What'll I Do
"What'll I Do" is a song written by Irving Berlin in 1923.[4] It was introduced by singers Grace Moore and John Steel late in the run of Berlin's third Music Box Revue and was also included in the following year's edition.[5]
| "What'll I Do" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra | |
| Written | 1923 |
| Published | 1923 Irving Berlin Music Corp., Warner Chappell Music, Inc. |
| Released | May 1924[1] |
| Recorded | March 18, 1924 take 8[2] |
| Studio | New York City |
| Venue | Music Box Revue 1923 |
| Genre | Show tune |
| Length | 2.46 |
| Label | Victor 19299[3] |
| Songwriter(s) | Irving Berlin |
Background
"What'll I Do" is one of the few songs by Berlin that is clearly autobiographical. His fiancée, a society beauty named Ellin MacKay, had been sent to Europe by her disapproving father, a very wealthy Long Island magnate, in the hopes that MacKay would forget Berlin. (She did not and eventually they married.) The song was written during McKay's "tour" of Europe. In the lyrics, the singer longs disconsolately for his love, imagining how he can go on without her.
Recordings
- Nat King Cole recorded a cover for his album Unforgettable (1952).[6]
- Johnny Mathis included on his Warm album (1957).[7]
- Frank Sinatra recorded a well-known cover for his album All Alone (1962).
- Johnny Tillotson released his version on an LP, EP and B-side in 1962.
- The Fleetwoods released a cover as a single in 1963.
- Harry Nilsson included this song on his 1973 album of American standards, A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night, arranged by Gordon Jenkins.
- Linda Ronstadt and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra covered the song on her album What's New, produced by Peter Asher in 1983, with tenor sax solo by Bob Cooper.
- Bob Dylan covered it in his album Shadows in the Night (2015).
- The song was included on Seth MacFarlane’s fifth album, Once in a While.
In popular culture
- The song was used as a generalized theme in Nelson Riddle's Academy Award-winning period score for the film The Great Gatsby (1974) starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, sung by character actor William Atherton.
- It was sung by Mary Steenburgen in the movie The Butcher's Wife (1991)
- Bea Arthur sang it in The Golden Girls episode, "Journey to the Center of Attention".[8]
- The song was used as the theme tune to the British sitcom Birds of a Feather, performed by William Atherton and later its lead stars Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson.
- An instrumental version of the song was used under the closing scene of "I Do, Adieu" (1987), the fifth-season finale of the sitcom Cheers.
- The Johnny Mathis version of the song was also used in the closing scene of "The Jet Set," the eleventh episode in the second season of Mad Men.
Notes
- "Victor 19299 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced) - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
- "Victor matrix B-29599. What'll I do / Paul Whiteman Orchestra - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
- "VICTOR 78rpm numerical listing discography: 19000 - 19500". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
- Lyman, Darryl (1996). Jewish Heroes & Heroines: Their Unique Achievements. Jonathan David. p. 183. ISBN 0824603885.
- "American Classics - Music Box Revues 1921-1924" (history), webpage: AmClass-IBerlin.
- "What'll I Do? - Nat King Cole | Song Info | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- "Warm - Johnny Mathis | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- "imdb.com". imdb.com. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
External links
Works related to What'll I Do at Wikisource
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