IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU (I WANT TO BE LONESOME, I WANT TO BE BLUE)
(Walter Donaldson)


Sleepy Hall's Melody Boys (vocal: Harrington & Bersch) - 1927
Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians - 1928
Chester Gaylord - 1928
Mike Markel Society Orch. (vocal: Irving Kaufman) - 1928
Knickerbocker Quartet - 1928
Gus Arnheim & His Ambassador Hotel Orch. - 1928
Gerald Marks & His Hotel Tuller Orch. (vocal: Nelson Bitterman) - 1928
Hal Kemp & His Orch. 
(vocal: Skinnay Ennis, Ben Williams, Hal Kemp, Saxie Dowell) - 1928


If I can't have you, nobody but you-hoo-hoo-hoo
I want to be lonesome, I want to be blue
Wherever I go, whatever I do-hoo-hoo-hoo
I'm all by my ownsome, just thinking of you

I'm missing that sweet embrace, that feeling of bliss
Nobody can take your place when I'm feeling like this
So, if I can't have you, nobody but you-hoo-hoo-hoo
I want to be lonesome, I want to be blue

I'm blue, so blue, and brokenhearted, because we parted
Since we parted, the sun has lost its glory
I wish, I hope that you'll forget these, that you'll forgive these 
I want you to listen to my story

(Instrumental Break)

I'm missing that sweet embrace, that feeling of bliss
Nobody can take your place while I'm feeling like this
So, if I can't have you, nobody but you-hoo-hoo-hoo
I want to be lonesome, I want to be blue



(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - January 2017)