Introduction
“I (Who Have Nothing)” is an English-language adaptation of the Italian ballad Uno dei tanti, originally released in 1961 with music by Carlo Donida and lyrics by Giulio “Mogol” Rapetti. The emotional English lyrics were crafted by legendary duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and the song was first recorded in 1963 by Ben E. King. This version sparked numerous notable covers, including by Shirley Bassey, Luther Vandross, and Tom Jones.
Tom Jones recorded his rendition in 1970 as the title track of his album I Who Have Nothing, produced by Peter Sullivan and released under Decca/Parrot Records. His version achieved considerable chart success in North America—it peaked at No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, reached No. 2 on the Adult Contemporary (Easy Listening) chart, and hit No. 10 in Canada. It also climbed to No. 11 on Cashbox. In the UK, the single entered the charts in August 1970, ultimately peaking at No. 16 and remaining on the charts for several weeks