LOVER MAN (OH , WHERE CAN YOU BE?)

Music and lyrics: James Edward Davis, Ram Ramirez, Jimmy Sherman

Year: 1942

 

Lover man-clasicos del jazz-standards jazz

Origin of the song

On her autobiography, Billie Holiday says that Jimmy E. Davis wrote ‘Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)’ when he was in the army and that he sent the score directly to her. However, he was posted to Europe and she never saw him again. The singer, who never mentions Jimmy Sherman, regrets that all the credit was given to Ram Ramírez for ‘Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)’, and she adds, ‘his participation was just part of the story’.

The song was released in 1942, but it wasn’t recorded due to the problems between the music union and the record companies. In August that same year, the president of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) banned the members of the Association from making recordings until the Studios agreed to pay the copyright instead of flat rates. The record label of Billie, Columbia Records, didn’t admit it and was one of the last ones, along with RCA Victor, signing an agreement with the AFM, which took place in 1944.

For the recording of ‘Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)’, Billie requested to add a string section to the usual accompaniment group. The session was carried out on 4 October 1944 in the Decca Studios in New York, with the Toots Camarata orchestra. It was the first time this song was recorded.


Versions in the top charts

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

DAY OF ENTRANCE

PERMANENCE WEEKS

HIGH POSITION REACHED

 

Billie Holiday

1944.10.04

1945.05.05

1

16

Billie Holiday (voc), Toots Camarata Orchestra

Jazz. Outstanding performances

  Instrumental

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Eddie Heywood Orchestra

1944.12.06

Eddie Heywood (p, dir), Dick Vance (tp), Vic Dickenson (tb), Lem Davis (as), Ted Sturgis (b), Keg Purnell (d)

Charlie Parker Quintet

1946.07.29

Charlie Parker (as), Howard McGhee (tp), Jimmy Bunn (p), Bob Kesterson (b),

Roy Porter (d)

Django Reinhardt- Quintette du Hot Club de France

1947.03.26

Django Reinhardt (g), Stéphane Grappelli (vn), Joseph Reinhardt, Jean Férret (g), Emmanuel Soudieux (b)

Don Byas et Ses Rythmes

1952.05.21

Don Byas (ts), Martial Solal (p), Pierre Michelot (b), Benny Bennett (d)

J.J. Johnson Sextet

1953.06.22

J.J. Johnson (tb), Clifford Brown (tp), Jimmy Heath (ts, bars), John Lewis (p), Percy Heath (b), Kenny Clarke (d)

Chet Baker Quartet

1955.10.24

Chet Baker (tp), Gerard Gustin (p), Jimmy Bond (b), Bert Dahlander (d)

Warne Marsh Quintet

1956.10.03

Warne Marsh, Ted Brown (ts), Ronnie Ball (p), George Tucker (b), Jeff Morton (d)

Jimmy Smith Quartet

1958.02.25

Jimmy Smith (org), Lou Donaldson (as), Eddie McFadden (g), Donald Bailey (d)

Sonny Stitt Quartet

1958.08.01

Sonny Stitt (ts), Barry Harris (p), William Austin (b), Frank Grant (d)

Ray Bryant

1958.12.19

Ray Bryant (p)

Kenny Dorham- Jackie McLean Quartet

1961.11.13

Kenny Dorham (tp), Jackie McLean (as), Walter Bishop Jr. (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Art Taylor (d)

Sonny Rollins- Coleman Hawkins Quintet

1963.07.15

Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins (ts), Paul Bley (p), Bob Cranshaw (b), Roy

McCurdy (d)

Bill Evans Trio with Stan Getz

1974.08.16

Stan Getz (ts), Bill Evans (p), Eddie Gómez (b), Marty Morell (d)

Joe Pass

1978.11.19

Joe Pass (g), Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b)

Benny Carter Orchestra

1985.??.??

Benny Carter (as, dir), Joe Wilder (tp, tpa), Scott Hamilton (ts), Gene Harris (p), Ed Bickert (g), Jack Clayton (b), Jimmie Smith (d)

Keith Jarrett Trio

1989.10.15

Keith Jarrett (p), Gary Peacock (b), Jack DeJohnette (d)

  Vocal

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Billie Holiday with Toots Camarata Orchestra

1944.10.04

Billie Holiday (voc), Russ Case (tp), Larry Binyon, Paul Ricci (ts), Jack Cressy, Hymie Schertzer (as), Dave Bowman (p), Carl Kress (g), Haig Stephens (b), Johnny Blowers (d), string section, Toots Camarata (dir)

Dizzy Gillespie All Stars

1945.05.11

Dizzy Gillespie (tp), Charlie Parker (as), Al Haig (p), Curly Russell (b), Sid Catlett (d),

Sarah Vaughan (voc)

Sarah Vaughan

1954.04.02

Sarah Vaughan (voc), John Malachi (p), Joe Benjamin (b), Roy Haynes (d)

Blossom Dearie Quartet

1956.09.12

Blossom Dearie (p, voc), Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown (b), Jo Jones (d)

Chris Connor

1958.05.23

Chris Connor (voc), Stan Free (p), Mundell Lowe (g), George Duvivier (b), Ed Shaughnessy (d)

Jeanne Lee

1961.11.15

Jeanne Lee (voc), Ran Blake (p), George Duvivier (b)

Dinah Washington

1962.03.15

Dinah Washington (voc), Don Costa Orchestra

Ella Fitzgerald

1966.07.20

Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Stu Williamson (tp), Bill Perkins (ts), Jimmy Rowles (p), Al Viola (g), Shelly Manne (d), Marty Paich (dir)

Robin McKelle

2007.08.??

Robin McKelle (voc), Wayne Bergenon, Willie Murillo (tp), Andy Martin, Jason Thor (tb), Dan Higgins, Ray Herrmann, Bob Shepard, Mark Visher, Glen Berger (sax), Alain Mallet (p), Mike Velario (b), Nathaniel Morton (d), string section

Dee Dee Bridgewater

2009.06.05

Dee Dee Bridgewater (voc), James Carter (cl, fl, ss, ts), Edsel Gómez (p), Christian McBride (b),

Lewis Nash (d)

On cinemas

 The song 'Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?) ' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:

 

ORIGINAL TITLE

TITLE IN SPAIN

YEAR OF PRODUCTION

PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM

Lady Sings The Blues

El ocaso de una estrella

1972

Diana Ross

Bird

Bird

1988

Charlie Parker, Charles McPherson, Jon Faddis, Walter Davis, Jr., Ron Carter, John Guerin

Switch

Una rubia muy dudosa

1991

Billie Holiday

Little Voice

Little Voice

1999

Jane Horrocks

42

42

2013

Billie Holiday

The Dressmaker

La modista

2015

Billie Holiday

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