More Than I Can Say by Leo Sayer

Album: Living In A Fantasy (1980)

Charted: 2 2

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Songfacts®:

While Sayer's version is the best known, the song was originally written and recorded by Sonny Curtis and Jerry Allison in 1959. Curtis and Allison were both members of Buddy Holly's band, the Crickets. It was also covered by Bobby Vee in 1961.

Sayer was looking for an "oldie" for his 1980 album Living in a Fantasy when he heard Bobby Vee's version and decided to record it himself. It spent five weeks at #2 on the Billboard pop chart in December 1980 and January 1981.

The lyrics are an impassioned plea for love and a second chance from someone who is being left behind in a relationship. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Steve - Torrance, CA
Sayer performed this on the late-night music show The Midnight Special, hosted by Wolfman Jack, in 1980.
Bobby Vee's version was a smash hit in the UK, where it peaked at #4, but it was only a minor hit in the US at #61.
Country singer Sammy Kershaw covered this for his 1999 album, Maybe Not Tonight.
The Crickets' version is included on their 1960 album,In Style With the Crickets, their first release since Buddy Holly's death the previous year.

Comments: 3

Chris from GermanyEnd of March 2021, Gamper & Dadoni (Maximilian Gamper/Daniel Hoeft), two DJs and Producers from the German Town Hamburg produced a Cover-EDM-Version together with D.T.E. The German dance act D.T.E. ist known from the Hit together with Lum!x and Gabry Ponte called "Passenger (LaLaLa)".
Barry from Sauquoit, NyExactly forty years ago today on July 27th, 1980 Leo Sayer's covered version of "More Than I Can Say"* peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on the United Kingdom's Official Top 75 Singles* chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Use It Up And Wear It Out" by Odyssey...
Later in 1980 on November 30th "More Than I Can Say" also peak at #2 {for 4 weeks} on the U.S. Billboard's Top 100 chart, it also reached #2 in Ireland and South Africa...
Between 1973 and 2006 the Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex, England native had twenty records on the UK Singles chart, ten made the Top 10 with two reaching #1, "When I Need You" for three weeks in February of 1977 and "Thunder In My Heart" for two weeks in February of 2006, it was a duet with Meck...
Leo Sayer, born Gerard Hugh Sayer, celebrated his 72nd birthday two months ago on May 21st, 2020...
* "More Than I Can Say" was Leo Sayer's fourth of four of his records to peak at #2, his other three #2 records were "The Show Must Go On" in 1973, "Moonlighting" in 1975, and "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" in 1976...
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the UK Singles' Top 10 on July 27th, 1980:
At #3. "Upside Down" by Diana Ross
#4. "Xanadu" by Olivia Newton-John & the Electric Light Orchestra
#5. "Babooshka" by Kate Bush
#6. "Could You Be Loved" by Bob Marley and the Wailers
#7. "There, There My Dear" by Dexy's Midnight Runners
#8. "Jump To The Beat" by Stacy Lattisaw
#9. "The Winner Takes It All" by Abba
#10. "Cupid" by the Spinners
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn November 12, 1980, Leo Sayer performed "More Than I Can Say" on the syndicated television program 'The Merv Griffin Show'...
At the time the song was at #9 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, three weeks later it would peak at #2* {for 5 weeks} and it spent almost a half-year on the Top 100 {23 weeks}...
And on July 27th, 1980 it had also peaked at #2 {for 1 week} in the United Kingdom, the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Use It Up and Wear It Out" by Odyssey...
But on December 21st, 1980 it reached #1 {for 3 weeks} on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart...
Between 1974 and 1982 the British rocker had ten records on the Top 100 chart, four made the Top 10 with two reaching #1, "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" for one week on January 9th, 1977 and "When I Need You" for one week on May 8th, 1977...
Leo Sayer, born Gerard Hugh Sayer, will celebrate his 70th birthday come next May 21st {2018}...
* For the first three weeks that "More Than I Can Say" was at #2, the #1 record was "Lady" by Kenny Rogers, and for it's fourth and fifth weeks "Starting Over" by John Lennon was in the top spot.

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