The song's life began in 1962 when Bacharach and David were songwriters at the New York songwriting factory the Brill Building.[2]
Original version
"I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself" was first recorded by Chuck Jackson in 1962.[2] This version was shelved and remained unreleased until it appeared on a 1984 compilation on the Kent record label called Mr. Emotion. According to the sleeve notes of that album, Jackson's vocals were substituted for Tommy Hunt's while the original backing track was retained.
The 1962 release by Tommy Hunt, which featured Hunt singing over the original Chuck Jackson backing track, listed Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller as producers. It was released as single Scepter 1236 (B-side "And I Never Knew") in May 1962, but did not chart. The song served as the title track for Hunt's sole album release on Scepter released in April 1963. The U.K. success of Dusty Springfield's June 1964 cover version led to Scepter's re-releasing the Tommy Hunt recording, at which time it reached the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart in Billboard with a number 119 peak.
Dusty Springfield version
Dusty Springfield recorded "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" in a session at Olympic Studios in Barnes, London with production credited to Philips Records owner Johnny Franz - although Springfield later stated her solo Philips tracks were self-produced - and arranged by Ivor Raymonde who conducted his orchestra; personnel on the session included Big Jim Sullivan on guitar and Bobby Graham on drums. Springfield, whose first solo recordings had included covers of the Bacharach/David compositions "Anyone Who Had a Heart" and "Wishin' and Hopin'" - had brought back "I Just Don't Know..." from an overnight trip to New York City where she met up with Bacharach in February 1964.
The third UK single release of Springfield's solo career - following the "Brill Building" Sound-alikes "I Only Want to Be With You" and "Stay Awhile" - "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" was Springfield's first UK single release to display her signature vocal style; rising to number 3 in the summer of 1964 the track remained Springfield's highest UK Singles Chart hit until she reached number 1 in 1966 with "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me", which was Springfield's only UK solo hit to chart higher than "I Just Don't Know...".
A concurrent US release of Springfield's "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" was preempted by the presence of Springfield's "Wishin' and Hopin'" in the US Top Ten over the summer of 1964. Springfield's "I Just Don't Know..." received a belated US release in October 1965 featured on a single with Springfield's current UK hit "Some of Your Lovin'"; that month Springfield made a promotional junket to the US which included performances of both of the single's tracks on the TV shows Hullabaloo and Shindig but neither side reached the Billboard Hot 100.
"The Beginning of Loneliness" / "Another Night" (1966)
Dionne Warwick recorded "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" at Bell Sound Studios in August 1966 with Burt Bacharach producing; released that September the track is from her third album, Here Where There Is Love on Scepter Records. The song was a moderate success reaching number 26 on the US Hot 100 and number 20 on US Hot R&B with its strongest evident regional success in Detroit going Top Ten there.
Warwick released three consecutive Bacharach/David songs as singles: "Message to Michael", "Trains and Boats and Planes", and "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself". Warwick's next Top 40 single, "Alfie", was also a Bacharach/David song; three of the four songs appeared on Warwick's 1967 album Here Where There Is Love.[8][original research?]
Track listing
US 7" Vinyl Single
A: "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself"– 2:50
B: "In Between the Heartaches"– 2:50
Notes
"In Between the Heartaches" - Published By – Blue Seas Music, Inc. / JAC Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP) "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" - Published By – Quartet Music Inc. (BMI) Belinda (Canada Litd.)[9]
""Don't Let the Grass Grow" / "You Gotta Let Go"" (1976)
Marcia Hines recorded a version of the track and released it as the lead single from her second studio album, Shining (1976). The B-side "Trilogy" was included on her debut studio album, Marcia Shines (1975).
In September 2003, "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" was released as a single by American alternative rock band the White Stripes. It was the second single released from their album Elephant, reaching the top 40 in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and on the US BillboardModern Rock Tracks chart.
Serene Dominic. Burt Bacharach, Song by Song: The Ultimate Burt Bacharach Reference for Fans. Schirmer Trade, New York 2003. ISBN0-8256-7280-5
References
1 2 Reece, Craig (2015). "Dusty Springfield - "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. New York: Universe. p.142.
↑ I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself (UK 7-inch single sleeve). The White Stripes. XL Recordings. 2003. XLS 166.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself (UK DVD single liner notes). The White Stripes. XL Recordings. 2003. XLS 166 DVD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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