Which singer recorded the 1978 disco hit “If I Can’t Have You”?

Yvonne Elliman recorded the 1978 disco hit “If I Can’t Have You.”

The song was written by Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb for the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Although the Bee Gees wrote and recorded much of the soundtrack’s best-known material, “If I Can’t Have You” was assigned to Elliman, whose performance gave the song a distinct vocal identity.

Elliman’s recording topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. It became her signature solo hit and one of the soundtrack’s most successful singles. The track’s polished orchestration and dance rhythm placed it squarely within the disco sound of the period.

Listeners sometimes attribute the recording to the Bee Gees because of the songwriting credit and the soundtrack’s strong association with the group. The released hit version, however, is by Yvonne Elliman.