Shannon followed up with "Hats Off to Larry", another big hit, and the less popular "So Long, Baby", another song of breakup bitterness. "Little Town Flirt", released in 1962 reached #12 in 1963 as did the album of the same name. After these hits, Shannon was unable to keep his momentum in the US, but became a sensation in England. In 1963, he became the first American artist to record a cover version of a Beatles song with "From Me to You".
Shannon returned to the charts in 1964 with "Handy Man", "Do You Wanna Dance", "Keep Searchin'", and "Stranger in Town" (1965), with the latter two songs themed about flight from pursuit in a dangerous world. A 1966 chart offering was Shannon's cover of the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb". In the late 1960s after a dry spell of hits, he turned to production. In 1969 he discovered a group called Smith and arranged their hit "Baby It's You". He then produced his friend Brian Hyland's million seller "Gypsy Woman" in 1970.
In the 1970s, Shannon's career slowed down greatly; the hates and fears he had turned into art in his earlier songs were turning into full-blown mental illness, and he was self-medicating with alcohol. He finally put the bottle down in 1978, and he was able to return to mainstream audiences with "Sea of Love" in the early 1980s from the album "Drop Down And Get Me" produced by Tom Petty.
In December, 1983, Shannon served as Grand Marshal of the Coopersville, Michigan Christmas parade and also performed a benefit concert at Coopersville High School.
Shannon enjoyed a resurgence in audience interest after re-recording a portion of his song "Runaway" (with new lyrics) as the theme for the television program Crime Story. Producer Michael Mann felt that this was one of the definitive songs of the era in which the program was set. Some fans of the show prefer the sharper lyrics ("Some live, and others die") as an alternate to the original words.
On 8 February 1990, while working on a comeback album with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, Shannon fatally shot himself in the head with a .22 calibre rifle. His wife thought his death might have been related to his recent use of the prescription drug Prozac. The album was released after his death and titled "Rock On!".
Shannon is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
I Can't Help It
Del Shannon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's hard to know another's lips will kiss youAnd hold you just the way I used to doOh, heaven only knows how much I miss youI Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You.
The lyrics of Del Shannon's song "I Can't Help It" speak of the lingering feelings of a former lover who is still in love with someone they see on the street. The singer is taken aback by the appearance of their ex-lover, and their heart "falls at [their] feet". As they watch the person from afar, they notice that there is someone else with them who seems content. Despite this, the singer cannot help but feel their old memories and emotions rise to the surface, and they are swept away by a "picture from the past" that comes "slowly stealing". As they brush against their ex in passing, they experience a rush of emotion and recollection, which they admit they cannot control: "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You".
The song expresses the pain of loving someone who has moved on and found happiness with someone else. The line "It's hard to know another's lips will kiss you / And hold you just the way I used to do" evokes the bittersweet feeling of knowing that someone else is now giving the love and affection that used to be reserved for the singer. The song also touches on the theme of nostalgia, as the singer reminisces and longs for the past, making it clear that they are unable to let go of their feelings for their former lover.
Line by Line Meaning
Today I passed you on the street
Today, I saw you while walking down the street
And my heart fell at your feet
I felt my heart sinking as soon as I saw you
I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You
I cannot control my emotions as I still love you
Somebody else stood by your side
I saw you with someone else beside you
And he looked so satis-fied
He seemed content with being with you
I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You
Despite seeing you with someone else, my feelings for you remain the same
A picture from the past came slowly stealing
Memories of the past started to resurface
As I brushed your arm and walked so close to you
As I accidentally touched your arm while passing by you
Then suddenly I got that old time feeling
Suddenly, I felt the same way I used to feel when I was with you
I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You.
Even though I know it's not logical, I still can't help the way I feel about you
It's hard to know another's lips will kiss you
It's difficult for me to accept that someone else will kiss you
And hold you just the way I used to do
And hold you in the same way that I did before
Oh, heaven only knows how much I miss you
I miss you so much, it's only known to heaven
I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You.
Despite my efforts, I still cannot control the way I feel about you
Writer(s): Hank Williams
Contributed by Aaliyah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@andreaskatsimbris9542
Love it thanks for posting