I Could Write a Book
| PROFILE | |
| Composer | Richard Rodgers |
| Lyricist | Lorenz Hart |
| Year Written | 1940 |
| About I Could Write a Book | |
| “I Could Write a Book” was written for the Broadway musical Pal Joey, where it was introduced by Gene Kelly and Leila Ernst. This has always been an interesting song. Today it’s considered a lovely romantic number, but in the context of the musical, it’s sung as a phony love song in order to woo the innocent ingenue. It’s been widely recorded by artists including Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Betty Carter, Anita O’Day and Ella Fitzgerald. | |
Lyrics
A-B-C-D-E-G-H
I never learned to spell
at least not well.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7
I never learned to count
a great amount.
But my busy mind is burning
to use what learning I’ve got.
I won’t waste any time,
I’ll strike while the iron is hot.
If they asked me, I could write a book
about the way you walk and whisper and look.
I could write a preface on how we met
so the world would never forget.
And the simple secret of the plot
is just to tell them that I love you a lot.
Then the world discovers as my book ends
how to make two lovers a friend
Session / Album Information
1973-1
“I Could Write a Book” was recorded in July, 1973 and released in 1976 on Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs.
This recording released on:
- 1976: Improv LP 12″: 7113 — Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs
- Disky CD: BX 883552 — As Time Goes By
- 1990: King CD: KICP-2046 — The Rodgers and Hart Songbook [Japan]
- 1991: Improv LP 12″: DARC2-2102 — The Rodgers And Hart Songbook
- 1991: DRG CD: CDXP 2102 — The Rodgers And Hart Songbook
- 2000: Horatio Nelson CD: HNRCD9001 — The Essential Tony Bennett (UK)
- 2002: Recall CD: RECA 353 — Have You Met Miss Jones? [UK]
- 2004: Concord CD: PRO-CJ-0081-2 — The Complete Improv Recordings Sampler
- 2004: Concord CD: CCD4-2255 — The Complete Improv Recordings
- 2005: Concord CD: 2243 — Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook
- 2006: Universal CD: 3122432 — Sings The Rodgers & Hart Songbook (UK)
- 2006: Concord CD: CCD-6023-2 — Tony Bennett Sings For Lovers
- 2011: Concord CRE-32955-02 – The Best of the Improv Recordings
- 2011: Disc #50 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK49) Tony Bennett’s Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs
1973-2
“I Could Write a Book” (alternate take #2) was recorded in July, 1973 and released in 2004 on The Complete Improv Recordings.
This recording released on:
- 2004: Concord CD: CCD4-2255 — The Complete Improv Recordings
- 2005: Concord CD: 2243 — Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook
- 2006: Universal CD: 3122432 — Sings The Rodgers & Hart Songbook (UK)
- 2011: Disc #50 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK49) Tony Bennett’s Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs