Be Careful, It's My Heart

By Irving Berlin
1942

One of 12 original songs written by Berlin for the movie musical Holiday Inn, starring Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby (this is the movie that introduced "White Christmas". With songs written each with a holiday theme, this one is themed for Valentine's Day, and is introduced in the film by Crosby. Constructed as a waltz, the song nevertheless proved quite popular as a pop and even jazz standard.

Lyrics:

Sweetheart of mine, I've sent you a Valentine
Sweetheart of mine, it's more than a Valentine

Be careful, it's my heart
It's not my watch you're holding, it's my heart

It's not the note I sent you
That you quickly burned
It's not the book I lent you
That you never returned

Remember, it's my heart
The heart with which so willingly I part

It's yours to take, to keep or break
But please, before you start
Be careful, it's my heart

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Tommy Dorsey
Bing Crosby
John Pizzarelli & The George Shearing Quintet
Vera Lynn

I'll Remember April

By Gene de Paul, Patricia Johnston & Don Raye
1942

Just got back from the new superhero film Captain America, and enjoyed hearing the Woody Herman recording of this song featured in the movie--which takes place during World War II. Introduced by Dick Foran in the Abbott & Costello picture Ride 'Em Cowboy, the melancholy tune became a big hit during the war years. It has since been recorded by countless artists, who favor it for its moody atmosphere and contemplative lyrics.

Lyrics:

This lovely day will lengthen into evening,
We'll sigh good-bye to all we've ever had,
Alone where we have walked together,
I'll remember April and be glad....

I'll be content, you loved me once in April,
Your lips were warm, and love an' spring were new,
But I'm not afraid of autumn, and her sorrow,
For I'll remember,
April and you!

The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes,
For flames and love live such a little while . . .
I won't forget, but I won't be lonely,
I'll remember April, and I'll smile . . .

The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes,
For flames and love live such a little while

I won't forget, but I won't be lonely
I'll remember April, and I'll smile . . .

I won't forget but I won't be lonely, no . . .
I'll remember April, and I'll smile!

Recorded By:

Chet Baker
Shirley Bassey
June Christy
Julie London
Frank Sinatra

Ev'rything I've Got Belongs to You

By Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart

1942

One of the catchiest tunes to ever come out of the vaunted Rodgers/Hart collaboration, this one comes from the show By Jupiter, in which it was introduced by Ray Bolger (The Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz) and Benay Venuta. This was the same show that also gave us, "Wait Till You See Her."

Lyrics:

I have eyes for you to give you dirty looks.
I have words that do not come from children's books.
There's a trick with a knife I'm learning to do,
And ev'rything I've got belongs to you.

I've a powerful anesthesia in my fist,
And the perfect wrist to give your neck a twist.
There are hammerlock holds, I've mastered a few,
And ev'rything I've got belongs to you.

Share for share, share alike,
You get struck each time I strike.
You for me- me for me-
I'll give you plenty of nothing.

I'm not yours for better but for worse,
And I've learned to give the well-known witches' curse.
I've a terrible tongue, a temper for two,
And ev'rything I've got belongs to you.

Recorded By:

Ella Fitzgerald
Blossom Dearie
Jane Monheit
Ed Kuepper
Charlie Byrd

String of Pearls

By Jerry Gray & Eddie De Lange
1942

Prolific big band arranger Gray (born Generoso Graziano) made a career out of reworking other composers' material, but in a few cases he create his own work from the ground up. Such was the case with this inventive number written specifically for the Glenn Miller orchestra. It would be a number-one hit; and Gray (pictured) would also have success with another Miller standard, "Pennsylvania 6-5000".

Lyrics:

Baby, here's a five and dime,
Baby, now's about the time
For a string of pearls a la Woolworth.

Every pearl's a star above,
Wrapped in dreams and filled with love,
That old string of pearls a la Woolworth.

Till that happy day in spring,
When you buy the wedding ring,
Please, a string of pearls a la Woolworth.

Baby, you made quite a start,
Found a way right to my heart,
With a string of pearls a la Woolworth.

