"I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" is an American popular song and jazz standard by Jimmy McHugh (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics). The song was introduced by Adelaide Hall at Les Ambassadeurs Club in New York in January 1928 in Lew Leslie's Blackbird Revue, which opened on Broadway later that year as the highly successful Blackbirds of 1928 (518 performances), wherein it was performed by Adelaide Hall, Aida Ward, and Willard McLean.
In the 100-most recorded songs from 1890 to 1954, "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby" (1928) is No. 24.[1]
The original lyrics and music of the song entered the public domain in the United States in 2024.[2]
Background
Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields had written the score for a revue at Les Ambassadeurs Club on 57th Street, New York, which featured the vocalist Adelaide Hall. However, the producer Lew Leslie believed that they still missed a 'smash' tune. The team pondered for a while before finally playing Leslie "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby". This was the song Leslie had been looking for and he immediately included it in the revue.[3] One advertisement called it "the song success of the Nation."[4]
Blackbird Revue opened on January 4, 1928, with Adelaide Hall singing "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" solo. Later on, Fields and McHugh wrote a second half for the revue and Leslie expanded the production. With extra songs and extra performers added (including the vocalist Aida Ward), Leslie renamed the revue Blackbirds of 1928 and took the full production for a tryout in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where it appeared at Nixon's Apollo Theatre. On May 9, 1928, Blackbirds of 1928 opened at the Liberty Theatre, Broadway.
The idea behind the song came during a stroll Fields and McHugh were taking one evening down Fifth Avenue; they saw a young couple window-shopping at Tiffany's. McHugh and Fields understood that the couple could not afford to buy jewelry from Tiffany's, but nevertheless they drew closer to them. It was then they heard the man say: "Gee, honey I'd like to get you a sparkler like that, but right now, I can't give you nothin' but love!" Hearing this, McHugh and Fields rushed to a nearby Steinway Tunnel, and within an hour they came up with "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby".[5]
Some controversy surrounds the song's authorship. Andy Razaf's biographer Barry Singer offers circumstantial evidence that suggests Fats Waller might have sold the melody to McHugh in 1926 and that the lyrics were by Andy Razaf.[6] Alternatively, Philip Furia has pointed out that Fields' verse is almost identical to the end of the second verse of Lorenz Hart's and Richard Rodgers' song "Where's That Rainbow?" from Peggy-Ann, the 1926 musical comedy with book by Fields' brother Herbert and produced by their father Lew:[7]
Recorded versions
Mildred Grizelle (released by Gennett Records in 1928 under the New Electrobeam (Black Label) catalog number 6646, with the flip side "Low Down" by Virginia Lee[8]
Johnny Hamp's Kentucky Serenaders (vocal by H. White; recorded May 17, 1928, released by Victor as catalog number 21414A, with the flip side "Sweet Lorraine"[9])
Seger Ellis and his Orchestra (recorded June 8, 1928, released by OKeh as catalog number 41077, with the flip side "Don't Keep Me in the Dark, Bright Eyes"
The Goofus Five and their Orchestra (recorded June 27, 1928, released by OKeh as catalog number 41069, with the flip side "Ready for the River"
Gay Ellis (pseudonym for Annette Hanshaw; vocal by Hanshaw, recorded July 24, 1928, released by Harmony as catalog number 706-H[10] and by Supertone as catalog number 1005P,[11] both with the flip side "I Must Have That Man"[10][11])
Rube Bloom (recorded August 2, 1928, released by OKeh as catalog number 41117, with the flip side "Because My Baby Don't Mean 'Maybe' Now")
Hollywood Dance Orchestra (recorded August 7, 1928, released by Challenge as catalog number 536,[13] also released by Banner as catalog number 7193;[14] also released under the name Jewel Dance Orchestra by Jewel as catalog number,[15] all with the flip side "Raggedy Maggie"[13][14][15]
Harry Richman (recorded August 28, 1928, released by Brunswick as catalog number 4035, with the flip side "King for a Day"[16])
Shilkret's Rhyth-Melodists (recorded September 22, 1928, released by Victor as catalog number 21688, with the flip side "I'm Sorry, Sally"[9])
Louis Armstrong (recorded March 5, 1929, released by Columbia with the flip side "Black and Blue"[18] and with the flip side "Mood Indigo");[18] also released by OKeh both with the flip side "No One Else but You". For other Louis Armstrong versions, including a 1943 film performance see Ricky Riccardi's treatment of the song. Armstrong had a history of performing this song at the Savoy and Regal[4] before he recorded it.
