The Twelfth of Never

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"The Twelfth of Never"
Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York City
GenrePop
Length2:25
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster
Johnny Mathis singles chronology
"It's Not for Me to Say"
(1957)
"The Twelfth of Never"
(1957)
"Wild Is the Wind"
(1957)
"The Twelfth of Never"
Columbia
Songwriter(s)Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster
Producer(s)Norrie Paramor
Cliff Richard singles chronology
"On the Beach"
(1964)
"The Twelfth of Never"
(1964)
"I Could Easily Fall (In Love with You)"
(1964)
"The Twelfth of Never"
Single by Donny Osmond
from the album Alone Together
B-side"Life Is Just What You Make It"
ReleasedFebruary 24, 1973
RecordedNovember 27, 1972
GenrePop
Length2:40
LabelMGM Records 14503
Songwriter(s)Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster
Donny Osmond singles chronology
"Why" / "Lonely Boy"
(1972)
"The Twelfth of Never"
(1973)
"Young Love" / "A Million to One"
(1973)

"The Twelfth of Never" is a popular song written in 1956 and first recorded by Johnny Mathis the following year. The title is a popular expression, which is used as the date of a future occurrence that will never come to pass.[1] In the case of the song, "the 12th of Never" is given as the date on which the singer will stop loving his beloved, thus indicating that he will always love him or her.

Mathis initially disliked the song, which was released as the flip side to his number 1 hit single "Chances Are".[2]

It was written by

UK Singles Chart in March 1973.[5] In the U.S. it peaked at number 8.[6]

Chart performance

Johnny Mathis original

Chart (1957–58) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 9
Australia (Sydney, Australia)[8] 2

Cliff Richard version

Chart (1964–65) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[9]
8
Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] 6
Hong Kong[11] 5
Ireland (IRMA)[12][13] 9
Netherlands (
Single Top 100)[14]
13
Malaysia[15] 3
Norway (VG-lista)[16] 9

Donny Osmond version

Chart (1973) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 8
Australia (Kent Music Report)[10][18] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[19] 14
Denmark (
Tracklisten)[20]
15
Germany (
Media Control)[21]
29
Malaysia[22] 8
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23] 12
New Zealand (Listener)[24] 5
Singapore[25] 2
UK Singles (OCC)[26]
1

Certifications

Donny Osmond version
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[27] Gold 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notable cover versions

References

Notes
  1. ^ Obert 2015, p. 44.
  2. ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 23 - Smack Dab in the Middle on Route 66. [Part 2]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
  3. AllMusic
    . Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Cliff Richard's UK positions". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  5. .
  6. AllMusic
    . Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  7. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Johnny Mathis Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-17.
  8. ^ Barnes, Jim; Dyer, Fred; Scanes, Stephen (1986). The Book Top 40 Research 1986-1987 Second Edition-Update. Top 40 Research Services, Seven Hills, N.S.W.
  9. ^ "Cliff Richard: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  10. ^ .
  11. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help
    )
  12. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help
    )
  13. Evening Herald between February 1959 and December 1962. "Ireland singles charts". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original
    on June 2, 2009. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
  14. .
  15. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help
    )
  16. ^ "Cliff Richard – The Twelfth of Never". VG-lista.
  17. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Donny Osmond Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-17.
  18. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help
    )
  19. ^ "Donny Osmond – The Twelfth of Never" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  20. ^ "Denmark singles chart - The Twelfth of Never". danskehitlister.dk. Retrieved 2014-06-17.
  21. Media Control. Charts.de. Retrieved 2014-06-17.[dead link
    ]
  22. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help
    )
  23. ^ "Donny Osmond – The Twelfth of Never" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  24. ^ "Flavour of New Zealand, 9 July 1973". Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  25. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help
    )
  26. ^ "Donny Osmond: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  27. ^ "American single certifications – Donny Osmond – Twelfth of Never". Recording Industry Association of America.
Works cited