| “I Can't Make You Love Me” | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Song by Adele from the album iTunes Festival: London 2011 and Live at the Royal Albert Hall | |
| Released | July 13, 2011 |
| Recorded | July 7, 2011 |
| Genre | Soul |
| Length | 3:34 (iTunes Festival) 3:39 (Royal Albert Hall) |
| Label | XL Recordings |
| Writer(s) | Mike Reid, Allen Shamblin |
| iTunes Festival: London 2011 and Live at the Royal Albert Hall track listing | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Take It All" (iTunes Festival: London 2011) "Chasing Pavements" (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) |
"Rolling in the Deep" (iTunes Festival: London 2011) "Make You Feel My Love" (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) |
"I Can't Make You Love Me" is a 1991 popular song, written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin and recorded by Bonnie Raitt on her Luck of the Draw album from that year. In August 2000, Mojo magazine voted "I Can't Make You Love Me" #8 on its The 100 Greatest Songs Of All Time list. The song is ranked #331 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[1] The song was covered by Adele at the iTunes Festival London 2011 during her Adele Live tour. It was also featured on Adele's first CD/DVD live concert album, Live at the Royal Albert Hall.
Background[]
In an interview with People, Adele revealed that "I Can't Make You Love Me" helped her cope with the breakup that inspired 21.[2]
When performing the song at the iTunes Festival, Adele said it was one of her favorite songs and described it as "perfect in every way." She added that Bonnie Raitt has a "stunning voice" and went on to compliment the lyrics, calling them "mind-blowing."[3] Adele talked about the song more when she performed at the Royal Albert Hall, saying, "It blows me away" and is "incredibly moving." Adele also commented on the emotions the song gives her, saying, "It makes me really, really happy and really, really devastated and depressed at the same time. It makes me think of my fondest and best times in my life, and it makes me think of the worst as well, and combined, probably is a recipe for disaster, but I do love this song. It's just fucking stunning."[4]
Live performances[]
The song was added to the setlist for the Adele Live tour in July of 2011 and was often performed in replacement of "Daydreamer," although the two songs appeared at different locations in the setlist.
Critical reception[]
While reviewing her iTunes Festival performance, David Smyth of London Evening Standard wrote that Adele sang the song "with raw expressiveness." Andrew Leahey of AllMusic wrote that the cover "made all the more tender by the rarely heard frailties in Adele’s voice." Donald Gibson of Seattle P-I wrote that "she breathes new life into Bonnie Raitt's 'I Can't Make You Love Me,' with similar intimacy and conviction."
While reviewing her Live at the Royal Albert Hall DVD, critics lauded Adele's rendition. Andy Gill of The Independent called it an "impassioned version," while Alex Young of Consequence of Sound named it "heartfelt and stunning." Kit O'Toole of Blogcritics praised her rendition, writing that it "retains its heart-wrenching, devastating mood thanks to Adele’s multi-layered voice. Hearing her perform this song, one would imagine her as an older woman who has survived lifelong heartaches instead of a 23-year-old." Maria Schurr of PopMatters lauded the covers (Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" and Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love") on the live album, naming them "the most successful" and writing that "both seem deeply heartfelt, like Adele understands, and is the only one who can make these words that are not hers ring true." Chris Willman of TheWrap called it "a classic of unrequited love that you’d have to swear she wrote if Bonnie Raitt hadn’t turned it into the ultimate female weepie back when Adele was 2."[5]
Charts[]
Despite not being released as a single, "I Can't Make You Love Me" debuted at number 53 on the UK Singles Chart week of September 30, 2012. It later peaked at number 37, on the following week, October 6, 2012, becoming her eighth top-forty song and first non-single top-forty hit.
| Chart (2012) | Peak
Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 37 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 78 |
Lyrics[]
Turn down the lights Just hold me close, don't patronize Here in the dark, in these final hours I'll close my eyes, then I won't see Cause I can't make you love me if you don't Here in the dark, in these final hours |