Tag Archives: Elliman

Yvonne Elliman – If I Can’t Have You Live 1978

“If I Can’t Have You” is a disco song written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees. The song was intended to be included in the follow-up album to Children of the World (1976), but was given to singer Yvonne Elliman when the Bee Gees became involved in the production of the movie Saturday Night Fever (1977) in which the song, and also in the subsequent soundtrack, appeared. Elliman’s version became an international smash hit, and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and #4 in the UK. The song, as sung by the Bee Gees, was released as the B-side to the single “Stayin’ Alive” in 1978 and also appeared in the 2001 compilation Bee Gees Their Greatest Hits: The Record. A remixed version of The Bee Gees recording was released on the remastered version of Bee Gees Greatest in 2007 and marked the return of The Bee Gees to the US Hot Dance Tracks charts after 28 years. ______________________________________ Elliman’s singing career began in the early 1970s in London where she performed as a vocalist at various bars and clubs. This led to a recording contract and later in Miami a close association as a backing vocalist for Eric Clapton. She performed on many of his 1970s hits including “I Shot the Sheriff” and was his girlfriend for several months in 1974. She sang the role of Mary Magdalene in the original album of Jesus Christ Superstar and in the subsequent Broadway and film versions, and achieved her first hit single with the ballad “I Don’t Know How to Love