilations such as Songs for Patti,Madinger & Easter, pp. 427, 433. some of which list the track as "I'll Still Love You". The available take is missing the start of the performance and its lyrics appear to be incomplete. AllMusic critic Richie Unterberger describes this early version of the song as "haunting" and "a noteworthy find" among outtakes from Harrison's 1970 triple album.Richie Unterberger, "George Harrison All Things Must Pass: Acetate", AllMusic (retrieved 23 July 2015).
Ronnie Spector
"When Every Song Is Sung" was one of up to six Harrison compositions recorded in February 1971 for what was intended to be a debut solo album by Ronnie Spector.Madinger & Easter, p. 434. The latter was the former lead singer of the Ronettes and the wife of Harrison's All Things Must Pass co-producer, Phil Spector.Leng, p. 105. As in 1970, Harrison and Spector co-produced the sessions.Romanowski & George-Warren, p. 850.
Basic tracks for this and the other songs were taped at Abbey Road StudiosBadman, p. 25. with some of the musicians who had played on All Things Must Pass – including Jim Gordon, Klaus Voormann and Gary WrightSpizer, pp. 255, 274, 342. – along with Leon Russell on piano. The recording was not completed, however, since Phil Spector's erratic behaviour led to the project being abandoned.Harrison, p. 218. Issued on Apple Records in April 1971,Badman, p. 26. the single "Try Some, Buy Some" was the only official Ronnie Spector release from these sessions.Rodriguez, Fab Four FAQ 2.0, p. 41.Spizer, p. 342.
Cilla Black
Due to his commitment to the Bangladesh relief effort,Leng, p. 123. Harrison's music-making was limited for much of 1971 and the following year.Rodriguez, Fab Four FAQ 2.0, pp. 43, 44, 93.Kevin Howlett, "George Harrison The Apple Years", in book accompanying The Apple Years 1968–75 box set (Apple Records, 2014; produced by Dhani Harrison, Olivia Harrison & Jonathan Clyde; package art direction by thenewno2), p. 31. In early August 1972, shortly after the UK release of the Concert for Bangladesh film,Badman, p. 79. he resumed his role as a record producer with a session for a new Cilla Black single, the A-side of which was to be "When Every Song Is Sung".Madinger & Easter, p. 440. The recording took place at Apple Studio in London, during Black's day off from her summer variety season in Blackpool.Clayson, Ringo Starr, p. 215. Among the support musicians were Voormann, Ringo Starr and Eric Clapton.
A second Harrison composition, "You Got to Stay With Me", was also attempted at the session,Castleman & Podrazik, p. 267. but as with the Ronnie Spector solo album, the project was not completed. Black told radio presenter Spencer Leigh that her ability to record that day was hindered by her discomfort following a dental appointment just before the session began. The B-side that Harrison started writing for her similarly took an alternative route, ending up as the autobiographical "The Light That Has Lighted the World",Spizer, p. 254. which he chose to include on his 1973 album Living in the Material World.Harrison, p. 268.
According to author Alan Clayson, former Apple artist Mary Hopkin also recorded a version of "When Every Song Is Sung" during this period. Black told Leigh that she still thought the song was "super", and so re-recorded it over 1974–75, this time with producer David Mackay. She said of this later recording: "even then, [the song] didn't have the magic it deserved. It should have had a 'Yesterday'-type arrangement."Clayson, George Harrison, pp. 332, 474.
In his book The Beatles Diary Volume 2, Keith Badman writes that Harrison and Black met in a London restaurant over Christmas in 1982 and discussed completing their recordings from ten years before.Badman, p. 310. Black's Mackay-produced version of the song was eventually released in May 2003, as "I'll Still Love You (When Every Song Is Sung)", on her three-CD compilation Cilla: The Best of 1963–78."Cilla Black The Best of 1963–1978", AllMusic (retrieved 19 July 2015).
Leon and Mary Russell After their various projects together between 1969 and 1971, including the Concert for Bangladesh,Leng, pp. 61, 64, 76–77, 110–11.Rodriguez, Fab Four FAQ 2.0, pp. 1, 51, 79. Harrison renewed his musical association with Leon Russell in 1975, while recording Extra Texture in Los Angeles.Inglis, pp. 34–35, 50. Aside from contributing to that album,Huntley, pp. 122–23. Russell made a new recording of "When Every Song Is Song" with his wife Mary – formerly Mary McCreary of the vocal group Little Sister, and subsequently a solo artist signed to Russell's Shelter record label.Romanowski & George-Warren, p. 862. The couple married in June 1975,Jason Ankeny, "Leon Russell", AllMusic (retrieved 21 July 2015). after which they began recording the first of their two albums together, titled Wedding Album."Leon & Mary Russell Wedding Album", AllMusic (retrieved 7 November 2013).
Harrison participated in the session for "When Every Song Is Sung". According to Tom Petty, who was a Shelter artist at the time,Romanowski & George-Warren, p. 764. recording took place at Russell's home studio in Encino,Zanes, p. 48. with Ringo Starr also at the session.The Editors of Rolling Stone, p. 223. As before, this attempt failed to produce a finished recording of the song.
Ringo's Rotogravure recording