IF I COULD BE WITH YOU (ONE HOUR TONIGHT)

Music: James P. Johnson- Lyrics: Henry Creamer

Year: 1926

 

If I could be with you-clasicos del jazz

Origin of the song

The pianist James P. Johnson and the songwriter Henry Creamer wrote ‘If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight)’ in 1926. The year after, the group Clarence Williams’ Blue Five, with the voice of Eva Taylor, Clarence Williams’ wife, recorded this song and, in 1929, also the Mound City Blue Blowers, an orchestra that included Coleman Hawkins, Pee Wee Russell, Glenn Miller, Eddie Condon, and Gene Krupa.

‘If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight)’ became famous in 1930, when The McKinney’s Cotton Pickers, with the singer George 'Fathead' Thomas, recorded an excellent version that reached the top of the charts. The version that Louis Armstrong’s orchestra recorded that year was also very popular.

James P. Johnson is also the author of ‘Caprice Rag’ (1917), ‘Steeplechase Rag’ (1917), ‘Carolina Shout’ (1918), ‘Keep Off the Grass’ (1921), Charleston’ (1923), ‘Old-Fashioned Love’ (1923), ‘Snowy Morning Blues’ (1927), and ‘You've Got To Be Modernistic’ (1930). The lyrics of ‘After You've Gone’ (1918), ‘Dear Old Southland’ (1921), and ‘'Way Down Yonder In New Orleans’ (1922), among others, are by Henry Creamer.


Versions in the top charts

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

DAY OF ENTRANCE

PERMANENCE WEEKS

HIGH POSITION REACHED

 

The McKinney’s Cotton Pickers

1930.01.31

1930.08.18

12

1

(two weeks)

George Thomas (voc)

Louis Armstrong Sebastian Cotton Club Orchestra

1930.08.19

1930.09.20

2

13

Louis Armstrong (voc)

Tom Gerun Orchestra

1930.09.01

1930.09.27

4

5

Biff Hoffman (voc)

Jazz. Outstanding performances

  Instrumental

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

The Mound City Blue Blowers

1929.11.14

Coleman Hawkins (ts), Pee Wee Russel (cl), Glenn Miller (tb), William 'Red' McKenzie (kaz), Jack Bland (g), Eddie Condon (bjo), Pops Foster (b), Gene Krupa (d)

Bechet- Spanier Big Four

1940.04.06

Sidney Bechet (cl, ss), Muggsy Spanier (cnt), Carmen Mastren (g), Wellman Braud (b)

James P. Johnson

1944.09.??

James P. Johnson (p), Eddie Dougherty (d)

Oscar Peterson Quartet

1945.08.17

Oscar Peterson (p), Armand Samson (g), Bert Brown (b), Roland Verdon (d)

Benny Carter Quartet

1958.11.02

Benny Carter (tp), Earl Hines (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Shelly Manne (d)

  Vocal

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Eva Taylor

1927.02.10

Eva Taylor (voc), Clarence Williams' Blue Five

McKinney’s Cotton Pickers

1930.01.31

Don Redman (cl, as, bars, dir), Joe Smith (cnt), John Nesbitt, Langston Curl (tp); Ed Cuffee (tb), Benny Carter (cl, as), George Thomas (cl, as, ts, voc), Prince Robinson (cl, ts), Todd Rhodes (p, cel), Dave Wilborn (bjo, g), Billy Taylor (b), Cuba Austin (d)

Ben Pollack Orchestra

1930.06.23

Ben Pollack (dir), Charlie Spivak or Ruby Weinstein, Charlie Teagarden (tp), Jack Teagarden (tb, voc), Gil Rodin, Matty Matlock (cl, as), Babe Russin (ts), Alex Beller (vn), Vic Briedis (p), Dick Morgan (bjo), Harry Goodman (b), Ray Bauduc (d)

Louis Armstrong Sebastian Cotton Club Orchestra

1930.08.19

Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Leon Elkins (tp, dir), Lawrence Brown (tb), Leon Herriford, Willie Stark (as), William Franz (ts), Harvey Brooks (p), Ceele Burke (bjo, g), Reggie Jones (tu), Lionel Hampton (d, vib)

Count Basie Orchestra

1939.03.19

Count Basie (p, dir), Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Shad Collins (tp), Dicky Wells, Benny Morton, Dan Minor (tb), Earle Warren (as), Buddy Tate, Lester Young (ts), Jack Washington (bars), Freddie Green (g), Walter Page (b), Jo Jones (d), He!en Humes (voc)

The Capitol International Jazzmen

1945.03.30

Bill Coleman (tp), Buster Bailey (cl), Benny Carter (as), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), John Kirby (b), Max Roach (d), Kay Starr (voc)

Mark Murphy

1956.08.??

Mark Murphy (voc), Ralph Burns Orchestra

Julie London

1957.??.??

Julie London (voc), Russell Garcia Orchestra

Helen Humes

1960.09.08

Helen Humes (voc), Ben Webster (ts), André Previn (p), Barney Kessel (g), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Shelly Manne (d), string section, Marty Paich (dir)

Carmen McRae

1965.12.??

Carmen McRae (voc), Ray Beckenstein (fl), Norman Simmons (p), Joe Puma (g), Paul Breslin (b), Frank Severino (d), Jose Mangual (bon)

On cinemas

The song 'If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:

 

ORIGINAL TITLE

TITLE IN SPAIN

YEAR OF PRODUCTION

PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM

Big Business Girl

Una audaz ante todo mujer decidida

1931

Frank Albertson

Lawyer man

Hombre de leyes

1932

Background music

Ladies They Talk About

En boca de todos

1933

Lillian Roth; instrumental with a guitar

The Roaring Twenties

Los violentos años veinte

1939

Background music

Night Train to Munich

Tren nocturno a Munich

1940

Wistled by Rex Harrison

Casablanca

Casablanca

1942

Background music

Winter Meeting

Encuentro invernal

1948

Background music

Flamingo Road

Flamingo Road

1949

Joan Crawford; background music

Thieves Highway

Mercado de ladrones

1949

Background music

Slattery’s Hurricane

Furia del trópico

1949

Background music

Young Man With A Horn

El trompetista

1950

Wistled by the lift assistant

South Sea Woman

Huracán de emociones

1953

Background music

Mr. Roberts

Escala en Hawaii

1955

Wistled by Jack Lemmon

The Joker Is Wild

La máscara del dolor

1957

Frank Sinatra

The Naked And The Dead

Los desnudos y los muertos

1958

Background music

The Rise And Fall Of Legs Diamond

La ley del hampa

1960

Background music

The Lady in Red

La dama de rojo

1979

 

Rambling Rose

El precio de la ambición

1991

Ruth Etting

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

El curioso caso de Benjamin Button

2008

Louis Armstrong Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra

Whatever Works

Si la cosa funciona

2009

Jackie Gleason Orchestra

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