The Twelfth of Never

"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 her.

This article is about the Johnny Mathis song. For the idiom, see List of idioms of improbability. For the James Patterson novel, see 12th of Never (novel).
"The Twelfth of Never"
Single by Johnny Mathis
from the album Johnny's Greatest Hits
A-side"Chances Are"
Released1957
StudioColumbia 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"
Single by Cliff Richard
B-side"I'm Afraid to Go Home"
ReleasedOctober 1964
Recorded23 June 1964 (1964-06-23)
StudioAbbey Road
GenrePop
LabelColumbia
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)

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 Jerry Livingston and Paul Francis Webster, the tune (except for the bridge) being adapted from "The Riddle Song" (also known as "I Gave My Love a Cherry"), an old English folk song. Mathis's original version reached number 9 on what is now called the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA in 1957.[3] A version by Cliff Richard was released in 1964 and reached number 8 in the UK.[4] Donny Osmond's version, produced by Mike Curb and Don Costa, was his second number 1 single in the UK, spending a single week at the top of the 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 CertificationCertified 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. Johnny Mathis chart positions at AllMusic. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  4. "Cliff Richard's UK positions". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 284. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. Donny Osmond chart positions at 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 (doc) |format= requires |url= (help). Top 40 Research Services, Seven Hills, N.S.W.
  9. "Cliff Richard: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  10. Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969 (doc) |format= requires |url= (help). Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
  11. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (21 November 1964). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 38. ISSN 0006-2510.
  12. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (28 November 1964). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 16. ISSN 0006-2510.
  13. The Official Charts in Ireland began on October 4, 1962. Chart positions before that are taken from the Evening Herald Chart which was a Top Ten single chart published by the Irish daily newspaper Evening Herald between February 1959 and December 1962. "Ireland singles charts". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on June 3, 2009. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
  14. (nl) van Slooten, Johan (2005). Top 40 Hitdossier 1965-2005 (inclusief alle 'prehistorische' hits van 1956 to 1965) (in Dutch) (9th ed.). Haarlem: J.H. Gottmer / H.J.W. Becht BV. ISBN 90-230-1144-9.
  15. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (6 March 1965). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 22. ISSN 0006-2510.
  16. "Norwegiancharts.com – Cliff Richard – The Twelfth of Never". VG-lista.
  17. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Donny Osmond Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-17.
  18. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (30 June 1973). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 57. ISSN 0006-2510.
  19. "Ultratop.be – 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. "Donny Osmond German singles at charts.de". Media Control. Charts.de. Retrieved 2014-06-17.
  22. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (2 June 1973). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 69. ISSN 0006-2510.
  23. "Dutchcharts.nl – Donny Osmond – The Twelfth of Never" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  24. Flavour of New Zealand, 9 July 1973
  25. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (16 June 1973). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 83. ISSN 0006-2510.
  26. "Donny Osmond: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  27. "American single certifications – Donny Osmond – Twelfth of Never". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
Works cited
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