You and Me Against the World (song)

"You and Me Against the World" is a song written by Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams, recorded by Helen Reddy for her 1974 album Love Song for Jeffrey.

"You and Me Against the World"
Single by Helen Reddy
from the album Love Song for Jeffrey
B-side"Love Song For Jeffrey"
ReleasedMay 1974[1]
GenrePop
Length3:08
LabelCapitol, Today Records
Songwriter(s)Kenny Ascher, Paul Williams
Producer(s)Tom Catalano
Helen Reddy singles chronology
"Keep on Singing"
(1974)		 "You and Me Against the World"
(1974)		 "Angie Baby"
(1974)

"You and Me Against the World" was the first song written by Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams and began as a gag song: Williams and Ascher, a member of Williams's band, had a discussion about their favorite songwriters which led to the spontaneous composition of a song on the subject whose tune, Ascher then realized, had real hit potential. Williams himself debuted "You and Me Against the World" on his 1974 album Here Comes Inspiration, singing it as a traditional love ballad. Helen Reddy considered the song's lyrics too "paternalistic" to be convincing as a woman's declaration of love for a man; instead, she interpreted the song as a mother singing to a child, which her version clarified by her daughter Traci's speaking to "Mommy" at the start and end.[2]

Released as the second single from Love Song For Jeffrey, "You and Me Against the World" reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1974 and became the fourth of Reddy's six consecutive Adult Contemporary Number Ones.[3] The song did equally well in Canada.

Charts

Cover versions

"You and Me Against the World" had also been recorded by Ann Burton, Robert Goulet, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Vera Lynn, Johnny Mathis, Matt Monro, and Matt Monro Jr. A Swedish rendering, "Du Och Jag Emot En Värld", was recorded by Lill-Babs.

See also
  • List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1974 (U.S.)

References
  1. "Discography". Billboard. Vol. 86 no. 31. 3 August 1974. p. 52. ISSN 0006-2510.
  2. Reddy, Helen (2006). The Woman I Am: a memoir. New York: The Penguin Group. pp. 157. ISBN 1-58542-489-7.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 201.
  4. RPM Top Singles, September 14, 1974
  5. RPM Adult Contemporary, August 24, 1974
  6. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 197.
  7. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  8. "1973 Year End". Bullfrogspond.com. Retrieved 2016-10-07.


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