Like I Can
single
CoverSam Smith Like I Can.png
ArtistSam Smith
AlbumIn the Lonely Hour
Released5 December 2014
Recorded2013
GenrePower pop[1]
Length2:47
Label
Writer
Producer
Prev year2014
Next year2014

"Like I Can" is a song by English singer Sam Smith. It was released as a digital download on 5 December 2014 as the fifth single from their debut studio album, In the Lonely Hour (2014). The song was written by Smith and Matt Prime and produced by Steve Fitzmaurice, Jimmy Napes and Mojam. It debuted and peaked at number 9 in the United Kingdom, becoming Smith's fifth UK top 10 single.

Background, composition and inspiration

On 24 October 2014, Smith announced via Twitter that they would be releasing "Like I Can" as the fifth single from their debut album In the Lonely Hour. They posted, "Incredibly happy to announce that my next single will be LIKE I CAN!!".[2]

The song's central theme can be interpreted to be about lost or unrequited love. The singer describes different types of people that may approach their love interest but emphasizes that no one will love them as deeply as the singer does.

"Like I Can" is a power pop song written in the key of G minor (sheet music originally published in G minor) at 100bpm. Smith's vocals span from F4 to D6.[3]

Commercial performance

"Like I Can" peaked at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart, giving Smith their fifth UK top 10 single. It was the 100th biggest-selling song of 2014 in the United Kingdom,[4] as well as the 58th biggest in 2015. It has also charted at number 19 in New Zealand, number 20 in Australia, and number 99 in the United States.

Music video

The music video is in black and white and features Smith and several men on what appears to be a stag party.[5]

Live performances

Smith performed the song on 9 November 2014, on the fifth live results show of series 11 of The X Factor.[6]

Covers

On 12 October 2015, Jordan Smith and Regina Love covered as a duet battle through song choice selection in The Voice.

On 25 February 2016, Trent Harmon covered the song during the Top 10 round on the fifteenth season of American Idol.

On 24 October 2016, Dave Moisan sang this song during the knockout rounds in The Voice.

On 4 April 2023, Jerome Godwin III and Talia Smith covered as a duet battle through song choice selection in The Voice.

Appearances in media

In mid-August 2021, the song went viral on TikTok, appearing in more than 2.4M videos as of September 25, 2021 at 6:59 PM EDT.[7][8] This song also previously went viral on the same platform in May 2020.[9]

Charts

Weekly charts

Initial chart performance for "Like I Can"
Chart (2014–2015)Peak
position
Euro Digital Songs (Billboard)[10]17
Iceland (RÚV)[11]2
Italy (FIMI)[12]59
Lebanon (OLT20)[13]14
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[14]15
Slovenia (SloTop50)[15]16
2021 chart performance for "Like I Can"
Chart (2021)Peak
position
Norway (VG-lista)[16]16
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17]19

Year-end charts

2014 year-end chart performance for "Like I Can"
Chart (2014)Position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[4]100
2015 year-end chart performance for "Like I Can"
Chart (2015)Position
Denmark (Tracklisten)[18]45
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[19]46
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20]33
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21]71
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[22]58
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[23]43

Release history

Release dates for "Like I Can"
RegionDateFormatLabel
Australia[24]5 December 2014Digital downloadCapitol · Method
Ireland[25]
United Kingdom[26]7 December 2014
Belgium[27]8 December 2014
Italy[28]27 February 2015Mainstream radioUniversal
United States[29]19 May 2015Mainstream radioCapitol
Rhythmic radio

References

  1. ^ Fitzgerald, Kiana (8 June 2014). "First Listen: Sam Smith, In The Lonely Hour". NPR. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  2. ^ Mansfield, Brian (24 October 2014). "Sam Smith's new single: 'Like I Can'". USA Today. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  3. ^ Like I Can
  4. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 - 2014". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  5. ^ "Sam Smith - Like I Can". YouTube. 12 December 2014.
  6. ^ Mohan, Isabel (9 November 2014). "The X Factor review, One Direction and Sam Smith perform". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  7. ^ "Like I Can created by Sam Smith | Popular songs on TikTok". TikTok. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  8. ^ "Shoutbox for Like I Can -- Sam Smith | Last.fm". Last.fm. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  9. ^ "Why Are You Looking (Sam Smith- Love You Like I Can) Tik Tok Compilmation - YouTube". YouTube. May 17, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  10. ^ [http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0]=ts_chart_artistname%3Asam%20smith&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A846&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=sam%20smith "Euro Digital Songs"]. Billboard. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  11. ^ "Sam Smith Chart History". RÚV. RÚV. 7 March 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  12. ^ "Top Digital - Classifica settimanale WK 15 (dal 2015-04-06 al 2015-04-12)". Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  13. ^ "The Official Lebanese Top 20 - Sam Smith". The Official Lebanese Top 20. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  14. ^ [http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0]=ts_chart_artistname%3Asam%20smith&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A1188&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=sam%20smith "Mexico Ingles Airplay"]. Billboard. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  15. ^ "SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart". slotop50.si. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  16. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single 2021-35". VG-lista. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  17. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 38". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  18. ^ "Track Top-100, 2015". Hitlisten.NU. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  19. ^ "MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 - 2015" (in Hungarian). Association of Hungarian Record Companies. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  20. ^ "Jaarlijsten 2015" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  21. ^ "Jaaroverzichten - Single 2015". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  22. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2015". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  23. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs Year End 2015". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  24. ^ "Like I Can - EP by Sam Smith". iTunes. January 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  25. ^ "Like I Can - EP by Sam Smith". iTunes. January 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  26. ^ "Like I Can - EP by Sam Smith". iTunes. January 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  27. ^ "Like I Can - EP by Sam Smith". iTunes. January 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  28. ^ "SAM SMITH - Like I Can (Universal) - Radio Date 27/02/2015". radioairplay.fm. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  29. ^ "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". Archived from the original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2015.