| Composer | Isham Jones |
| Lyricist | Gus Kahn |
| Year Written | 1924 |
About This Song
“It Had To Be You” was written in 1924 by Isham Jones and Gus Kahn. It’s a popular standard with many fine recordings, including those by Paul Whiteman, Cliff Edwards, and Frank Sinatra. It has also be used in several films, such as Casablanca and Annie Hall.
View lyrics
Why do I do, just as you say, why must I just, give you your way
Why do I sigh, why don’t I try – to forget
It must have been, that something lovers call fate
Kept me saying: “I have to wait”
I saw them all, just couldn’t fall – ’til we met
It had to be you, it had to be you
I wandered around, and finally found – the somebody who
Could make me be true, and could make me be blue
And even be glad, just to be sad – thinking of you
Some others I’ve seen, might never be mean
Might never be cross, or try to be boss, but they wouldn’t do
For nobody else, gave me a thrill – with all your faults, I love you still
It had to be you, wonderful you, it had to be you
Recordings
1956
Tony Bennett recorded “It Had To Be You” on September 11, 1956. Ray Conniff wrote the arrangement.
Release History
1956 to current
| 1957 | Columbia LP 12″: CL 938 — Tony |
| 1982 | CBS Special Products CD: — My Best To You |
| 1983 | CBS Special Products LP 12″: P 16655 — My Best To You |
| 1995 | Sony Special Products CD: 16655 — My Best To You |
| 1995 | Sony Special Products CD: 58257 — My Best To You |
| 1997 | Eclipse Music Group CD: 64859 — My Best To You |
| 2002 | Collectables CD: 9870 — My Best To You |
| 2007 | Proper CD: PROPERBOX 121 — Young Tony |
| 2008 | Not Now Music CD: NOT3CD010 — Three Original Hit Albums [UK] |
| 2011 | Columbia: The Complete Collection — Disc 10 — Tony |