I Love You Because (song)



"I Love You Because" is a 1949 hit song written and originally recorded by Leon Payne. The song has been covered by several artists throughout the years, including hit cover versions by Al Martino in 1963 and Jim Reeves in 1964.

Leon Payne version
In 1949, Leon Payne's original version of the song went to number four on the Billboard Country & Western Best Seller lists and spent two weeks at number one on the Country & Western Disk Jockey List, spending a total of thirty-two weeks on the chart. "I Love You Because" was Payne's only song to make the country charts.

Al Martino version
In 1963, Al Martino recorded the most successful version of the song peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number one on the Middle-Road (or Easy Listening) chart for two weeks in May that year.

Jim Reeves version
In 1964, American country singer Jim Reeves recorded the song and took it to number five in the UK. In 1976, the song was the title track of a posthumous Jim Reeves album, which peaked at number 24 on the US Country LP chart. The 45 release reached number 54 in the US Country singles chart that year.

Other versions

 * In 1950, Ernest Tubb and Clyde Moody each recorded their own version, both making the Top 10 on the Country & Western charts.
 * A version by Johnny Cash reached number 20 in 1960.
 * Carl Smith's version reached number 14 in 1969.
 * In 1983, Roger Whittaker's version peaked at number 91 on the Hot Country Singles chart.
 * Other artists to record the song include Elvis Presley, Hank Locklin, Matt Monro, Slim Whitman, Jerry Lee Lewis, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Jean Shepard, Harry James, and Ray Price. The Presley recording dates from 1954 and stood as his earliest recording to be released by RCA Records during his lifetime (earlier demos and unreleased tracks would be released after his death in 1977).