I Didn’t Know What Time It Was
| PROFILE | |
| Composer | Richard Rodgers |
| Lyricist | Lorenz Hart |
| Year Written | 1939 |
| About I Didn’t Know What Time It Was | |
| “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” was written in 1939 for the musical Too Many Girls. Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey and Artie Shaw recorded the song in 1939. It was not recorded much for the next decade, but starting in the early 1950s, it became very popular again and has become a respected jazz standard. | |
Lyrics
I didn’t know what time it was
then I met you.
Oh, what a lovely time it was,
How sublime it was too!
I didn’t know what day it was
You held my hand.
Warm like the month of May it was,
And I’ll say it was grand.
Grand to be alive, to be young,
to be mad, to be yours alone!
Grand to see your face, feel your touch,
hear your voice say I’m all your own.
I didn’t know what time it was
live was no prize.
I wanted love and here it was
shining out of your eyes.
I’m wise,
and I know what time it is now.
Session / Album Information
1959
I Didn’t Know What Time It Was was recorded on October 28, 1959 and released in 1961 on the album Tony Sings For Two. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.
This recording released on:
- 1961: Columbia LP 12″: CS 8242 — Tony Sings For Two
- 1961: Columbia LP 12″ (Mono): CL 1446 — Tony Sings For Two
- 1961: Philips LP 12″ (Mono): BBL 7479 — Tony Sings For Two
- 1995: Sony Music CD: SMSP A 8242 — Tony Sings For Two
- 2006: RPM/Columbia/Legacy CD: 82876 87234 — Tony Sings For Two
- 2011: Disc #19 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK19) Tony Sings For Two