| Composer | Richard Rodgers |
| Lyricist | Lorenz Hart |
| Year Written | 1940 |
About This Song
“I Could Write a Book” was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for. the 1940 musical Pal Joey. his 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.
View the 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
Recordings
1973-1
Tony Bennett recorded “I Could Write a Book” in September 1973 for Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs. Accompanying Bennett was The Ruby Braff/George Barnes Quartet, featuring Braff on cornet, Barnes and Wayne Wright on guitar, and John John Giuffrida on bass.
Release History
| 1976 | Improv LP 12″: 7113 — Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs |
| 1990 | King CD: KICP-2046 — The Rodgers and Hart Songbook [Japan] |
| 1991 | Improv LP 12″: DARC2-2102 — Tony Bennett Sings The Rodgers And Hart Songbook |
| 1991 | DRG CD: CDXP 2102 — The Rodgers And Hart Songbook |
| 1997 | Disky CD: BX 883552 — As Time Goes By |
| 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: CCD4-2255-2 — The Complete Improv Recordings |
| 2005 | Concord/Universal CD: 3122432 — Tony Bennett Sings The Rodgers And Hart Songbook |
| 2011 | Columbia: The Complete Collection — Disc 50 — Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs |
1973-2
Tony Bennett recorded an alternate take of “I Could Write a Book” (alt take 2).
Release History
| 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 | Columbia: The Complete Collection — Disc 50 — Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs |