Why Can't I Wake Up with You

"Why Can't I Wake Up with You"
Single by Take That
from the album Take That & Party and Everything Changes
B-side	"A Million Love Songs" (live)
Released	8 February 1993 (1993-02-08)
Genre	Swingbeat
Length	3:37
Label	RCA BMG
Songwriter(s)	Gary Barlow
Producer(s)	Steve Jervier Paul Jervier Jonathan Wales Mark Beswick (additional)
Take That singles chronology
"Could It Be Magic" (1992) "Why Can't I Wake Up with You" (1993) "Pray" (1993)
Alternative cover
UK 7-inch limited edition EP
Music video
"Why Can't I Wake Up with You" on YouTube

"Why Can't I Wake Up with You" is a song by English boy band Take That. Written by band member Gary Barlow, the song was released on 8 February 1993 by RCA and BMG as the lead single from their second album, Everything Changes (1993). The song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart and number seven in Ireland

Background and release

The original version of the song first appeared on their Take That & Party debut album; however, Gary Barlow re-wrote the song with a higher tempo and modified lyrics. This new version was released on 8 February 1993^[1] and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, spending 10 weeks on the UK Singles Chart.^[2] The song has since received a silver certification from the BPI for shipments of over 200,000 copies inside the UK.^[3]

Critical reception

David Bennun from Melody Maker named the song "either the slumberous essence of post-coital tristesse, or the best ode to teenage sexual frustration since 'Wouldn't It Be Nice'."^[4] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "After Sting and Clapton using a Zippo lighter, here's another brilliant rhythm pattern. Take That sings this ballad on top of the clicks and beeps of a film transported in a camera."^[5] Alan Jones from Music Week gave it four out of five and named it Pick of the Week, adding, "Most sophisticated yet from Take That, a strong and tuneful mid-tempo song with a light and more than competent vocal."^[6] In a retrospective review, Pop Rescue noted that it has a "great beat and synth line", adding that "the 90's beat and samples, along with the bedtime talk from a breathy Gary" makes this a hit.^[7] Mark Frith from Smash Hits gave the song three out of five, commenting that it is "transformed from a slushy LP track to a Boyz II Men-style swingbeat mid-tempo thing."^[8]

Music video

A music video was made to accompany the song. It depicts the band members on their own in different rooms of a house each singing the song, with Jason Orange dressed in just an open shirt and white briefs. At the end of the video, the band members are shown trying to get past paparazzi. David Bennun from Melody Maker felt Take That videos as "Why Can't I Wake Up with You?" "were perfect. The image, the moment, the feeling. [...] "Why Can't I Wake Up with You" rendering every Athena print obsolete at a stroke."^[4]

Track listings

UK CD single (74321 133102)[9] "Why Can't I Wake Up with You?" (radio edit) "A Million Love Songs" (live version) "Satisfied" (live version) "Take That Medley" (live version) UK 7-inch and cassette single (74321 13310-7; 74321-13310-4)[10][11] A1. "Why Can't I Wake Up with You?" (radio edit) B1. "Why Can't I Wake Up with You?" (live version featuring a cappella) B2. "A Million Love Songs" (live version) UK 7-inch EP (74321 13311-7)[12] A1. "Why Can't I Wake Up with You?" (radio edit) B1. "Promises" (live version) B2. "Clap Your Hands" (live version)

European CD single (74321 13447 2)[13] "Why Can't I Wake Up with You?" (radio edit) "Why Can't I Wake Up with You?" (live version featuring a cappella) "A Million Love Songs" (extended mix) Note: Track three is billed as the "live version" on the sleeve but actually contains an extended mix featuring a longer outro to the song. European 7-inch single (74321 13447 7)[14] A. "Why Can't I Wake Up with You?" (radio edit) B. "Why Can't I Wake Up with You?" (live version featuring a cappella)

Personnel

• Gary Barlow – lead vocals
• Howard Donald – backing vocals
• Jason Orange – backing vocals
• Mark Owen – backing vocals
• Robbie Williams – backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1993) Peak position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[15] 30 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[16] 8 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[17] 17 Germany (GfK)[18] 68 Ireland (IRMA)[19] 7 Israel (IBA)[20] 20 UK Singles (OCC)[2] 2 UK Airplay (Music Week)[21] 6 Visegrád Nations Airplay (Music & Media)[22] 5

Year-end charts Chart (1993) Position UK Singles (OCC)[23] 49

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[3]	Silver	200,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 6 February 1993. p. 27. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
2. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
3. "British single certifications – Take That – Why Can't I Wake Up with You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
4. Bennun, David (23 March 1996). "Albums". Melody Maker. p. 35. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
5. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 9. 27 February 1993. p. 17. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
6. Jones, Alan (13 February 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream – Singles – Pick of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. p. 19. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
7. "Review: "Everything Changes" by Take That (CD, 1993)". Pop Rescue. 19 August 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
8. Frith, Mark (3 February 1993). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 51. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
9. Why Can't I Wake Up with You (UK CD single liner notes). Take That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321 133102.
10. Why Can't I Wake Up with You (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Take That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321 13310-7.
11. Why Can't I Wake Up with You (UK cassette single sleeve). Take That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993.
12. Why Can't I Wake Up with You (UK 7-inch EP sleeve). Take That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321 13311-7.
13. Why Can't I Wake Up with You (European CD single liner notes). Take That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321 13447 2.
14. Why Can't I Wake Up with You (European 7-inch single sleeve). Take That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321 13447 7.
15. "Take That – Why Can't I Wake Up with You?" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
16. "Hits of the World – Eurochart Hot 100". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 10. 6 March 1993. p. 47. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
17. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
18. "Take That – Why Can't I Wake Up with You?" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Why Can't I Wake Up with You ?". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
20. 13 April 1993
21. "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. 6 March 1993. p. 12. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
22. "Major Market Airplay – Week 11/1993" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 12. 20 March 1993. p. 27. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
23. "Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week. 15 January 1994. p. 24.