"The Twelfth of Never" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Johnny Mathis | ||||
from the album Johnny's Greatest Hits | ||||
A-side | "Chances Are" | |||
Released | 12 August 1957 | |||
Studio | Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York City | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 2:25 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster | |||
Johnny Mathis singles chronology | ||||
|
"The Twelfth of Never" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Cliff Richard | ||||
B-side | "I'm Afraid to Go Home" | |||
Released | 2 October 1964 | |||
Recorded | 23 June 1964 | |||
Studio | Abbey Road | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster | |||
Producer(s) | Norrie Paramor | |||
Cliff Richard singles chronology | ||||
|
"The Twelfth of Never" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Donny Osmond | ||||
from the album Alone Together | ||||
B-side | "Life Is Just What You Make It" | |||
Released | February 24, 1973 | |||
Recorded | November 27, 1972 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 2:40 | |||
Label | MGM Records 14503 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster | |||
Donny Osmond singles chronology | ||||
|
"The Twelfth of Never" is a popular song written in 1956 and first recorded by Johnny Mathis the following year. The title is a popular expression, which is used as the date of a future occurrence that will never come to pass.[1] In the case of the song, "the 12th of Never" is given as the date on which the singer will stop loving his beloved, thus indicating that he will always love them.
Mathis initially disliked the song, which was released as the flip side to his number 1 hit single "Chances Are".[2]
It was written by Jerry Livingston and Paul Francis Webster, the tune (except for the bridge) being adapted from "The Riddle Song" (also known as "I Gave My Love a Cherry"), an old English folk song. Mathis's original version reached number 9 on what is now called the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA in 1957.[3] A version by Cliff Richard was released in 1964 and reached number 8 in the UK.[4] Donny Osmond's version, produced by Mike Curb and Don Costa, was his second number 1 single in the UK, spending a single week at the top of the UK Singles Chart in March 1973.[5] In the U.S. it peaked at number 8.[6]
Johnny Mathis original
Chart (1957–58) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Sydney, Australia)[7] | 2 |
US Billboard Hot 100[8] | 9 |
Cliff Richard version
Chart (1964–65) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] | 6 |
Hong Kong[10] | 5 |
Ireland (IRMA)[11][12] | 9 |
Malaysia[13] | 3 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] | 13 |
Norway (VG-lista)[15] | 9 |
UK Singles (OCC)[16] | 8 |
Donny Osmond version
Chart (1973) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9][17] | 2 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[18] | 14 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[19] | 4 |
Denmark (Tracklisten)[20] | 15 |
Germany (Media Control)[21] | 29 |
Malaysia[22] | 8 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23] | 12 |
New Zealand (Listener)[24] | 5 |
Singapore[25] | 2 |
UK Singles (OCC)[26] | 1 |
US Billboard Hot 100[27] | 8 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[28] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |