I Ain't Got Nobody

By Spencer Williams & Roger Graham
1915

Although most associated with the 1956 recording in which Louis Prima combined it with "Just a Gigolo", this song was actually written seperately--and 41 years earlier than that one. Composer Williams was a prolific blues writer, also responsible for such standards as "Basin Street Blues" and "I Found a New Baby". He traveled to Europe during the 1920s, when he wrote songs for Josephine Baker. Among the first to record this song was early pop singer Marion Harris, who sang it in 1916 (back when it was known as "I Ain't Got Nobody Much").

Lyrics:

Well there's a sayin' been goin' round,
I began to think it's true:
It's awful hard to love someone,
When they don't care about you.

Once I had a lovin' gal,
The sweetest little thing in town.
But now she's gone and left me,
She done turned me down.

I ain't got nobody,
Nobody cares for me.
I'm so sad and lonely,
Won't somebody take a chance with me?

I'll sing sweet love songs, honey,
All of the time,
If you'll only be my sweet baby, mine.
I ain't got nobody,
Nobody cares for me.

Recorded By:

Bessie Smith
Merle Haggard
Bing Crosby
Fats Waller
Leon Redbone