Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough

"Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough"
Single by Patty Smyth and Don Henley
from the album Patty Smyth
B-side"Out There"
ReleasedJuly 1992
Length4:28
LabelMCA
Songwriters
ProducerRoy Bittan
Patty Smyth singles chronology
"Isn't It Enough"
(1987)		 "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough"
(1992)		 "No Mistakes"
(1992)
Don Henley singles chronology
"New York Minute"
(1990)		 "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough"
(1992)		 "Walkaway Joe"
(1992)

"Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" is a duet between American singers Patty Smyth and Don Henley. The rock ballad[1] was written by Smyth and Glen Burtnik and was released as a single in July 1992 by MCA Records. It reached No. 1 in Canada, where it was the most successful single of 1992, and peaked at No. 2 in both the United States and Ireland.

History

Smyth is the lead singer for the band Scandal, whose hits included "The Warrior" and "Goodbye to You"; Henley is a longtime member of the Eagles (singing lead vocals on "Desperado", "Hotel California", among many others) as well as a successful solo artist ("The Boys of Summer", "Dirty Laundry"). Smyth had previously provided backing vocals on Henley's solo albums Building the Perfect Beast (1984) and The End of the Innocence (1989). "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" was written by Smyth and Glen Burtnik and would appear on her self-titled 1992 album.

Reception

The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and spending six weeks at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in late 1992.[2] It remained in the top 40 for 20 weeks.[3] The duet also topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary for four weeks.[4][5] In Canada, "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart,[6] becoming the best-performing single of 1992,[7] while in the United Kingdom, the song reached No. 22 on the UK Singles Chart.[8] In Ireland, it reached number two.[9] The song was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best Pop Vocal, Duo or Group.[10]

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[26] Gold 35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States July 1992
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 MCA [32]
Australia August 31, 1992
  • CD
  • cassette
 [33]
United Kingdom September 21, 1992
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [34]

Cover versions

  • Filipino diva-actress Jennylyn Mercado revived it as a carrier single of her third album Love Is (2010).
  • Singaporean singer Stefanie Sun also covered the song for her fourth album Start (2002).
  • In 2013, country singer Travis Tritt and his daughter Tyler Reese recorded a version for the re-release of Tritt's album The Storm (2007).[35] The re-released album was titled The Calm After... and released on Tritt's own Post Oak Records on July 9, 2013.[36] Tritt's version was released as a single in June 2013.[35]
  • Dave Moffatt of The Moffatts recorded his version as a single in 2026.[37]

References

  1. ↑ "Travis Tritt and Daughter Tyler Reese Duet for "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough"". Music News Nashville. June 25, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Patty Smyth Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 555.
  4. 1 2 "Patty Smyth Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  5. ↑ Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications), page 380.
  6. 1 2 "Top RPM Singles: Image 1940". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 56, no. 25. December 19, 1992. p. 8. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  8. 1 2 "Patty Smyth with Don Henley Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough | IRMA". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Grammy nominees". The Baltimore Sun. January 8, 1993. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Patty Smyth with Don Henley – Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  12. ↑ "Patty Smyth with Don Henley – Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  13. ↑ "Patty Smyth with Don Henley – Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  14. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Image 1939". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 43. October 24, 1992. p. 23. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  16. ↑ "European Hit Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 42. October 17, 1992. p. 34. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Tipparade-lijst van week 44, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Patty Smyth with Don Henley – Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  20. ↑ "Patty Smyth with Don Henley – Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough". Top 40 Singles.
  21. ↑ "Patty Smyth with Don Henley – Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough". VG-lista.
  22. ↑ "Patty Smyth with Don Henley – Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough". Singles Top 100.
  23. ↑ "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. October 17, 1992. p. 14. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  24. ↑ "Patty Smyth Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  25. ↑ "Cash Box Chart Entries 1990-1996" (PDF). popmusichistory.co.uk. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  26. 1 2 "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1992". ARIA. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  27. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  28. ↑ "1992 Year-End Airplay Charts: European Hit Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 51/52. December 19, 1992. p. 18. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1992". Archived from the original on July 8, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
  30. ↑ "1992 The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 52. December 26, 1992. p. YE-38. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  31. ↑ "Awards: Top 50 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVI, no. 18. December 26, 1992. p. 8. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  32. ↑ "Singles". Thousand Oaks Star. July 3, 1992. p. 43.
  33. ↑ "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 31/08/92: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 135. August 30, 1992. p. 19.
  34. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. September 19, 1992. p. 19.
  35. 1 2 "Travis Tritt duets with his teenage daughter on new single". MSN. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  36. ↑ Wyland, Sarah (May 24, 2013). "Travis Tritt Releases Duet with Daughter Tyler Reese". Great American Country. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  37. ↑ Moffatt, Dave. (2026) Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough. [online] Spotify. Available at: https://open.spotify.com/track/5rn1sKziNCzRIGHnwsqtKv (Accessed May 6th 2026).
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