The disco classic "If I Can't Have You" was written by the Bee Gees, as was much of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. The Bee Gees were the first to record the song, and used it as the B-side of their "Stayin' Alive" single, but the version in the movie that was released as an A-side single was by Yvonne Elliman. At this time, the Bee Gees had to farm out some of their songs to other singers because there was already too much of them on the radio.
The song is a great example of lyrical dissonance, as the upbeat disco groove accompanies a lyric of loneliness and despair. The singer has lost her (or his - note how it's gender-neutral) love, and wonders if she can find the strength to go on.
Yvonne Elliman got her start as a backup singer for Eric Clapton and performed on many of his '70s hits, including "I Shot The Sheriff." This song made her the first Asian/Pacific Islander to have a #1 hit - she hails from Honolulu, Hawaii.
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