Mills Brothers (recorded December 22, 1932, released by Brunswick as catalog number 6519, with the flip side "Diga Diga Doo"[19])
Ethel Waters with Duke Ellington (recorded December 22, 1932, released by Brunswick as catalog number 6517, with the flip side "Doin' the New Lowdown",[19] and as catalog number 6758, with the flip side "Porgy"[19])
Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys (recorded September 23, 1935, released by Columbia as catalog number 37703[20] and by Vocalion as catalog number 03264,[21] both with the flip side "Never No More Blues"[20][21])
Joe Sullivan (recorded February 9, 1940, released by Conqueror as catalog number 9503[24] and by Vocalion as catalog number 5496,[25] both with the flip side "Oh, Lady Be Good"[25])
Benny Goodman Sextet (recorded December 18, 1940, released by Columbia as catalog number 36755, with the flip side "Fiesta in Blue"[26])
King Cole Quintet (recorded in 1942, released by Disc as catalog number 2011, with the flip side "Pro-Sky"[27])
Glenn Miller and the Army Air Forces Training Command Orchestra recorded the song in 1944 with Peanuts Hucko on vocals, released as V-Disc No. 482A in August 1945
Jonah Jones Septet (recorded September 4, 1946, released by Prestige as an extended-play disc, catalog number PR-7604[29] and by Swing Records in France as catalog number 228, with the flip side "That's the Lick"[30])
Doris Day (1953 – not released as a single but recorded for a radio program; eventually released in the album Doris Day Sings 22 Original Recordings by Hindsight in 1987)
Oscar Peterson (recorded May 21, 1953, released by Mercury as catalog number 89062, with the flip side "Spring Is Here",[34] also released by Mercury subsidiary Clef under the same catalog number[35])
Dean Martin (recorded January 28, 1957, released by Capitol as catalog number 3718 [78 rpm][36] and F-3718 [45 rpm],[37] with the flip side "I Never Had a Chance"[36][37])
Judy Garland included the song in her album Judy In Love (1958). Garland also recorded a different version of the song on her live album, Judy at Carnegie Hall (1961).
The version of "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" on Cheek to Cheek has Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga alternating verses alongside piano,a brass section and drums.[42] She also altered the lyrics to sing "Gee,I'd like to say you're looking swell,Tony",who later rejoins with the line "Diamond bracelets won't work,doesn't sell,Gaga".[43][44] Jeff Benjamin from Fuse was positive in his review,saying that "[t]here's a walking bassline,gospel organs and brassy horn blasts to back the pair's soulful crooning. And while we love listening to Gaga and Tony,we really get into the throwback vibe when the trumpet solo kicks in.[45] Trey Barrineau from USA Today complimented the duos vocals,saying that the song "really swings".[46]
Jesse David Fox from New York also gave a positive review,stating that "lot has been written about the creative and commercial shortcomings of Gaga's last record,[Artpop],but I,for one,am glad about its failure–because anything that frees her up to record more music with Tony Bennett is a win in my book. 'I Can't Give You Anything but Love' is a great example;Tony Bennett might be 88,but it's Gaga who hasn't sounded this alive in years."[47] A writer for Next Magazine declared that Gaga sounded "absolutely stellar" in the song,and found it to be a "vocal vehicle" for the artist to "show off" her singing.[48] Debra Kamin from The Times of Israel praised Gaga's vocals on "I Can't Give You Anything but Love",for her range and control.[49]MTV News critic Gil Kaufman described the track as "funky".[50] Alexa Camp from Slant Magazine gave a negative review,saying that "for a singer who isn't even 30,Gaga's voice is shockingly rough-hewn".[51]
Release and commercial performance
