But You Know I Love You

"But You Know I Love You" is a song written by Mike Settle, which was a 1969 pop hit for Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, a group that included Settle and Kenny Rogers. The song also became a major country hit by Bill Anderson in 1969. In 1981, a cover version of "But You Know I Love You" by singer Dolly Parton topped the country singles charts.

"But You Know I Love You"
Single by Kenny Rogers and The First Edition
from the album The First Edition '69
B-side"Homemade Lies"
Released1968
Recorded1968
GenreCountry
Length3:01
LabelReprise
Songwriter(s)Mike Settle
Producer(s)Jimmy Bowen
Kenny Rogers and The First Edition singles chronology
"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"
(1968)
"But You Know I Love You"
(1968)
"Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town"
(1969)

Kenny Rogers and The First Edition version

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Background

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In the song, "But You Know I Love You", the narrator voices regret over not being able to remain with his/her significant other, due to career demands and the need to travel for his/her job. At the time Settle was guitarist for Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, with Rogers singing lead and Settle harmonizing. The fall 1968 release, with a brass-tinged country-folk sound to broaden the group's fan base, peaked at number 19 on the Hot 100 just under a year after "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" peaked. In the group's rendition on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour that aired on 8 December 1968, the audience was unwittingly fooled to start clapping too soon, right after the false ending but way before the real ending.

Charts

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Chart (1969) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[1] 19
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[2] 18
Canadian RPM Top Singles 11
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary 9

Bill Anderson version

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Bill Anderson's cover version of "But You Know I Love You" rose to No. 2 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in 1969.

Charts

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Chart (1969) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3] 2
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 6

Dolly Parton version

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"But You Know I Love You"
 
Single by Dolly Parton
from the album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs
B-side"Poor Folks' Town"
ReleasedMarch 16, 1981
Recorded1980
GenreCountry
Length3:20
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Mike Settle
Producer(s)Mike Post
Dolly Parton singles chronology
"9 to 5"
(1981)
"But You Know I Love You"
(1981)
"The House of the Rising Sun"
(1981)

Background

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Country entertainer Dolly Parton (who, in 1983, would have the number 1 duet "Islands In The Stream" with Rogers) in 1980 included "But You Know I Love You", based on the occupation of on-the-road singer, on her album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs. In March 1981, Parton released the song as the album's second single, following the success of "9 to 5," and it reached No. 1 on the Hot Country Singles chart on 20 June 1981, succeeding Rogers' accompanying Dottie West on "What Are We Doin' in Love" at the top slot.[4] Parton's version also crossed over, bowing at number 82 on 4 April 1981 and peaking at number 41 on 16 May 1981 on the Hot 100 and No. 14 on the AC chart.

Charts

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Weekly

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Chart (1981) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[5] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[6] 41
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[7] 14
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 2

Year-end

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Chart (1981) Peak
Position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[8] 6

Other covers

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References

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  1. ^ "Kenny Rogers Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  2. ^ "Kenny Rogers Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  3. ^ "Bill Anderson Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 262.
  5. ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  6. ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  7. ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  8. ^ "Billboard Hot Country Songs - Year-End Charts (1981)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Barbara Lewis – the Many Grooves of Barbara Lewis (1970, Vinyl)". Discogs.
  10. ^ Joel Whitburn's Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100 1959-2004
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