About The Song
The song “Can’t Help Falling In Love” made its debut in the 1961 Elvis Presley film, “Blue Hawaii.” It was crafted by the songwriter George Weiss, who claimed that neither the movie’s producers nor Elvis’ associates were initially fond of the song’s demo. However, Elvis himself insisted on recording it for the movie. George Weiss, a military bandleader during World War II, passed away in 2010 at the age of 89.
Interestingly, while this song is widely recognized as one of Elvis’ most iconic “love songs,” it wasn’t serenaded to his love interest in “Blue Hawaii.” Instead, he sang it to the grandmother of his love interest as a birthday gift. In the memorable scene, Elvis presents her with a music box, and as she opens it, the song plays while Elvis joins in singing.
The soundtrack of “Blue Hawaii” achieved remarkable success, topping the US charts in the fall of 1961 and maintaining its position for an impressive 20 consecutive weeks. This record remained unbroken until 1977 when Fleetwood Mac’s legendary album “Rumours” finally surpassed it.
The melody of “Can’t Help Falling In Love” is rooted in a French composition named “Plaisir D’Amour,” which was composed in 1784 by Jean-Paul Egide-Martini, a German musician with an Italian name.
Elvis Presley often concluded his concerts with this heartfelt song. Notably, the drums in this track were played by Hal Blaine, who would go on to become one of the most successful session drummers in music history, contributing to hits by renowned artists such as The Beach Boys, The Association, Sam Cooke, Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Diamond, and many more. In recognition of his achievements, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the year 2000.
In 1993, the reggae band UB40 covered “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” and their rendition reached #1 on the charts in the United States. Additionally, the Swedish pop group A-Teens included their version of the song in the soundtrack of the animated feature “Lilo and Stitch,” which, like the original, was set in Hawaii.
Over the years, several artists have also embraced this timeless song. In 1970, Andy Williams’ rendition reached #3 on the UK charts, and in 1976, The Stylistics’ version climbed to #4 in the same country. It’s worth noting that The Stylistics had previously achieved success with another song penned by George Weiss, “I Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love).”
George Weiss, a prolific songwriter from New York, made a significant mark in the music industry during the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. In addition to “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” he composed hits such as “What a Wonderful World,” famously recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1967, and The Stylistics’ UK chart-topper “Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)” in 1975. He also contributed to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” a reinterpretation of a South African Zulu song recorded by The Tokens in 1961. Beyond his work with pop and jazz artists, Weiss collaborated on several musicals, most notably “Mr. Wonderful,” starring Sammy Davis Jr., which he co-wrote in 1956 with Jerry Bock and Larry Holofcener. George Weiss passed away on August 23, 2010, at his residence in Oldwick, New Jersey, due to natural causes.
Director Blake Edwards enlisted Christine McVie to cover “Can’t Help Falling In Love” for his 1986 film, “A Fine Mess,” featuring Howie Mandel and Ted Danson. This endeavor marked a return to recording for her band, Fleetwood Mac, who hadn’t recorded together since 1982. McVie’s persuasion led her bandmates Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie (her ex-husband), and Mick Fleetwood to support her in the recording process, with Buckingham taking on the role of producer. This project revitalized the band, and with the addition of Stevie Nicks, they began working on their next album, “Tango In The Night,” which was eventually released in 1987. While the album enjoyed considerable success, old conflicts resurfaced, leading to Buckingham’s departure from their subsequent tour. He would not rejoin the group until 1997.
In the UK, “Can’t Help Falling In Love” received a double-A-sided release with another song from “Blue Hawaii” titled “Rock-A-Hula Baby.”
Haley Reinhart, who secured the third position on American Idol in 2011, recorded a cover of this song for a commercial promoting Wrigley’s Extra gum. The advertisement tells the story of a couple, Sarah and Juan, who meet in school and share gum throughout their lives, deepening their love. The heartwarming commercial concludes with Juan proposing to Sarah after she discovers his collection of gum wrappers adorned with drawings. The ad agency, BBDO, sought the perfect artist to capture the sentimental yet contemporary sound needed for the story, and Reinhart’s version emerged as the winner. Both the song and the commercial quickly went viral, amassing millions of views on platforms like YouTube and Facebook.
On May 19, 2014, Christina Grimmie performed “Can’t Help Falling In Love” during the finale of “The Voice.” Her rendition managed to reach the #74 spot on the Hot 100 chart.
In a modern adaptation of Elvis Presley’s original, country-pop singer Kacey Musgraves included her version in a scene from the 2022 movie “Elvis,” depicting the King’s love story with his future wife, Priscilla. This song also reappears in a Las Vegas performance, this time sung by the film’s star, Austin Butler. Musgraves additionally released a music video for her rendition, featuring clips from Elvis and Priscilla’s love story as depicted in the movie. As a lifelong Elvis enthusiast, Musgraves was delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to the soundtrack, even sharing a childhood video of herself receiving Elvis Presley perfume as a testament to her devotion to the iconic singer.
Video
Lyrics
Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can’t help falling in love with you
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can’t help falling in love with you?Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand,
Take my whole life, too
For I can’t help falling in love with youLike a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand,
Take my whole life, too
For I can’t help falling in love with you
For I can’t help falling in love with you