Recorded By:

Glenn Miller
Ritchie Lee
Narciso Yepes
Harry James
Benny Goodman

I Don't Want to Walk Without You

By Jule Styne & Frank Loesser

1942

Loesser collaborated with Styne to compose a bunch of tunes for the 1942 Paramount film Sweater Girl, with this innocent confection being the big hit. Bettie Jane Rhodes sang it in the film, and it was recorded immediately after by the Harry James orchestra with Helen Forrest, resulting in a number one record. As recently as 30 years ago, it was taken back to the Billboard charts by Barry Manilow.

Lyrics:

All our friends keep knocking at the door
They've asked me out a hundred times or more
But all I say is, "Leave me in the gloom"
And here I stay within my lonely room
'Cause...

I don't want to walk without you, Baby
Walk without my arm about you, Baby
I thought the day you left me behind
I'd take a stroll and get you right off my mind
But now I find that

I don't want to walk without the sunshine
Why'd you have to turn off all that sunshine?
Oh, Baby, please come back or you'll break my heart for me
'Cause I don't want to walk without you
No, siree

Recorded By:

Phyllis McGuire
Artie Shaw
Jo Stafford
Jerry Vale
Joe Holt

That Old Black Magic

By Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer
1942

Lyricist Mercer, deeply in love with Judy Garland, and an on-and-off paramour of the iconic singer/actress, allegedly wrote the lyrics to this Arlen tune for her. One of the finest products of the legendary Arlen/Mercer collaboration, it was actually introduced on record by Garland herself. It remains one of the most recognizable standards to this day.

Lyrics:

That old black magic has me in its spell, that old black magic that you weave so well.
Those icy fingers up and down my spine,
That same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine.

The same old tingle that I feel inside, and then that elevator starts its ride,
And down and down I go, round and round I go, like a leaf that's caught in the tide.

I should stay away, but what can I do?
I hear your name and I'm aflame.
Aflame with such a burning desire that only your kiss can put out the fire.

For you're the lover I have waited for, the mate that fate had me created for.
And every time your lips meet mine, darling, down and down I go, round and round I go,
In a spin, loving the spin I'm in, under that old black magic called love.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Ella Fitzgerald
Glenn Miller
Sammy David Jr.
Louis Prima & Keely Smith

I'll Be Around

By Alec Wilder
1942

A gorgeous standard from the classically trained Wilder, who first got the idea for it while riding a taxicab in Baltimore. Said the composer, "I spotted [the title] as I was crumpling up the envelope some days later. Since I was near a piano, I wrote a tune, using the title as the first phrase of the melody. I remember it only took about 20 minutes. The lyric took much longer to write." A sad lament of the neglected, unrequited lover, the tune is a melancholy gem. Introduced by Mildred Bailey.

Lyrics:

I'll be around,
No matter how
You treat me now.
I'll be around from now on.

Your latest love
Can never last,
And when its past,
I'll be around when he's gone.

Goodbye again,
And if you find a love like mine,
Just now and then,
Drop a line to say you're feeling fine.

And when things go wrong,
Perhaps you'll see
You're meant for me.
So I'll be around when he's gone.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Tony Bennett
Les Brown
Cab Calloway
Vic Damone

Moonlight Becomes You

By Jimmy Van Heusen & Johnny Burke
1942

This particular Van Heusen/Burke tune comes from one of the classic Bing Crosby/Bob Hope "Road" comedies. In this case, it was Road to Morocco, in which the song was introduced by Crosby himself. To this day, Crosby's version remains the benchmark.

Lyrics:

Moonlight becomes you, it goes with your hair.
You certainly know the right thing to wear.
Moonlight becomes you, I'm thrilled at the sight.
And I could get so romantic tonight.

You're all dressed up to go dreaming,
Now don't tell me I'm wrong.
And what a night to go dreaming--
Mind if I tag along?

If I say I love you, I want you to know
It's not just because there's moonlight,
Although, moonlight becomes you so.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Chet Baker
Willie Nelson
Ella Fitzgerald
Glenn Miller

Be Careful, It's My Heart

By Irving Berlin
1942

For the classic movie musical Holiday Inn, a whole bunch of Berlin songs were assembled, some old chestnuts and others specifically written for the film. This clever love song was one of the latter, written by the composer especially for Bing Crosby to sing in the picture.

Lyrics:

Be careful, it's my heart.
It's not my watch you're holding, it's my heart.

It's not the note that I sent you that you quickly burned,
It's not a book I lent you that you never returned.

