I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby

This article is about the jazz song. For the film, see I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby (film). For the song by The Stylistics, see Can't Give You Anything (But My Love).

"I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby"
Sheet music, 1928
Song by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields
Released	1928
Recorded	1928
Genre	Jazz
Songwriter(s)	Dorothy Fields
Composer(s)	Jimmy McHugh
Producer(s)	Jimmy McHugh

"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.

Adelaide Hall on the cover of Vu magazine in 1929

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 Harry 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]
• Sam Lanin, with vocals provided by Irving Kaufman (May 1928)
• 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")
• Okeh released another version the same year, sung by Lillie Delk Christian ^[12]
• 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] )
• Duke Ellington and his Orchestra (recorded October 30, 1928, released by Montgomery Ward as catalog number 4990, with the flip side "Memories of You" ^[17] )
• Lee Sims (recorded November 1928, released by Brunswick as catalog number 4152A, with the flip side "Sonny Boy" ^[16] )
• Gene Austin (recorded November 23, 1928, released by Victor as catalog number 21798, with the flip side "I Wonder if You Miss Me Tonight" ^[9] )
• Abe Lyman and his Californians (recorded November 26, 1928, released by Brunswick as catalog number 4136, with the flip side "Baby" ^[16]
• Ukulele Ike (Cliff Edwards) in New York, Dec. 7, 1928—Columbia 1471-D Columbia 5068
• 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]} )
• Billie Holiday (1936)
• Lee O'Daniel Hillbilly Boys (recorded June 10, 1937, released by Vocalion as catalog number 03753, with the flip side "Thank You, Mr. Moon" ^[22] )
• Benny Goodman and his Orchestra (recorded September 6, 1937, released by Victor as catalog number 25678, with the flip side "Sugar Foot Stomp" ^[23] )
• Cootie Williams Rug Cutters (recorded October 26, 1937, released by Vocalion as catalog number 3890, with the flip side "Watching" ^[22] )
• Adelaide Hall accompanied by Fats Waller, HMV, August 28, 1938, London, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London
• 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] )
• Ted Straeter and his Orchestra (recorded March 24, 1942, released by Decca as catalog number 18308B, with the flip side "What Is This Thing Called Love?" ^[28] )
• 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] )
• Rose Murphy (recorded December 1947, released by Mercury as catalog number 8111, with the flip side "Cecelia" ^[31] ). Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons later did a version of the song, inspired by Rose's, for their debut album Sherry & 11 Others in 1962.
• Ben Pollack's Pickarib Boys (recorded February 28, 1950, released by Discovery as catalog number 131 ^[32] )
• Louis Jordan (recorded March 1, 1951, released by Decca as catalog number 27620 with the flip side "You Will Always Have a Friend" ^[33] )
• Lester Young (recorded November 28, 1952, released by Norgran in 1954 on Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio )
• 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] )
• Bing Crosby included the song in his album Some Fine Old Chestnuts (1954)
• Ella Fitzgerald (1957) recorded live on the Verve release "Ella at Zardi's"
• 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).
• Sonny Stitt (recorded May 18, 1959, released by Verve in 1959 on "Sonny Stitt Sits in with the Oscar Peterson Trio")
• Marlene Dietrich (1965)
• Diana Krall (released in 1999) on her album When I Look In Your Eyes .
• June Christy – Cool Christy (2002)
• Regis Philbin – When You're Smiling (2004)
• Jerry Lee Lewis - The (Complete) Session Recorded in London with Great Guest Artists (recorded January 1973, released 2006; Mercury)
• Lorna Luft – Songs My Mother Taught Me (2007)
• The Hot Sardines on their eponymous album released in 2014 ^[38]
• Buddy Morrow (released by RCA Victor as catalog number 20–3947, with the flip side "Our Song of Love" ^[39] )
• Peggy Lee and Dave Barbour (released by Capitol as catalog numbers 511 and 10118, both with the flip side "Why Don't You Do Right?" ^{[40] [41]} )

