Since I Don't Have You

"Since I Don't Have You"
One of pressings of the US single
Single by the Skyliners
B-side"One Night, One Night"
ReleasedDecember 1958
Recorded1958
GenreDoo-wop
Length2:40
LabelCalico
Songwriters
  • Jackie Taylor
  • James Beaumont
  • Janet Vogel
  • Joseph Rock
  • Joe Verscharen
  • Lennie Martin
  • Wally Lester
ProducerJoseph Rock
The Skyliners singles chronology
"Since I Don't Have You"
(1958)		 "This I Swear"
(1959)

"Since I Don't Have You" is a song written and composed by Jackie Taylor, James Beaumont, Janet Vogel, Joseph Rock, Joe Verscharen, Lennie Martin, and Wally Lester. It was first a 1958 hit single for the doo-wop group the Skyliners on the US Billboard Hot 100. Country music singer Ronnie Milsap had a hit with the song in 1991. American hard rock band Guns N' Roses also had some success in 1994 with their version of the song which reached the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart.

The Skyliners version

Background

Taken from their self-titled album and released in late 1958, the single reached number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number seven on the Cash Box Top 100.[1] It was also a top five hit on the 1959 R&B chart.

Charts

Don McLean version

"Since I Don't Have You"
Single by Don McLean
from the album Chain Lightning
B-side"Your Cheatin' Heart"
ReleasedApril 1981
GenreEasy listening
Length2:32
LabelMillennium
Songwriters
  • Jackie Taylor
  • James Beaumont
  • Janet Vogel
  • Joseph Rock
  • Joe Verscharen
  • Lennie Martin
  • Wally Lester
ProducerLarry Butler
Don McLean singles chronology
"Crying"
(1980)		 "Since I Don't Have You"
(1981)		 "It's Just the Sun"
(1981)

Don McLean's 1981 rendition reached number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the Adult Contemporary chart.[5] In Canada, it peaked at number two on its AC chart.[6]

Charts

Chart (1981) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 45
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[7] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 23
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 6
US Country (Billboard) 68
US Cash Box Top 100 28

Ronnie Milsap version

"Since I Don't Have You"
Single by Ronnie Milsap
from the album Back to the Grindstone
B-side"I Ain't Gonna Cry No More"
ReleasedJuly 13, 1991
GenreCountry
Length4:10
LabelRCA
Songwriters
  • Jackie Taylor
  • James Beaumont
  • Janet Vogel
  • Joseph Rock
  • Joe Verscharen
  • Lennie Martin
  • Wally Lester
Producers
Ronnie Milsap singles chronology
"Are You Lovin' Me Like I'm Lovin' You"
(1991)		 "Since I Don't Have You"
(1991)		 "Turn That Radio On"
(1991)

Background

Country music artist Ronnie Milsap's version was a number six hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1991.[9] The single was taken from his album Back to the Grindstone, released on RCA Nashville. It was produced by Milsap, Rob Galbraith, and Richard Landis.

Charts

Guns N' Roses version

"Since I Don't Have You"
Standard artwork (commercial US/UK cassette single pictured)
Single by Guns N' Roses
from the album "The Spaghetti Incident?"
B-side"You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" (LP version)
ReleasedFebruary 1994
Length4:20
LabelGeffen
ProducerGuns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses singles chronology
"Estranged"
(1993)		 "Since I Don't Have You"
(1994)		 "Sympathy for the Devil"
(1994)
Music video
"Since I Don't Have You" on YouTube

Background

The song was covered by rock band Guns N' Roses for their fifth studio album, "The Spaghetti Incident?" (1993), and was released as the album's second single. It was released in early 1994, reaching No. 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and entering the top 10 in the UK. The music video features actor Gary Oldman – then a popular casting choice for Hollywood villains[15] – as a smiling demon who is constantly mocking singer Axl Rose. The video was the last to feature original members Duff McKagan and Slash as well as drummer Matt Sorum and rhythm guitarist Gilby Clarke.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard magazine wrote, "Here to compete with the successful "Estranged" (taken from the Use Your Illusion opus) is this swaying cover of the Skyliners' pop classic. Guns N' Roses, with its own inimitable slash'n'burn delivery, leaves its marks all over it. All would be fine if only Axl could just once refrain from launching his voice into earsplitting, upper-octave shrilling. But hey, that's what makes 'em Guns N' Roses, right?"[16]

