Comments on: “I Can’t Make You Love Me”: A 25th Anniversary Oral History

By: Marlene Paramore Nurse

Marlene Paramore Nurse — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 17:32:55 +0000

https://youtu.be/IlA3tMaX9GA Mike Reid ” I can’t make you love me.”

By: Marlene Paramore Nurse

Marlene Paramore Nurse — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 17:29:26 +0000

The very best version of this song was done by one of the writers himself. Mike Reid is an amazing talent, and hearing him sing it will leave you a blubbering mess! It’s so powerful. No one sings it better. Not Bonnie, not George, no one.

By: Richiek65

Richiek65 — Sun, 18 Jun 2017 00:27:44 +0000

https://youtu.be/nfFsjah1sn8

One of Australia’s finest voices and guitarists doing his thing with it..

By: ShadowMorpheus

ShadowMorpheus — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 09:21:33 +0000

Perfect ballad and a beautiful bit of journalism. Thanks for this one.

By: Betty Palozie

Betty Palozie — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 01:48:02 +0000

Thank you for spinning the story, the making of this masterpiece song. Spun it just like an old well loved scratched vinyl record. Beautiful. We have all been there. That adolescent non-reciprocal 1st crush, for example. To me, this song portrays the depth of heartache that is reminiscent of that sweet pure hopeful innocence matured, broken by honesty. Boy, did that hurt. …. Welcome to FL. Can hardly wait to see you, hear you, Bonnie, and your fine band. Welcome! Welcome!! Welcome!!! Glad you are back in the swing state … 29 electoral swings, or should I say “slugs’ as the case is proving to be …. Oh! my party pizza, we will all be glad when it’s over ………….. Hugs))) Bandog Betty

By: Scott Lapatine

Scott Lapatine — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 02:30:42 +0000

In reply to Gene Frey. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/f7/37/58/f73758afb00153107a734119d3c3c797.jpg

By: Gene Frey

Gene Frey — Sun, 30 Oct 2016 00:57:02 +0000

Great piece. The part about convincing Hornsby to listen to the demo was fascinating to me.

Also, this may be the first time that an article that featured Mike Reid didn’t talk about his first career.

By: stonegroove

stonegroove — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 16:25:21 +0000

In reply to dirty_fanta. "Faith", "Listen Without Prejudice", and "Older" are essential pop/rock/R&B albums

By: Scott Lapatine

Scott Lapatine — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 12:19:54 +0000

In reply to Kate Battersby. It works for me now -- can you try refreshing the page?

By: meat

meat — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 11:50:34 +0000

this is one of the best things you guys have ever done. awesome job.

By: pauler

pauler — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 09:45:13 +0000

“I Can’t Make You Love Me” is indeed a perfect song, and what I also love about it is how deceptively simple it sounds While in fact, it is a technically challenging song to sing. The phrasing, the timing, the range required to belt out the first line of the chorus, but you have to be soft enough to not make it an explosive ballad.

Man, Raitt’s vocal performance is out of this work. She nailed every part of the phrasing. She has this composed attitude throughout the song, accepting defeat but refusing to cry. She was technically brilliant and emotionally captivating. It reminds me of Mariah Carey in her greatest song “Breakdown” with the same approach to singing.

By: Kate Battersby

Kate Battersby — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 07:12:05 +0000

I love this archive of a wonderful song by a great singer who I have enjoyed in concert more than once. Have referred songwriting mates to this feature and would love for us all to listen to Mike Reid’s demo but the link seems to be broken. Any chance of a fix?

By: saul wright

saul wright — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 03:35:01 +0000

Count me as one of those that first heard the song from Bon Iver’s 4AD video. It floored me and I watched it over and over. I can probably count on one hand the songs that have brought me to tears on a first listen but this song, man… the sentiment and songwriting craft… it’s a perfect ballad.

I put the various versions on repeat while reading. Thanks for this great article.

By: Panzade

Panzade — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 02:08:36 +0000

Fascinating article about a fascinating song. How quickly it became part of the American Songbook..
Kudos to Ryan Leas.

By: Wendy Smith

Wendy Smith — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 01:44:57 +0000

Thank you for such a fantastic article about such an iconic song. LOVED the covers – especially Bon Iver and Soak. I was lucky enough to see Bonnie Raitt several times, with Bruce Hornsby, Jackson Brown, Shawn Colvin, and also Mavis Staples. Pure artistry! And this song makes me cry EVERY time! MUAH!

By: Bruce Chapman

Bruce Chapman — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 01:35:43 +0000

I play piano. I love Bonnie’s music. My wife and I teared up when she finally was recognized at the grammies- so happy for her. but….I am not allowed to play this song in her presence. Just too heart wrenching. Perhaps the saddest song ever.

By: GretaCargo

GretaCargo — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 01:23:13 +0000

There is nothing out of place in this song. It has gotten my head and my heart through some really tough times…what a gift.

By: dirty_fanta

dirty_fanta — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 22:19:38 +0000

In reply to stonegroove.

The George Michael version is truly stunning, the phrasing is perfect. You can tell that he really feels the lyric as well, I picture it as him being in love with a straight friend and feeling just this indescribable longing and pain that he can never be with him.

Pretty underrated artist in general tbh, ‘Fastlove’ is such a classic, the best song about the pleasure and pain of one night stands ever.

By: herberto

herberto — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 21:43:49 +0000

Looking good tonight, Stereogum.

By: stonegroove

stonegroove — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 18:02:40 +0000

Not gonna compare the original with these, but,

George Michael version > Prince version

And I’m a huge Prince fan. But man, George’s cover is some of the finest singing I’ve ever heard.

By: dansolo

dansolo — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 17:46:05 +0000

I was actually surprised to learn that this song was written in my lifetime. Just seems like one of those gems that’s always been there.

By: LobeliaS-B

LobeliaS-B — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 16:22:48 +0000

Hope this becomes a regular column. Totally engrossing.

By: onigiri

onigiri — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 16:10:51 +0000

This song is perfect. Thanks so much for doing this piece. Great to hear these stories.

As far as covers go, the Bon Iver version (understandably) skews closest to Hornsby’s piano style, which I find inextricable from the lyrics and melody. The performance JV and Sean Carey did for 4AD Sessions shouldn’t be missed.

By: Scott Lapatine

Scott Lapatine — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 16:08:17 +0000

In reply to Tim Curtin. Same

By: Tim Curtin

Tim Curtin — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 15:48:44 +0000

man i was obsessed with Nick of Time