Like I've Never Been Gone
| "Like I've Never Been Gone" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Billy Fury | ||||
| B-side | "What Do You Think You're Doing Of" | |||
| Released | 8 February 1963[1] | |||
| Recorded | 14 December 1962[1] | |||
| Studio | Decca Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 2:01 | |||
| Label | Decca | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Mike Smith | |||
| Billy Fury singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Like I've Never Been Gone" is a song written by Paul Hampton and Camille Monte and first released by American country singer Chase Webster in July 1962. In February 1963, English singer Billy Fury released a cover of the song which peaked at number 3 on the Record Retailer Top 50.[2]
Billy Fury version[edit]
Release and reception[edit]
"Like I've Never Been Gone" was released with the B-side "What Do You Think You're Doing Of", written by Fury. The phrase 'what are you doing of' was another way of saying 'what are you doing'.[3]
Reviewing for Disc, Don Nicholl wrote that "Like I've Never Been Gone" "is the kind of song I can imagine Presley wishing he'd got his hands on. Instead it's going to make another hit for Fury. A sultry Latin beater which he sings in his most commercial voice. First-class backing, including chorus, is directed by Ivor Raymonde".[4] In New Record Mirror, the song was described as "a semi-bluesy, semi-ballady thing with a good tune and an especially good lyric. Powerful Presley-type vocalising from Billy – this could be a really big one".[5]
Track listing[edit]
7": Decca / F 11582
- "Like I've Never Been Gone" – 2:01
- "What Do You Think You're Doing Of" – 2:59
Charts[edit]
| Chart (1963) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA)[6] | 5 |
| Israel (Kol Yisrael)[7] | 3 |
| New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[8] | 7 |
| UK Disc Top 30[9] | 3 |
| UK Melody Maker Pop 50[10] | 3 |
| UK New Musical Express Top 30[11] | 3 |
| UK Record Retailer Top 50[2] | 3 |
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Like I've Never Been Gone". www.nic.fi. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ^ a b "Billy Fury | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ^ Victor, Terry; Dalzell, Tom (2007). The Concise New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English. Routledge. p. 206. ISBN 978-1-134-61534-6.
- ^ "Disc Date" (PDF). Disc. 8 February 1963. p. 9. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ^ "A Really Big One From Fury" (PDF). Record Mirror. 9 February 1963. p. 9. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Like I've Never Been Gone". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 6 July 1963. p. 31. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ "Lever Hit Parade". flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ^ "Top 30" (PDF). Disc. 16 February 1963. p. 3. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ^ "Pop Fifty". Melody Maker. 30 March 1963.
- ^ "NME Music Charts". New Musical Express. 15 March 1963.