Sing You Sinners
| PROFILE | |
| Composer | W. Franke Harling |
| Lyricist | Sam Coslow |
| Year Written | 1930 |
| About Sing You Sinners | |
| “Sing You Sinners” was written for the 1930 film “Honey,” starring Lillian Roth. The song was an early hit in 1950 for Tony Bennett. He sings the song regularly in concerts today. | |
Lyrics
Brothers, sisters
Listen to what I say
Moanin’ and groanin’
Won’t drive those blues away
Lift up your voices in song
You know you’ve all done wrong
You sinners, drop everything
And let that harmony ring
Up to Heaven
And sing, you sinners
Just wave your arms all about
And let the Lord hear you shout
Pour the music right out
And sing, you sinners
Whenever there’s music
The Devil kicks
He don’t allow music
By the river Styx
You’re wicked and you’re depraved
And you’ve all misbehaved
If you wanna be saved
Well, sing, you sinners
Well, up until now
I’ve been asking you singers to sing
But if you can’t sing, dance
C’mon band, swing
Swing, swing, swing
Swing, you sinners
Swing, swing, swing
Swing, you sinners
Whenever there’s music
The Devil kicks
He don’t allow music
By the river Styx
You’re wicked and you’re depraved
And you’ve all misbehaved
If you wanna be saved
If you wanna be saved
Well, sing, you sinners
Session / Album Information
1950
“Sing You Sinners” was recorded on July 20, 1950 and released that year as a single. It was arranged by Marty Manning.
This recording released on:
- 1950: Columbia 78: 38989
- 1950: Columbia 45: 4-38989
- 1955: Columbia LP 10″: CL 2507 — Alone At Last
- 2005: ASV/Living Era CD: 5512 — Take My Hand…
- 2006: Naxos Nostalgia CD: 8120803 — While We’re Young: Original Recordings 1950-1955
- 2007: Proper CD: PROPERBOX 121 — Young Tony
- 2011: Disc #3 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK3) The Columbia Singles, Volume 1
1955
“Sing You Sinners” was recorded on December 15, 1955 and released as a single the following year. It was arranged by Percy Faith.
This recording released on:
- 1956: Columbia 78: 40632
- 1956: Columbia 45: 4-40632
- 1958: Columbia LP 12″: CS 8652 — Tony’s Greatest Hits
- 1958: Columbia LP 12″ (Mono): CL 1229 — Greatest Hits
- 1966: CBS LP 12″: DP 66010 — A String Of Tony’s Hits (UK)
- 1972: CBS LP 12″: CBS 68200 — All-Time Greatest Hits [UK]
- 1972: Columbia LP 12″: KG 31494 — All-Time Greatest Hits
- 1991: Columbia CD: C4K 46843 — Forty Years – The Artistry Of Tony Bennett
- 1993: CBS/Sony CD: SRCS-6641 — Forty Years: The Artistry Of Tony Bennett
- 1997: Columbia CD: CK 65316 — All-Time Greatest Hits
- 2002: Columbia/Legacy CD: 86634 — The Essential Tony Bennett
- 2004: Columbia/Legacy CD: C5K 92784 — Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett
- 2006: RPM/Columbia/Legacy CD: 84786 — Tony Bennett’s Greatest Hits Of The ’50s
- 2008: Columbia/RPM/Legacy CD: 731397 — The Essential Tony Bennett [Limited Edition 3.0]
- 2011: Disc #6 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK6) The Columbia Singles, Vol. 4
- 2013: Columbia/Legacy – Sixty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett
1962
“Sing You Sinners” was recorded live at Tony Bennett’s concert at Carnegie Hall on June 9, 1962 and was initially released in 1962 on the album Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall. Ralph Sharon arranged the song.
This recording released on:
- 1962: CBS LP 12″: BPG62116 — At Carnegie Hall – Part 2 (UK)
- 1962: Columbia LP 12″: CS 8705 — At Carnegie Hall – vol.1
- 1962: Columbia LP 12″: C2L 23 — Tony Bennett At Carnegie Hall
- 1962: Columbia LP 12″: C2S 823 — Tony Bennett At Carnegie Hall
- 1993: Sony Music Special Products CD: 15056 — Tony Bennett Sings for You
- 1995: Sony Music CD: WK 75012 — Tony Bennett At Carnegie Hall
- 1997: Columbia CD: C2K 64609 — At Carnegie Hall June 9, 1962: Complete Concert
- 2011: Disc #25 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK24) Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall
1964
“Sing You Sinners” was recorded on April 8, 1964 and released in 2011 on Tony Bennett Live at the Sahara: From This Moment On, as part of the 2011 Complete Collection. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.
This recording released on:
- 2011: Disc #74 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK72) Tony Bennett Live at the Sahara: From This Moment On
2006
“Sing You Sinners” was recorded on February 10, 2006 with John Legend and was released that same year on Duets: An American Classic. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.
This recording released on:
- 2006: RPM Records/Columbia CD: 82876809792 — Duets: An American Classic
- 2006: RPM Records/Columbia CD: 82876887352 — Duets: An American Classic [Target Stores]
- 2006: Sony BMG CD: 828768858721 — Duets: An American Classic [Australia]
- 2006: Sony BMG CD: 82876885862 — Duets: An American Classic [UK, Singapore]
- 2011: Disc #70 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK68) Duets: An American Classic