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"I Can't Help It" is a song written and recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It is included on their fourth studio album Wow! and was released as its third single except in the U.S., where it was the album's second single (following "I Heard a Rumour") and Australia, where it was the album's fourth single (after "I Want You Back"). The track was co-written and produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) trio.

The song is a disco-influenced pop tune similar to many hits produced by SAW during this time period

The single peaked at number twenty in the UK singles chart, #27 on the Australian ARIA chart (where it was released in August 1988 after I Want You Back), and just missed the top-forty on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. A hit in nightclubs, "I Can't Help It" climbed to number seven on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart.

This is the final Bananarama single to feature Siobhan Fahey, who announced her departure shortly after its release.

The photos on the record sleeve were taken by famous American photographer Herb Ritts. The record sleeves for "I Can't Help It" and "Love in the First Degree" were switched with each other for the UK and North American markets.

"I Can't Help It"
Single by Bananarama
from the album Wow!
B-side Ecstasy
Released December 1987
Format 7" single, 12" single
Recorded July 1986
Genre Pop, dance
Length 3:32
Label London Records
Writer(s) Matt Aitken, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Mike Stock, Pete Waterman, Keren Woodward
Producer(s) Stock Aitken Waterman

Contents[]

 [hide*1 Music video

Music video[edit][]

The song's suggestive lyrics and music video further perpetuated Bananarama's sensual visual image that the group began to incorporate with their previous album True Confessions.

The "I Can't Help It" video featured muscle men dancing, colourful backdrops, and Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward in a milk bath filled with fruit and naked men. Siobhan Fahey, heavily pregnant at the time, also appears but was only shown on camera from the shoulders up. Music video directed by Andy Morahan. An extended video, which is an edit of the Extended Club Mix is found on the DVD portion of 30 Years of Bananarama

Track Listings[edit][]

7" single NANA 15
  1. "I Can't Help It" 3:31
  2. "Ecstasy" 4:10
    S. Dallin/S. Fahey/K. Woodward/M. Stock/M. Aitken/P. Waterman
2nd 7" single NAN 15
  1. "I Can't Help It" 3:31
  2. "Ecstasy" (Edit) 2:00
  3. "Love in the First Degree" 3:29
12" single NANX 15
  1. "I Can't Help It" (Extended Club Mix) 8:03
  2. "Ecstasy" (Chicago House Stylee) 5:56
2nd 12" single NANXR 15
  1. "I Can't Help It" (The "Hammond Version" Excursion) 6:24
    Remixed by Pete Hammond
  2. "Ecstasy" (Wild Style) 5:35
    Remixed by Pete Hammond
UK CD single NANCD 15
  1. "I Can't Help It" (Extended Club Mix) 8:03
  2. "Ecstasy" (Chicago House Stylee - Single Version) 4:10
  3. "Love in the First Degree" (Rare Groove Mix) 6:00
US/Canada 12" single 886 212-1 / LDSX243 + Cassette LDSXC243
  1. "I Can't Help It" (Extended Club Mix) 8:03
  2. "I Can't Help It" 3:36
  3. "Mr Sleaze" (Rare Groove Remix) 6:02
    S. Dallin/S. Fahey/K. Woodward/M. Stock/M. Aitken/P. Waterman
  4. "Mr Sleaze" (Instrumental) 4:12
Other versions
  1. "I Can't Help It" (Club Mix Edit)
    Only found in video

Personnel[edit][]

Bananarama

Additional Personnel

  • Andrew Biscomb - Sleeve Design
  • Peter Barrett - Sleeve Design
  • Herb Ritts - Photography

Charts[edit][]

Chart (1987-1988) Peak

position

Australia ARIA singles 27
Belgium Flanders Top 30 12
Dutch Singles chart 30
Spain singles chart 22
UK Singles Chart 20
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 47
U.S. Hot Dance Club Play 7
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