I'll See You in My Dreams

By Isham Jones & Gus Khan
1924

A huge hit of the mid 1920s, this beautiful love ballad has since become a standard, particularly for the guitar. This is usually credited to its later recording by the legendary Django Reinhardt. It's title was used as the title of the biopic on Kahn's life. The song was introduced by Jones (pictured) and the Ray Miller Orchestra. It is a classic example of the sentimental yet deeply endearing tunes of the era.

Lyrics:

I'll see you in my dreams
And I'll hold you in my dreams
Someone took you right out of my arms
Still I feel the thrill of your charms

Lips that once were mine
Tender eyes that shine
They will light my way tonight
I'll see you in my dreams

Oh, someone took you right out of my arms
Still I feel the thrill of your charms

Lips that once were mine
Tender eyes that shine
They will light my way tonight
I'll see you in my dreams

Recorded By:

Louis Armstrong
Jimmy Durante
Ella Fitzgerald
Mario Lanza
Tony Martin

Fascinating Rhythm

George & Ira Gershwin
1924

One of the earliest hits for the Gershwins, and an early example of a pop son incorporating the syncopation common in jazz and ragtime (hence the title). It was introduced by Cliff Edwards, Fred Astaire and his sister Adele in the Broadway production Lady Be Good. It was also recently discovered to have been Tony Bennett's first released single, back in 1948 when he was singing under the name Joe Bari.

Lyrics:

Got a little rhythm, a rhythm, a rhythm
That pit-a-pats through my brain;
So darn persistent,
The day isn't distant
When it'll drive me insane.
Comes in the morning
Without any warning,
And hangs around me all day.
I'll have to sneak up to it
Someday, and speak up to it.
I hope it listens when I say:

Fascinating Rhythm,
You've got me on the go!
Fascinating Rhythm,
I'm all a-quiver.

When a mess you're making!
The neighbours want to know
Why I'm always shaking
Just like a flivver.

Each morning I get up with the sun -
Start a-hopping,
Never stopping -
To find at night no work has been done.

I know that
Once it didn't matter -
But now you're doing wrong;
When you start to patter
I'm so unhappy.

Won't you take a day off?
Decide to run along
Somewhere far away off -
And make it snappy!

Oh, how I long to be the man I used to be!
Fascinating rhythm,
On won't you stop picking on me?

Recorded By:

Ella Fitzgerald
Judy Garland
Rosemary Clooney
Vic Damone
Tommy Dorsey

All Alone

By Irving Berlin
1924

One of several pop waltzes composed by Berlin, it was actually introduced by acclaimed Irish opera legend John McCormack in 1925. However, the most famous version of the song would probably be the one recorded by Frank Sinatra nearly 60 years later for the album of the same name.

Lyrics:

All alone, I'm so all alone,
There is no one else but you.
All alone, by the telephone,
Waiting for a ring, a ting-a-ling.

I'm all alone every evening,
All alone, feeling blue.
Wond'ring where you are, and how you are,
And if you are all alone, too.

Recorded By:

Thelonious Monk
Jessica Williams
Julie London
Sarah Vaughan
Artie Shaw

Oh, Lady Be Good!

By George & Ira Gershwin
1924

An early Gershwin number from their highly successful Broadway production Lady Be Good (starring Fred & Adele Astaire), this infectious gem was first sung by Walter Catlett. A young Ella Fitzgerald made a huge hit in 1947 with a swinging scat rendition that became one of her most identifiable recordings. The song has been associated with her ever since.

Lyrics:

Listen to my tale of woe,
It's terribly sad, but true.
All dressed up, no place to go,
Each ev'ning I'm awfully blue.
I know I'm a winsome miss.
I must win some handsome guy,
Can't go on like this.
I could blossom out I know,
With somebody just like you. So...

Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good.
Oh, lady, be good to me.
I am so awf'ly misunderstood,
So lady, be good to me.

Oh, please have some pity.
I'm all alone in this big city.

I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
So, lady be good to me.

Recorded By:

Mel Torme
Django Reinhardt
Count Basie
Dizzy Gillespie
Benny Goodman

It Had to Be You

By Isham Jones & Gus Kahn
1924

This beloved standard was an instant favorite--in fact, it was recorded six times within its first sixth months of publication, the first of which was Sam Lanin's version. Jones himself would record it a month later. It has been featured in numerous films, including Jimmy Cagney's The Roaring Twenties (1939), Casablanca (1942), Annie Hall (1977) and A League of Their Own (1992).

Lyrics:

Why do I do just as you say?
Why must I just give you your way?
Why do I sigh? Why don't I try to forget?
It must have been that something lovers call fate,
Kept me saying: "I have to wait."
I saw them all, just couldn't fall 'til we met.

It had to be you,
It had to be you.
I wandered around, and finally found
The somebody who
Could make me be true,
And could make me be blue,
And even be glad, just to be sad
Thinking of you.

Some others I've seen,
Might never be mean,
Might never be cross,
Or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't do.

For nobody else gave me a thrill,
With all your faults,
I love you still.
It had to be you, wonderful you,
It had to be you.

Recorded By:

Paul Whiteman
Dick Haymes & Helen Forrest
Doris Day
Petula Clark
Ray Charles