You Go to My Head

By J. Fred Coots & Haven Gillespie
1938

Composed by the same team that wrote "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", this was the only major contribution to the American Songbook by the otherwise unexceptional Coots (pictured). It's known for possessing a level of sophistication not often seen in standards of the Tin Pan Alley variety. It was introduced by the Teddy Wilson orchestra, and was the last hit by the band prior to its 1940 breakup.

Lyrics:

You go to my head,
And you linger like a haunting refrain,
And I find you spinning 'round in my brain,
Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne.

You go to my head,
Like a sip of sparkling Burgundy brew,
And I find the very mention of you
Like the kicker in a julep or two.

The thrill of the thought
That you might give a thought to my plea
Cast a spell over me.
Still I say to myself,
"Get a hold of yourself,
"Can't you see that it never can be?"

You go to my head,
With a smile that makes my temperature rise,
Like a summer with a thousand Julys,
You intoxicate my soul with your eyes.

Though I'm certain
That this heart of mine
Hasn't a ghost of a chance,
In this crazy romance,
You go to my head.

Recorded By:

Coleman Hawkins
Billie Holiday
Frank Sinatra
Louis Armstrong & Oscar Peterson
Chet Baker