What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry
What Can I Say (Dear) After I Say I'm Sorry is a pop song written by Walter Donaldson and Abe Lyman (music and lyrics) and released in 1926.
background
The band leader Abe Lyman presented the song with his Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick). The song, written in G major in the ABAC form , is pretty conventional; in the main theme thirds are combined with repeated notes in dotted rhythm. The word dear was inserted in the lyrics to keep the rhythm. The highlight of the song is the C section, with the words I'm so sorry, dear .
First recordings
The first musicians to cover the song were Bailey's Lucky Seven (Gennett 3243, with Red Nichols , Benny Krueger and others), the pianist J. Lawrence Cook , the singer Irving Kaufman (under the pseudonym Frank Harris , Columbia 607-D) , Stanley Kirby (Edison Bell 4462), Josephine Baker and Annette Hanshaw ( Pathé ), and the orchestras of Fred Douglas (Regal G8680), Paul Ash (vocals: Milton Watson) and Jack Bleake (Columbia 4128), in England The Savoy Orpheans , and Percival Mackey's Band (Columbia 7147). In 1926, members of Ben Pollack 's Orchestra played a few numbers privately at Earl Baker in Seattle, including What Can I Say , recorded on an Edison phonograph and 12 wax cylinders.
Later cover versions
The discographer Tom Lord lists a total of 160 (as of 2015) cover versions in the field of jazz . a. by Lucky Millinder , Dinah Washington , Frank Sinatra , Nat King Cole , Peggy Lee , Benny Goodman , Buddy DeFranco , Red Garland , Pee Wee Russell , Keely Smith / Nelson Riddle , King Pleasure , Charlie Shavers , Jo Stafford , Ella Fitzgerald , Ralph Sutton , Doc Cheatham , Wild Bill Davison , Page Cavanaugh , Carmen McRae , Lars Erstrand . In the Rodgers and Hart biography Words and Music (1948) ´ Perry Como and Allyn McLerie interpreted the song; Peggy Lee sang it in Pete Kelly's Blues (1955). Even Bill Haley & The Comets coverten the song in 1963 (Newtown NT 5024).
Notes and individual references
- ^ A b c Marvin E. Paymer, Don E. Post: Sentimental Journey: Intimate Portraits of America's Great Popular Songs . 1999, p. 99
- ↑ Piano roll QRS 9147
- ↑ His Master's Voice B 5075, with Ramon Newton, vn, dir: Vernon Ferry, Walter Lyme, t / George Chaffin, tb / Van Phillips?, Herb Finney, cl, as / Watson Marsh, cl, ts / Carroll Gibbons, p / Pete Mandell, bj / Jim Bellamy, bb / Ronnie Gubertini, dr. Hayes, Middlesex, May 26, 1926
- ↑ Tom Lord: Jazz discography (online)