Remember, it's my heart.
The heart with which so willingly I part.

It's yours to take, to keep or break,
But please, before you start,
Be careful, it's my heart.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Dinah Shore
Rosemary Clooney
John Pizzarelli
Vera Lynn

Hit the Road to Dreamland

By Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer
1942

If ever there was a movie intended to warm the hearts of Americans shocked by the onset of war, it was The Star-Spangled Rhythm, and if ever there was a song intended to do that as well, it was this one, the centerpiece of the picture. Sung in the film by Dick Powell and Mary Martin, it's a classic example of both Arlen's mastery of jazz rhythms and Mercer's expert feel for colloquial language.

Lyrics:

Bye, bye baby,
Time to hit the road to dreamland.
You're my baby--
Dig you in the Land of Nod.

Hold tight, baby,
We'll be swinging up in dreamland.
All night baby,
Where the little cherubs trod.

Look at that knocked-out moon.
You been a-blowing his top in the blue--
Never saw the likes of you,
What an angel!

Bye, bye baby,
Time to hit the road to dreamland.
Don't cry, baby,
It was divine,
But the rooster has finally crowed--
Time to hit the road.

Recorded By:

Dean Martin
Dr. John
Jane Monheit
Betty Hutton
Perry Como

Wait Till You See Her

By Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart 1942

Introduced by Ray Bolger, this was the one hit song from Rodgers & Hart's final hit Broadway musical, By Jupiter. The show was the composing duo's longest running, and the last of an impressive string in the late 1930s and early 1940s. This song was cut early on from the original production, but resurfaced in the 1967 revival.
Lyrics:

Wait till you see her,
See how she looks,
Wait till you hear her laugh.

Painters of paintings,
Writers of books,
Never could tell the half.

Wait till you feel
The warmth of her glance,
Pensive and sweet and wise.

All of it lovely,
All of it thrilling,
I'll never be willing to free her.

When you see her,
You won't believe your eyes,
You won't believe your eyes.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Ella Fitzgerald
Ray Charles
Blossom Dearie

Serenade in Blue

By Harry Warren & Mack Gordon
1942

Written for the 20th Century Fox film Orchestra Wives--in which it was introduced by the dubbed voice of Pat Friday via leading lady Lynn Bari--this song nevertheless achieved immortality when it was recorded shortly after by Glenn Miller's orchestra, with Ray Eberle and The Modernaires on vocals. It became one of Miller's signature numbers, second only to his theme song, "Moonlight Serenade".

Lyrics:

When I hear that serenade in blue,
I'm somewhere in another world, alone with you,
Sharing all the joys we used to know,
Many moons ago.

Once again your face comes back to me,
Just like the theme of some forgotten melody
In the album of my memory,
Serenade in blue.

It seems like only yesterday,
The small cafe, a crowded floor,
And as we danced the night away,
I hear you say forevermore.
And then the song became a sigh,
Forever more became goodbye,
But you remained in my heart.

So tell me darling, is there still a spark?
Or only lonely ashes of the flame we knew?
Should I go on whistling in the dark?
Serenade in blue.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Doris Day
Dick Haymes
Stan Getz
Charles Mingus

You're Easy to Dance With

By Irving Berlin
1942

Berlin came up with the concept of a movie musical about a hotel that only opens on major holidays. The result was the 1942 Paramount motion picture Holiday Inn, starring Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby. This song was used, naturally, as a dance number for Astaire and leading lady Virginia Dale. It is reprised twice in the film. Holiday Inn is, of course, best known for the song "White Christmas".

Lyrics:

I could dance nightly,
Just holding you tightly, my sweet.
I could keep right on,
Because you're so light on your feet.
You're easy to dance with.

There is no doubt in
The way we stand out in the crowd.
Though it's called dancing,
To me it's romancing out loud
You're easy to dance with.

Loving you,
The way I do,
Makes you easy to dance with.
That is why I'm always right on the beat.
All those charms
In one man's arms
Makes you easy to dance with.
I can hardly keep my mind on my feet.

Let's dance forever.
Come on, say we'll never be through.
It's so easy to dance with you.

Recorded By:

Fred Astaire & Oscar Peterson
Benny Goodman
Peggy Lee
Bing Crosby
Tony Bennett