It Had to Be You (song)
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"It Had to Be You" is a popular song written by Isham Jones, with lyrics by Gus Kahn[1], and was first published in 1924.
The song was performed by Priscilla Lane in the 1939 film The Roaring Twenties and by Danny Thomas in the 1951 film I'll See You in My Dreams. The latter film was based loosely upon the lives of Gus Kahn and his wife Grace LeBoy Kahn. It was also performed by Dooley Wilson in the 1942 film Casablanca, Betty Hutton in the 1945 film Incendiary Blonde, and by Diane Keaton in the 1977 film Annie Hall. It was also performed in the film A League of Their Own by Megan Cavanagh.
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[edit] Lyrics
The lyrics explain why the singer puts up with a domineering partner. The reason offered is depth of attachment: "somebody who could make me be true, could make me be blue." However, domination itself may be the attraction: "some others I've seen might never be mean, never be cross, try to be boss, but they wouldn't do." The singer concludes: "nobody else gave me a thrill ... wonderful you, it had to be you." However, the lyrics can be interpreted as a realistic and bemused commentary on the reality of attachment, a recognition that the beloved is not perfect but has significant flaws which can be tolerated and accepted because of her (or his) virtues. While "It Had to Be You" is not unique in taking this stand about romantic love, it does counterpose itself to the dominant pattern in the Great American Songbook of celebrating the beloved as a perfect angel. In any case, the complicated melody, minor chords, and ambiguous lyrics make this a classic torch song.
[edit] Notable recordings
- Sam Lanin & his Orchestra on Okeh 40084 recorded March 20, 1924
- Ambassadors on Vocalion 14792 (matrix 12951) recorded March 24, 1924
- Marion Harris on Brunswick 2610 (matrix 12760-62) recorded March 28, 1924
- Paul Whiteman & his Orchestra on Victor 19339 (matrix 29779) recorded April 8, 1924
- Cliff Edwards on Pathé Actuelle 032047 (matrix 105278) recorded on April 15, 1924
- The California Ramblers on Columbia 127-D (matrix 81700-2) recorded on April 18, 1924
- Isham Jones & his Orchestra on Brunswick 2614 recorded on April 24, 1924
- Aileen Stanley & Billy Murray with Prince's Orchestra on Victor 19373 (matrix 30247-3) recorded on June 5, 1924
- Chappie d'Amato with Jack Hylton & his Orchestra on HMV B-1887 (matrix Bb 4978-2) recorded on August 19, 1924
- Dorothy Lamour with orchestra conducted by Lou Bring on Bluebird B 10758 (matrix 042385-2) recorded on January 19, 1940
- Betty Hutton with Paul Weston and his Orchestra on Capitol 155 recorded on March 11, 1944
- Dick Haymes & Helen Forrest with Victor Young & his Orchestra on Decca 23349 (matrix L-3446) recorded on June 28, 1944. This version first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on September 14, 1944 and lasted 5 weeks on the chart, peaking at #4. This recording was paired on a single with "Together," a #3 hit, producing a big two-sided hit.
- Julie Dawn with Carroll Gibbons & the Savoy Hotel Orpheans on English Columbia FB 3060 (matrix CA 19595-1) recorded on October 4, 1944
- Mildred Bailey, 1944
- Buddy Clark with Dick Jones and his Orchestra on Columbia 38040 (matrix CO 38382) recorded on November 12, 1947
- Doris Day with Paul Weston & his Orchestra on Columbia 39625 (matrix RHCO 10029-1A) recorded on November 9, 1951
- Petula Clark with The Steve Race Quartet featuring Steve Race (piano) and Roy Plummer (guitar) on Polygon P1043 (matrix PL. 42) in 1951
- Hugo Winterhalter and His Orchestra on RCA Victor 20-3858 (in USA) and on His Master's Voice X 7810
- Ray Charles recorded it in 1959 for his album The Genius of Ray Charles
- Barbra Streisand for the album The Third Album (1963)
- Harry Nilsson on the album A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night, (RCA Victor), released in 1973
- John Travolta covered the song on his self titled 1976 album John Travolta
- Diane Keaton playing the character Annie Hall in the Oscar-winning Woody Allen film of the same name, released 1977
- Frank Sinatra with Billy May & his Orchestra on the Reprise album Trilogy (matrix XCA-9297) recorded on July 18, 1979
- Harry Connick, Jr. on Columbia on the soundtrack for When Harry Met Sally... recorded on June 6, 12 & 19, 1989
- Don McLean, on his live album For the Memories Vols I & II, released 1989
- Kenny G. on the album I'm in the Mood for Love...The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time, in 2006
- Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
- Billie Holiday
- Elliott Yamin; American Idol season 5
- Yoyo Mung in The W Files a Hong Kong TV series about Wesley, a private detective and his girlfriend So.
- Liza Minnelli, on her 1996 album Gently
- Ginger Grant in Gilligan's Island episode "Forward March", to Gilligan.
- Tony Bennett recorded the song as a duet with country music singer Carrie Underwood for his second duets album, Duets II.
[edit] References
[edit] Bibliography
- Who Wrote that Song? Dick Jacobs & Harriet Jacobs, published by Writer's Digest Books, 1993
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