"Never Ending Song of Love" is a song written by Delaney Bramlett, and, according to some sources, by his wife Bonnie Bramlett. It was originally recorded with their band, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, in 1971 on the album Motel Shot. Released as a single by Atco Records the same year, "Never Ending Song of Love" became Delaney & Bonnie's greatest hit on the pop charts, reaching a peak of No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 8 on Easy Listening. It reached No. 16 in Australia.
A cover version by the New Seekers was a major hit in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 1971. It spent a few weeks at No. 2 in the UK charts and in South Africa, and reached No. 1 in the Irish charts. It was featured on their album of the same name.
As of 2008, "Never Ending Song of Love", had been covered by over 100 artists.
Chart history
Weekly charts Delaney & Bonnie Chart (1971)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)16Canada RPM Adult Contemporary16Canada RPM Top Singles6New Zealand (Listener)Flavour of New Zealand, 18 October 19711US Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - 13US Billboard Adult Contemporary8US Cash Box Top 100Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 21, 19719
Year-end charts Delaney & Bonnie Chart (1971)RankAustralia 93Canada 81US Billboard Hot 100Musicoutfitters.com67US Cash Box 66
New Seekers
Chart (1971)PeakpositionAustralia25South Africa (Springbok)2
Chart (1971)RankAustralia 168South Africa 18UK 7
Other cover versions On the country music charts, at least three versions have charted: Dickey Lee recorded a version at the same time as Delaney & Bonnie's original, which reached No. 8 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles charts. Eleven years later, in 1982, the Osmond Brothers' version reached No. 43 on the country charts. Crystal Gayle's last U.S. chart hit was a cover of the song, which reached No. 72 on the country chart in 1990.Whitburn, Joel, Joel Whitburn’s Top Country Songs {1944 to 2005}, Billboard, Record Research Inc., Monomonee Falls, Wisconsin, 2005 p. 143 A French-language cover of the song (as "Un amour qui ne veut pas mourir") was also recorded by Canadian singer Renée Martel in 1972 as one of the first songs she recorded after transitioning from pop to country music.Renée Martel - Un amour qui ne veut pas mourir at YouTube This song was on the charts for 19 weeks in Quebec, including 2 weeks in first position. Tejano star Ram Herrera also recorded a cover version on Bob Gallarza's 1993 album Forever. George Jones and Tammy Wynette recorded a version of the song for their 1973 album We're Gonna Hold On.
References