"I Can't Give You Anything but Love" was released as the second single from Bennett's and Lady Gaga's first collaborative album Cheek to Cheek (2014) on August 19,2014. Gaga announced the release on Twitter,accompanied by the single's cover art.[52] On October 6,two remixes of the song were made available for digital download. Remix by Italian record producerGiorgio Moroder was released exclusively to Idolator website. The chords of the original version was changed,with Moroder adding synths and a bassline,complementing the vocals of Bennett and Gaga.[53] Another remix,was an Earmilk exclusive and was made by Austrian musician Parov Stelar. He changed the cover into a "bouncy jazz house mix that provides a perfect compliment to the stars' seasoned vocals".[54] Additionally,Universal Music Group sent the single to Italian radios on January 16,2015.[55] After its release,"I Can't Give You Anything but Love" debuted at number-one on the Jazz Digital Songs chart of Billboard,on the week ending September 6,2014.[56] The single also appeared on national charts of France and Italy at numbers 173 and 76 respectively.[57][58]
Music video
An official music video for the song was released on August 26,2014. The video was shot in the recording studio and the first half showed Gaga in numerous outfits and wigs,while recording the song and roaming around. Bennett joins the studio sessions later on,singing the song. The final chorus finds the two singers belting together,described as "join[ing] forces for a peculiar,yet potent blend of styles that transcends generations and genres".
Jon Blistein from Rolling Stone complimented the video,saying that it "proves [Gaga and Bennett] exude a unique,adorable brand of musical chemistry".[59] Maurice Bobb from MTV News noticed the "bare essence" of the duo in the video and added that Gaga appeared "overwhelmingly subdued",but felt that "her playful energy still shines through as she preens and shimmies to [Bennett's] smooth crooning."[60] Nolan Feeney from Time that Gaga appeared normal in the video and added that "she's still fun to watch even when she's just hanging out in the vocal both (and dressed like a relatively normal human,no less)."[61] Katie Atkinson from Billboard declared that "If you love the adorable friendship between glam pop queen Lady Gaga and classic crooner Tony Bennett,you'll definitely want to see the breezy behind-the-scenes studio video of the pair for 'I Can't Give You Anything but Love'."[62] Idolator's Mike Wass described the video in detail,calling it the "perfect antidote for Gaga's overwhelming,more-is-more Artpop visuals... The swingin' standard is a nice fit for Gaga and Tony. It allows them to riff off each other and ham it up (ever so slightly). Those shenanigans are captured in the studio-based video,which finds Mother Monster modeling a variety of wigs and smoking a cigar. Her suave companion looks a little bemused but he's clearly having a good time."[63]
Charts
Weekly chart performance for "I Can't Give You Anything but Love,Baby"
In Disney animated sound cartoon The Birthday Party of January 1931,the song is performed as a duet between Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
In the Warner Brothers sound cartoon Bosko's Holiday of June 1931,the song is used as instrumental background music.[64]
The song is featured in the screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby (1938) in several scenes,since apparently the song is the only thing that placates the surly leopard named Baby,which quirky heiress Susan Vance (Katharine Hepburn) and befuddled paleontologist Dr. David Huxley (Cary Grant) have to bring to her aunt.
A version of the song sung by Doris Day is played during the opening credits of Married Life (2007).
References
↑ Hope, Carolyn. "Barry's Hits of All Decades". hitsofalldecades.com. Retrieved July 25, 2018. This list was compiled by data from the book Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954 (1986) Published by Billboard Publications
↑ The Lillie Delk Christian Mysteries: People Seemed to Like it; A Visit to Mrs. [Lillie Delk] Christian in Chicago, April 25, 1961; Wordpress.com; retrieved September 8, 2023; features edited transcript of a 64-minute interview with Mrs. Delk Christian.
↑ Beck, Jerry (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons (Firsted.). New York, New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. p.4.
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