IF I COULD BE WITH YOU (ONE HOUR TONIGHT)
Music: James P. Johnson- Lyrics: Henry Creamer
Year: 1926
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 |
|
|
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
|
|
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) |
|
|
1940.04.06 |
Sidney Bechet (cl, ss), Muggsy Spanier (cnt), Carmen Mastren (g), Wellman Braud (b) |
|
|
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
|
|
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) |
|
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) |
|
|
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) |
|
|
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) |
|
|
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 |
|
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 |