‘Killer Song of All Time’ Number One This Week in 1972

Paul McCartney called it the "killer song of all time." The song was written by Badfinger's Tom Evans and Pete Ham and recorded for their 1970  "No Dice" album. It  was never a hit and never released as a single by Badfinger, though their  fans will remember it as a timeless classic.

Mariah Carey covered the song and took it to the top 10 in 1994. It was her  biggest hit outside the U.S.

"Without You" has been covered by countless other artists including Shirley Bassey, Melissa Manchester, Air Supply, Donny Osmond, Clay Aiken,  and Hall & Oates. .

Nobody does it like Harry. In February of  1972, it was  Harry Nilsson who began a four week run on top of the charts with "Without You." As the story goes, Nilsson heard the Badfinger version and thought it was the Beatles. Once he realized it wasn't the Beatles he decided to do the song for his album "Nilsson Schmilsson" and rocketed to the top of the charts. Gary Wright, best known for the hit "Dream Weaver" plays piano on the song, which won a Grammy  for "Best Male Pop Vocal."