When You’re Smiling

273. When You’re Smiling (1928)

lyrics and music by:

 Mark Fisher & Joe Goodwin & Larry Shay

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1938 MT 76 Complete on Columbia v.4 6 2’49”

When you’re smiling
When you’re smiling
The whole world smiles with you

When you’re laughing
When you’re laughing
The sun comes shining thru

But when you’re crying
You bring on the rain
So stop your sighing be happy again

Keep on smiling
‘Cause when you’re smiling
The whole world smiles with you

 

2nd version

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1938 AT 76a Complete on Columbia v.8 7 2’45”

When you’re smiling
When you’re smiling
The whole world smiles with you

When you’re laughing
When you’re laughing
The sun comes shining thru

But when you’re crying
You bring on the rain
So stop your sighing be happy again

Keep on smiling
‘Cause when you’re smiling
The whole world smiles with you

 

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When Your Lover Has Gone

272. When Your Love Has Gone (1931)

lyrics and music by E. A. Swan

follows 6 version of this song

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1955 MT 260 Complete on Verve v.5 10 4’55”

When you’re alone
Who cares for starlit skies
When you’re alone
The magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover has gone

(bridge)

When you’re alone
Who cares for starlit skies
When you’re alone
The magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover,
When your lover,
Has gone

 

2nd version

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1958 LR 196 Perfect Complete Collection  v.11 13 2’38”

(Billie’s voice is awful)

When you’re alone
Who cares for starlit skies
When you’re alone
The magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover has gone

When you’re alone
Who cares for starlit skies
When you’re alone
The magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
(MC presents the band)
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover,
When your lover,
Has gone

(MC comments and BH interview)

 

3rd version

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1958 LR 202 Perfect Complete Collection  v.12 6 1’59”

When you’re alone
Who cares for starlit skies
When you’re alone
The magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover has gone

When you’re alone
Who cares for starlit skies
When you’re alone
The magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover,
When your lover,
When your lover,
Has gone

 

4th version

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1958 LR 203 Perfect Complete Collection  v.12 7 2’25”

[stereo recording]

When you’re alone
Who cares for starlit skies
When you’re alone
The magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover has gone

When you’re alone
Who cares for starlit skies
When you’re alone
The magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover,
I said your lover,
When your lover,
Has gone

(applauses)

 

5th version

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1958 LR 209 Private Recording 2’13”

When you’re alone
Who cares for silent skies
(curiously, in this moment, one can hear a small plane flying by)
When you’re alone
The magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover has gone

When you’re alone
Who cares for silent skies
When you’re alone
The magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover,
When your lover,
I said your lover,
Has gone

(applauses)

 

6th version

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1959 LR 226 Perfect Complete Collection  v.12 17 1’53”

When you’re alone
Who cares for starlit skies
When you’re alone
Magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover has gone

When you’re alone
Who cares for starlit skies
When you’re alone
The magic moonlight dies
At break of dawn
There is no sunrise
When your lover has gone

What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can’t mean anything
When your lover,
When your lover,
When your lover has gone

(applauses)

Notes

 

When It’s Sleepy Time Down South

270. When It’s Sleepy Time Down South (1931) 

lyrics and music by 

Leon René & Otis René & Clarence Muse 

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1959 MT 323 Complete on Verve v.10 18 4’05”

Homesick, tired, all alone in a big city
Why should everybody pity me
Nighttimes falling and I’m yearning for Virginia
Hospitality within it calls me

Pale moon shining on the fields below
Folks are crooning songs soft and low
They needn’t tell me so
Because I know it’s sleepy time down south

Soft winds blowing through the pinewood trees
Folks down there live a life of ease
When old mammy falls upon her knees
It’s sleepy time down south

Steamboats on the river a-coming, a-going
Splashing the night away
Hear those banjos ringing
The folks who are all singing
They dance till the break of day, say

Dear old Southland with its dreamy songs
Take me back there where I belong
Oh, how I love to be in mammy’s arms
When it’s sleepy time down south

(bridge)

Dear old Southland with its dreamy songs
Take me back there where I belong
Oh, how I love to be in mammy’s arms
When it’s sleepy time down south
When it’s sleepy time down south
When it’s sleepy time down south
When it’s sleepy time down south
(fade out)

Comments

 

