Released February 1939 Label Decca Records | Recorded January 12, 1939 Writer(s) Jack Lawrence | |
Genre Rhythm and blues, barbershop | ||
"If I Didn't Care" is a song written by Jack Lawrence that was originally sung and recorded by The Ink Spots featuring Bill Kenny in 1939. The Ink Spots recording became the 10th best selling single of all time with over 19 million copies sold making it one of the fewer than forty all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) physical copies worldwide. According to Lawrence, he mailed the song before showing it to some of his friends. His friends' reaction to the song was almost unanimously negative, but he remained positive on it and later it became one of his biggest successes.
In the 1950s both The Hilltoppers and Connie Francis charted with the song, and in 1974 a version was recorded by David Cassidy. Another notable cover came from The Platters (#30, 1961). In 1970, the soul group The Moments (later known as Ray, Goodman & Brown) had a hit with the tune that reached number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was also covered by Madness for their 1999 album Wonderful. In 1999 Bryan Ferry covered the song as a b-side on the As Times Goes By-cd-single. It was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame and was number 271 on the "Songs of the Century" list.