“Can’t Help Falling In Love” is one of the most enduring love songs of all time. With a simple melody and chord changes, it has a timeless feeling that has touched generations of hearts. And while it’s been a popular hit for over sixty years, its origin is actually closer to 250 years old.

“Can’t Help Falling in Love” was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss, a trio of songwriters who had previously written for artists including Perry Como, Jimmie Rodgers, and Stan Kenton. They originally wrote the song from the perspective of a woman, with the first title being “Can’t Help Falling in Love with Him.” This is why, American Songwriter points out, the lines of the chorus in with “in” and “sin” instead of words that rhyme with “you.”

Lyrics aside, they borrowed the melody from a popular French love song called “Plaisir d’amour,” which was composed by Jean-Paul-Égide Martin in 1784. Martini himself used the text from a poem by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian’s novel “Célestine.” Those lyrics relate some of the same emotions, but focus more on the pain of romantic love:

“The pleasure of love lasts but a moment,

The sorrow of love lasts a lifetime.

I gave up everything for ungrateful Sylvie.

She leaves me and takes another lover.

The pleasure of love lasts but a moment,

The sorrow of love lasts a lifetime.”

Hear “Plaisir d’amour” in it’s original form:

“Can’t Help Falling in Love” was made popular by the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. He sang it in the 1961 film “Blue Hawaii” during an intimate scene that marked the film’s romantic highlight.

Presley’s recording peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, behind “Peppermint Twist” by Joey Dee and the Starliters, but it had a much longer life than its chart rival. The King’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” would be certified Platinum in 1992 by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling over 1 million units.

Aside from Presley’s recording, the song has been covered nearly every year by the world’s biggest artists: Kacey Musgraves, UB40, Bob Dylan, the Stylistics, A-Teens, and many more. YouTube is also full of phenomenal renditions. That includes instrumental versions like this take by the cello/piano group Brooklyn Duo.

The song’s lilting 6/8 gives the song a lullaby-like sway, giving artists time to express themselves through gentle phrasing. The accompaniment often includes rolling arpeggios to give the chord progression forward momentum. Its melody also moves slowly, allowing for breath and space.

Today, “Can’t Help Falling in Love” feels less like it’s from a single moment in time and more like a shared language between generations. From a classical lament to an early rock-and-roll ballad to a modern expression of love, it connects listeners through feeling. 

Get the sheet music for “Can’t Help Falling In Love” and make it your own.