"He Will Break Your Heart", is a song originally performed and co-written by Jerry Butler, a top-ten hit in 1960.
In 1975, Tony Orlando and Dawn released the song under the title "He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)". Their version topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart on May 3, 1975 and the US adult contemporary chart.
"He Will Break Your Heart" was written by Jerry Butler, Calvin Carter, and Curtis Mayfield. The song was recorded by Butler and released as a single in 1960, where it peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 3 on the Cash Box Top 100.[2] In addition, Butler's recording spent seven non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. R&B chart.[3] Subsequent cover versions of "He Will Break Your Heart" were released by artists such as Margie Singleton and Lulu[4][circular reference] (both regendering the song to She Will Break Your Heart), The Righteous Brothers and Freddie Scott.[citation needed]
When Orlando and the other members of Dawn (Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson) were waiting in the lobby to go on at a Golden Globes award ceremony, Orlando spoke with Faye Dunaway and her then-husband, Peter Wolf, lead singer for The J. Geils Band. To pass the time, the two began singing various R&B songs from the '60s, including Butler's "He Will Break Your Heart", which the couple recommended that the group record on an upcoming album. Orlando contacted Mayfield requesting permission to do a remake, but to change the song's title to the opening lines, and Mayfield gave his permission.[8] Billboard ranked it as the No. 18 song for 1975.
Their version topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart on May 3, 1975, and remained there for three weeks.[9] The song also went to No. 1 on the US adult contemporary chart for one week in 1975.[8] It was later certified gold by the RIAA.[5]
Another track from the same 1975 album was adapted from an Italian hit by Giorgio Gaber from two years prior entitled Far Finta di Essere Sani recorded in English as Tomorrow's Got to be Sunny. Even though the song did not chart, it became a concert favorite.[citation needed]