LOVER MAN (OH , WHERE CAN YOU BE?)
Music and lyrics: James Edward Davis, Ram Ramirez, Jimmy Sherman
Year: 1942
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 |
|
|
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
|
|
1944.12.06 |
Eddie Heywood (p, dir), Dick Vance (tp), Vic Dickenson (tb), Lem Davis (as), Ted Sturgis (b), Keg Purnell (d) |
|
|
1946.07.29 |
Charlie Parker (as), Howard McGhee (tp), Jimmy Bunn (p), Bob Kesterson (b), Roy Porter (d) |
|
|
1947.03.26 |
Django Reinhardt (g), Stéphane Grappelli (vn), Joseph Reinhardt, Jean Férret (g), Emmanuel Soudieux (b) |
|
|
1952.05.21 |
Don Byas (ts), Martial Solal (p), Pierre Michelot (b), Benny Bennett (d) |
|
|
1953.06.22 |
J.J. Johnson (tb), Clifford Brown (tp), Jimmy Heath (ts, bars), John Lewis (p), Percy Heath (b), Kenny Clarke (d) |
|
|
1955.10.24 |
Chet Baker (tp), Gerard Gustin (p), Jimmy Bond (b), Bert Dahlander (d) |
|
|
1956.10.03 |
Warne Marsh, Ted Brown (ts), Ronnie Ball (p), George Tucker (b), Jeff Morton (d) |
|
|
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) |
|
1958.12.19 |
Ray Bryant (p) |
|
|
1961.11.13 |
Kenny Dorham (tp), Jackie McLean (as), Walter Bishop Jr. (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Art Taylor (d) |
|
|
1963.07.15 |
Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins (ts), Paul Bley (p), Bob Cranshaw (b), Roy McCurdy (d) |
|
|
1974.08.16 |
Stan Getz (ts), Bill Evans (p), Eddie Gómez (b), Marty Morell (d) |
|
|
1978.11.19 |
Joe Pass (g), Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b) |
|
|
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) |
|
1945.05.11 |
Dizzy Gillespie (tp), Charlie Parker (as), Al Haig (p), Curly Russell (b), Sid Catlett (d), Sarah Vaughan (voc) |
|
|
1954.04.02 |
Sarah Vaughan (voc), John Malachi (p), Joe Benjamin (b), Roy Haynes (d) |
|
|
1956.09.12 |
Blossom Dearie (p, voc), Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown (b), Jo Jones (d) |
|
|
1958.05.23 |
Chris Connor (voc), Stan Free (p), Mundell Lowe (g), George Duvivier (b), Ed Shaughnessy (d) |
|
|
1961.11.15 |
Jeanne Lee (voc), Ran Blake (p), George Duvivier (b) |
|
|
1962.03.15 |
Dinah Washington (voc), Don Costa Orchestra |
|
|
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 |
|
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 |