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1993–1994) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[17]47
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[18]20
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[19] 35
Europe (European Hit Radio)[20] 23
France (SNEP)[21]28
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[22] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[23]16
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[24]48
Scottish Singles Sales (Official Charts)[25]26
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[26]40
UK Singles (Official Charts)[27]10
UK Airplay (Music Week)[28] 11
US Billboard Hot 100[29]69

Year-end charts

Chart (1994) Position
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[30] 20
UK Singles (OCC)[31] 136

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States February 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • cassette
 Geffen
Europe March 1994
  • CD
 [32]
Australia March 7, 1994
  • CD
  • cassette
 [33]
Japan April 21, 1994 CD [34]
United Kingdom May 23, 1994
  • CD
  • cassette
 [35]

Other notable versions

  • In 1964, Chuck Jackson went to No. 47 on the Hot 100 with his recording.[36]
  • Lou Christie reached No. 71 in Canada with his version, December 12, 1966.[37]
  • Jay and the Americans remade "Since I Don't Have You" for their April 1969 Sands of Time album release,[38] their rendition serving as B-side for their Top Ten single "This Magic Moment" released November 1968.[39]
  • The Vogues remade "Since I Don't Have You" for their 1968 album release Memories: the track would also be included on the 1970 album release The Vogues Sing the Good Old Songs and Other Hits from which it was issued as a fourth single in December 1970 to reach #8 on the Billboard Easy Listening hit ranking, marking the Vogues last Top Ten appearance on a national chart.[40]
  • Art Garfunkel reached No. 38 on the UK singles chart in July 1979 with his cover, while peaking at No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the adult contemporary chart in the US.[41]

References

  1. ↑ "Cash Box Top Singles 5/02/59". Cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 532.
  3. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1959/Top 100 Songs of 1959". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  4. ↑ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1959". Tropicalglen.com. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  5. ↑ "Archived copy". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2016-11-20. Retrieved 2016-10-16.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ "Archived copy". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2002
  9. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 233.
  10. ↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Image 1640". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Ronnie Milsap Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  12. ↑ "Ronnie Milsap Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  13. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1991". RPM. December 21, 1991. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Best of 1991: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1991. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  15. ↑ Abrahams, Stephanie (July 20, 2012). "Commissioner Gordon: Gary Oldman on the Secrets and Surprises of Dark Knight". Time. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
  16. ↑ Flick, Larry (January 22, 1994). "Single Reviews: Pop" (PDF). Billboard. p. 61. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Since I Don't Have You". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Image 2456". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 25. June 18, 1994. p. 14. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  20. ↑ "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 10. March 5, 1994. p. 21. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Since I Don't Have You" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (23.–29.12. '93)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). December 23, 1993. p. 38. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Guns N' Roses | IRMA". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Since I Don't Have You". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 2/7/1994 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Guns N' Roses – Since I Don't Have You". Singles Top 100. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  27. ↑ "Guns and Roses Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  28. ↑ "The Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. June 25, 1994. p. 24. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Guns N Roses Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Árslistinn 1994". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1995. p. 16. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  31. ↑ "1994 – Singles". Hit Music. January 7, 1995. p. 31.
  32. ↑ "GnR singles".
  33. ↑ "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 07/03/94: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 212. March 6, 1994. p. 20.
  34. ↑ "シンス・アイ・ドント・ハブ・ユー | ガンズ・アンド・ローゼズ" [Since I Don't Have You | Guns and Roses] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Single Releases". Music Week. May 21, 1994. p. 27.
  36. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 414.
  37. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Singles - December 12, 1966" (PDF).
  38. ↑ "Jay & the Americans - Sands of Time Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  39. ↑ Record World (Vol 23 #1121) November 30 1968 "Single Reviews" p.8
  40. ↑ "The Vogues Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts".
  41. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 94.
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