I Get Weak

"I Get Weak" is a song by American singer Belinda Carlisle from her second studio album, Heaven on Earth (1987). Written by Diane Warren and produced by Rick Nowels, the song was released as the second single from Heaven on Earth in January 1988. "I Get Weak" reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, number four on Canada's RPM 100 Singles chart, and number 10 on the UK Singles Chart.

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Background

After completing the song, songwriter Diane Warren "initially had Stevie Nicks in mind – a suggestion she made to producer Rick Nowels, who felt it would be a better fit for Carlisle."^[1]

Critical reception

Jerry Smith of Music Week called "I Get Weak" a "smooth and rather sanitised track" which "will need plenty of support if it's to make much impression".^[2]

Music video

The accompanying music video for the song features a combination of color and black-and-white shots in the same frames. It was directed by actress Diane Keaton (who also directed her previous "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" video), and featured model and actor Tony Ward, who later appeared in Madonna's video for "Justify My Love".

Track listings

7-inch and US cassette single^[3]^[4]

"I Get Weak" – 3:58
"Should I Let You In?" – 4:15

12-inch and UK cassette single^[5]^[6]

"I Get Weak" (12-inch version) – 7:25
"I Get Weak" (7-inch version) – 4:39
"I Get Weak" (instrumental version) – 7:32

UK CD single^[7]

"I Get Weak" (7-inch version)
"Should I Let You In?"
"I Get Weak" (12-inch version)

Australian cassette single^[8]

A1. "I Get Weak"

A2. "Should I Let You In?"

B1. "I Get Weak" (12-inch version)

A2. "Should I Let You In?"

Japanese mini-CD single^[9]

"I Get Weak"
"Heaven Is a Place on Earth" (extended mix)
"I Get Weak" (extended mix)
"Heaven Is a Place on Earth"

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "I Get Weak"
Chart (1988)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[10]	34
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[11]	4
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)^[12]	14
Denmark (Hitlisten)^[13]	12
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles)^[14]	33
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[15]	25
Iceland (RÚV)^[16]	25
Ireland (IRMA)^[17]	5
Israel (IBA)^[18]	23
Italy (Musica e dischi)^[19]	16
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[20]	77
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[21]	11
South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[22]	14
Sweden (Trackslistan)^[23]	13
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[24]	24
UK Singles (OCC)^[25]	10
US Billboard Hot 100^[26]	2
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[27]	9
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles^[28]	3
West Germany (Official German Charts)^[29]	38

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "I Get Weak"
Chart (1988)	Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[30]	57
US Billboard Hot 100^[31]	57
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles^[32]	35

Release history

Release dates and formats for "I Get Weak"
Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	January 1988	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl cassette	MCA
United Kingdom	February 15, 1988	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl	Virgin	^[33]
Japan	April 21, 1988	Mini-CD	Virgin	^[34]

References

^ Liner notes, Heaven on Earth: Special Edition (2013 reissue)
^ Smith, Jerry (February 27, 1988). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 19. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
^ I Get Weak (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Belinda Carlisle. MCA Records. 1988. MCA-53242.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ I Get Weak (US cassette single sleeve). Belinda Carlisle. MCA Records. 1988. MCAC-53242.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ I Get Weak (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Belinda Carlisle. MCA Records. 1988. MCA-23824.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ I Get Weak (UK cassette single sleeve). Belinda Carlisle. Virgin Records. 1988. VSTC1046.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ I Get Weak (UK CD single liner notes). Belinda Carlisle. Virgin Records. 1988. VSCD 1046.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ I Get Weak (Australian cassette single sleeve). Belinda Carlisle. Virgin Records. 1988. VSC 1046.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ I Get Weak (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Belinda Carlisle. Virgin Records. 1988. VJD-12002.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Belinda Carlisle – I Get Weak". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0956." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8948." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
^ Danish Charts Archive. 21 March 1997.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 14. April 2, 1988. p. 27. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Belinda Carlisle". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 42. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
^ "Vinsaeldalisti". (Dagur). March 17, 1988. p. 6.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Get Weak". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
^ 20 March 1988
^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved June 3, 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Belinda Carlisle" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
^ "Belinda Carlisle – I Get Weak" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
^ "Belinda Carlisle – I Get Weak". Top 40 Singles.
^ "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts C". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
^ Sweden Charts Archive. 2 April 1988.
^ "Belinda Carlisle – I Get Weak". Swiss Singles Chart.
^ "Belinda Carlisle: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
^ "Belinda Carlisle Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
^ "Belinda Carlisle Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending March 19, 1988". Cash Box. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Belinda Carlisle – I Get Weak" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
^ "Top 100 Singles of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. December 24, 1988. p. 9. ISSN 0033-7064 – via World Radio History.
^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 1988". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
^ "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1988 – Top 50 Pop Singles". Cash Box. December 31, 1988. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
^ "New Singles". Music Week. February 13, 1988. p. 31.
^ "アイ・ゲット・ウィーク | ベリンダ・カーライル" [I Get Weak | Belinda Carlisle] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 29, 2024.