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga version

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2. "Public Domain Day 2024 | Duke University School of Law". web.law.duke.edu.
3. Williams, Iain Cameron (2002). Underneath a Harlem Moon (1 ed.). London: Continuum. pp. 129–139. ISBN   0826458939.
4. Brothers, Thomas (2014). Louis Armstrong: Master of Modernism. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company. p. 329. ISBN   978-0-393-06582-4.
5. Burton, Jack (May 27, 1950). "The Honor Roll of Popular Songwriters: No. 62 — Jimmy McHugh". Billboard . William H. Donaldson. p. 42. ISSN   0006-2510.
6. "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" at Jazz Standards
7. Furia, Philip (1990). The Poets of Tin Pan Alley: A History of America's Great Lyricists . Oxford University Press. pp.  216–17. ISBN   978-0195074734.
8. "Supertone for Sears - numerical listing discography: 9000 - 9500".
9. Victor Records in the 21500 to 21999 series
10. Harmony Records in the 1001P to 2027P series
11. Supertone Records in the 1001P to 2027P series
12. 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.
13. Challenge Records in the 500 to 999 series
14. Banner Records in the 7000 to 7265 series
15. Jewel Records in the 5000 to 5499 series
16. Brunswick Records in the 4000 to 4499 series
17. Montgomery Ward Records in the 4500 to 5041 series
18. Columbia Records in the 38000 to 38499 series
19. Brunswick Records in the 6500 to 6999 series
20. Columbia Records in the 37500 to 37999 series
21. Vocalion Records in the 3000 to 3499 series
22. Vocalion Records in the 3500 to 3999 series
23. Victor Records in the 25500 to 25900 series
24. Conqueror Records in the 9500 to 9960 series
25. Vocalion Records in the 500 to 5499 series
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28. US Decca Records in the 18000 to 18499 series
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41. Capitol Records in the 10000 to 10210 series
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45. Benjamin, Jeff (August 19, 2014). "Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett Cover 1920s Song "I Can't Give You Anything But Love"". Fuse . Retrieved August 28, 2014.
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External links

• Sam Lanin & His Orchestra – I Can't Give You Anything But Love on YouTube
• Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga – I Can't Give You Anything but Love (Audio) on YouTube
• Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga – I Can't Give You Anything but Love (Video) on YouTube

"I Can't Give You Anything but Love"
Single by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
from the album Cheek to Cheek
Released	August 19, 2014
Studio	Conway (Los Angeles)
Genre	Jazz
Length	3:13
Label	Streamline Columbia Interscope
Songwriter(s)	Dorothy Fields Jimmy McHugh
Producer(s)	Dae Bennett
Tony Bennett singles chronology
"Anything Goes" (2014) "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" (2014) "I Get a Kick Out of You" (2021)
Lady Gaga singles chronology
"Anything Goes" (2014) "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" (2014) "Til It Happens to You" (2015)

v t e Dorothy Fields
Song lyrics	"Big Spender" "Don't Blame Me" "Exactly Like You" "A Fine Romance" "Hooray for Love" "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" "I'm in the Mood for Love" "If My Friends Could See Me Now" "Never Gonna Dance" "On the Sunny Side of the Street" "Pick Yourself Up" "Remind Me" "The Way You Look Tonight" "You Couldn't Be Cuter"
Musicals	Blackbirds of 1928 (1928) Hello, Daddy (1928) Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic (1929) The International Review (1930) The Vanderbilt Revue (1930) Shoot the Works (1931) Singin' the Blues (1931) Stars in Your Eyes (1939) Let's Face It! (1941) Something for the Boys (1943) Mexican Hayride (1944) Up in Central Park (1945) Annie Get Your Gun (1946) Arms and the Girl (1950) A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1951) By the Beautiful Sea (1954) Redhead (1959) Sweet Charity (1966) Seesaw (1973) Shirley MacLaine (1976) Sugar Babies (1979)
Family	Lew Fields (father) Herbert Fields (brother) Joseph Fields (brother)