Sometimes When We Touch

"Sometimes When We Touch" is a 1977 ballad written by Canadian pop rock artist Dan Hill (lyrics) and Barry Mann (music) on the album ''Longer Fuse''. It was first released as a single by Hill. His version of the song became the most successful and his biggest hit. Since its original release "Sometimes When We Touch" has been released by several different artists in various musical formats.

Dan Hill version

Hill was inspired to write "Sometimes When We Touch" from a previous relationship. In an interview with ABS-CBN News in 2017, Hill explained that the song was about being in love with someone who did not have similar feelings for him, "She was interested in another man, so that was breaking my heart. So I thought I needed to write a song that would capture her and win her over—that would be so passionate in a sense that she’d see that I’m the only guy for her."

"Sometimes When We Touch" was first recorded in 1977. Musicians included Bobby Ogdin (piano), Larrie Londin (drums), Bob Mann (guitar), Don Potter (guitar), Tom Szczesniak (bass). The record was produced by Fred Mollin and Matthew McCauley, recorded at Manta Sound, Toronto.

It was Hill's biggest hit, peaking at #3 on the United States ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and #10 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song was issued on Hill's studio album ''Longer Fuse''.

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Mark Gray and Tammy Wynette version

In 1985, "Sometimes When We Touch" was notably covered by American country music artists Mark Gray and Tammy Wynette. The tune was recorded as a duet between the artists and originally released as a single the same year.

The song was recorded in November 1984 and was produced by Steve Buckingham. It was released as a single in January 1985 via Columbia Records. The B-side of the record was a solo recording by Mark Gray entitled "You're Gonna Be the Last Love". The single reached number 6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles chart and number 25 on the Canadian Country chart. The song became Wynette's first top ten hit since 1982's " Another Chance" and Gray's fourth top ten hit as a solo artist.

The song was issued on both Gray and Wynette's solo studio albums. "Sometimes When We Touch" first appeared on Gray's album ''This 'Ol Piano'' in 1984. It was the only duet recording featured on the album and was his second studio album release. It was then issued on Tammy Wynette's 1985 studio album, also called ''Sometimes When We Touch''. The track was also the only duet recording on Wynette's studio release.

Track listings

;7" vinyl single
* "Sometimes When We Touch" – 3:37
* "You're Gonna Be the Last Love" – 2:37

Charts

Other versions

Tina Turner recorded a version for her 1978 album, ''Rough''. An Estonian language version of the song (entitled "Puudutus" ("Touch")) also exists. Often performed as a duet, the song has been covered by Koit Toome and Maarja-Liis Ilus among others. On Toome's acoustic greatest hits album, ''Allikas'', the song is present as a solo piece with the tune credited to 'H. Dan'.

Irish pop group Fifth Avenue also covered this song on their only album. This rendition contains a key change.

UK dance singer Newton also took the song into the top 40 in the UK (peaking at #32 in February 1996) and to #5 in Australia, also in 1996. Newton's version went Gold in Australia.

The ska band Five Iron Frenzy also did a cover of this song as part of a "Medley" during their farewell tour in 2004. There is also a version recorded in 1980 by Cleo Laine. British singer Rod Stewart recorded the song for his 1996 album ''If We Fall in Love Tonight''. Veteran British entertainer Tommy Steele recorded this on his ''Family Album''.

Manny Pacquiao sang this song on the November 3, 2009 showing of the ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' show. This was Pacquiao's first guest appearance on an American late night TV talk show and his first singing performance on American TV. He would later record this song in April 2011 as a single which reached number 19 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart.

"När vi rör varann"

There is a Swedish version of the lyrics, called "När vi rör varann" ("''When We Touch Each Other''"), written by Ingela "Pling" Forsman and recorded by Kikki Danielsson in 1980 and Susanne Alfvengren in 1984. "När vi rör varann" has become the signature song for Susanne Alfvengren. The Monica Silverstrand version reached the Svensktoppen from 24 February-2 March 1980, peaking at number 6.

Swedish Opera singer Loa Falkman covered this song on his album ''Symfonin'' in 1990.

Cultural influence

The song has been used in numerous films, television programs and commercials since its initial release. Among the more notable usages are the 1999 film ''Superstar'', a 2003 GEICO commercial, the 2008 film ''Tropic Thunder'' (it's agent Rick Peck's ringtone), and the 2014 Simpsons episode ''The Yellow Badge of Cowardge''.

In 1996, ''This Hour Has 22 Minutes'' ran a comedic sketch in which Canada was taken over by terrorists who in turn were promptly defeated when the Canadian Armed Forces deployed the song as their secret weapon. At the time, Hill was making television appearances to promote his new album ''I'm Doing Fine'', and Pamela Wallin confronted Hill (who had not yet seen it) with the sketch on live national television.

References

External links

* "You'll never guess what Dan Hill thinks of his own song" by Dan Hill, ''Maclean's Magazine'', January 14, 2010, http://www.macleans.ca/culture/sometimes-its-too-much/

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1970s ballads
1977 songs
1978 singles
1985 singles
20th Century Fox Records singles
Dan Hill songs
Songs written by Dan Hill
Songs written by Barry Mann
Mark Gray (singer) songs
RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Number-one singles in South Africa
Tammy Wynette songs
Male–female vocal duets
Epic Records singles
Susanne Alfvengren songs
Manny Pacquiao songs
Rock ballads