(Billy Swan)
The singer-songwriter Billy Swan wrote this song in March 1974 at his home in Nashville. When he was in the studio a Germany Shepherd puppy owned by the producer Chip Young appeared in the second recording session. Even though it began pulling at Billy’s trousers and growling while he was recording he didn’t let it stop him as everything had been going so well. It also features the people in the studio applauding him at the end of the song and this was retained and used in the version on the accompanying album of the same name.
The single version was released in 1974 and was Billy’s biggest success as a singer, becoming a crossover hit, which resulted in a gold record. It reached No. 1 on the Hot Country Singles and Billboard Hot 100, reached No.6 in the UK and appeared in the Top 10 of many other European charts.
Elvis Presley, who Billy had previously worked for on the security gates at Graceland, covered it the following year. In fact when Billy recorded the song he was wearing a pair of socks that Elvis had given him as a gift.
Loretta Lynn also recorded a version of it in 1975 and Ringo Starr covered it in 1987. In 1995 both Steve Kolander and Aaron Tippin put versions of it on their albums.
Sources:
- http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov07/articles/classictracks_1107.htm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Can_Help
- http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2234