When a Woman Loves a Man

269. When A Woman Loves A Man (1934)

lyrics by Johnny Mercer

music by Gordon Jenkins & Bernie Hanighen

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1938 MT 82 Complete on Columbia v.4 12 2’24”

Maybe he’s not much just another man
Doing what he can
But what does she care
When a woman loves a man

She’ll just string along
All through thick and thin
Till his ship comes in
It’s always that way
When a woman love a man

She’ll be the first one to praise him
When he’s goin’ strong
The last one to blame him
When everything’s wrong
It’s such a one-sided game that they play
But women are funny that way

Tell her she’s a fool
She’ll say yes I know
But I love him so
And that’s how it goes
When a woman loves a man

(bridge)

Tell her she’s a fool
She’ll say yes I know
But I love him so
And that’s how if goes
When a woman loves a man

 

Comments

 

What’s New?

268. What’s New? (1939)

lyrics by Johnny Burke

music by Bob Haggart

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1955 MT 267 Complete on Verve v.5 19 4’16”

What’s new?
How is the world treating you?
You haven’t changed a bit
Lovely as ever I must admit

What’s new?
How did that romance come through?
We haven’t met since then
Gee, but it’s nice to see you again

What’s new?
Probably I’m boring you
But seeing you is grand
And you were sweet to offer your hand

I understand.
Adieu!
Pardon my asking what’s new
Of course you couldn’t know
I haven’t changed I still love you so

(bridge)

What’s new?
Probably I’m boring you
But seeing you is grand
And you were sweet to offer your hand

I understand.
Adieu!
Pardon my asking what’s new
Of course you couldn’t know
I haven’t changed I still love you so
Still love you so
What’s new?

Comments

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What Shall I Say?

267. What Shall I Say?

Peter Tinturin

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1939 MT 108 Complete on Columbia v.5 13 3’06”

What shall I say
When our neighbors want us to come to tea?
They don’t know you’re not with me
What shall I say?

What shall I say
When the phone rings and someone asks for you
They don’t know I ask for you too
What shall I say?

How can I hide the tears inside
How can I face the crowd?
I can make lips of mine be still
But my heart sighs too loud

I could explain that
You’re gone for only a week to shop
But after the week is up
What shall I say?

 

Notes

 

What Is This Thing Called Love

266. What Is This Thing Called Love? (1929)

lyrics and music by Cole Porter

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1945 MT 183 Complete on Decca v.1 10 3’04”

What is this thing called love?
This funny thing called love
Just who can solve its mystery
Why should it make a fool of me

I saw you there one wonderful day
You took my heart and threw it away
That’s why I ask the Lord in heaven above
What is this thing called love?

(bridge)

I saw you there one wonderful day
You took my heart and threw it away
That’s why I ask the Lord in heaven above
What is this thing called love?

Notes

from the show Wake Up and Dreams
first to sing Frances Shelley
 

What Is This Going to Get Us?

265. What Is This Going To Get Us?

Irene Wilson & Arthur Herzog Jr.

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1940 MT 131 Complete in Columbia v.6 11 2’39”

What is this going to get us
Where are we headin’ in
When do we start to live dear
When do we really begin

What is this going to get us
Hanging around till four
Saying goodnight at daybreak
Kissing goodbye in the doorway

We can go on the way we’ve gone
I’m at the end of my rope
I can’t live on love I’ve so much of
And I can’t keep livin’ on hope

What is this going to get us
Only an aching heart
When is this going to get us
Together never to part

(bridge)

We can go on the way we’ve gone
I’m at the end of my rope
Gee I can’t live on love I’ve so much of
And I can’t keep livin’ on hope

What is this going to get us
Only an aching heart
When is this going to get us
Together never to part

 

Notes

 

What A Night, What a Moon, What a Girl

264. What A Night, What A Moon, What A Girl

John Jacob Loeb

rec date type # discography tk rec time
1935 MT 7 Complete on Columbia v.1 7 2’57”

What a night

What a moon

What a boy

What a moon

What a night

What a boy

Those white clouds hang in the air

Like toy balloons

Say they just hang in the air

That’s made for honeymoons

What a hug

What a kiss

What a boy

What a game  Oh, what bliss

What a boy

Is it a wonder

My heart is full of joy

What a night

What a moon

What a boy

Notes

I thank Jerry Meyer from NY for his accurate text revision.