I'M GONNA SIT RIGHT DOWN AND WRITE MYSELF A LETTER
(Joe Young / Fred E. Alhert)
Fats Waller & His Rhythm - 1935
Slim Green - 1935
The Boswell Sisters - 1936
Ted Fio Rito & His Orch. - 1936
Johnny Mercer (with Paul Weston's Orch.) - 1943
Charlie Gracie - 1951
Eddie Arnold - 1953
Connee Boswell - 1953
Frank Sinatra - 1954
Eddie Condon - 1956
Johnny Hodges - 1956
Don Cherry (with Ray Conniff's Orch.) - 1956
Preacher Rollo & The Saints - 1956
Bing Crosby (with Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band) - 1957
Billy Williams Quartet - 1957
Francis Faye - 1957
Ella Mae Morse (with Billy May's Orch.) - 1957
Bill Haley & His Comets - 1957
Barry Frank - 1957
Scatman Crothers - 1957
Julian Gould - 1957
The Tunettes - 1957
Billy Eckstine - 1958
Keely Smith - 1959
Lorez Alexandria - 1959
Fabian - 1960
Jackie Gleason - 1961
Tommy Bruce - 1961
Gary Miller - 1961
Frank Sinatra & Count Basie - 1962
Bobby Vee & The Ventures - 1963
Nat "King" Cole - 1964
Lee Dorsey - 1968
Neville Dickie - 1970
Peter Dean - 1972
Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen - 1972
Cleo Laine - 1973
Kay Starr - 1975
Jane Harvey - 1976
Maxine Sullivan - 1978
Joe Turner - 1979
George Melly - 1979
Pat Flowers - 1979
Martha Miyake - 1979
Lena Horne - 1981
Willie Nelson - 1981
Shakin' Stevens - 1981
Jonathan and Darlene Edwards - 1982
Bob Pilsbury & Friends - 1982
Teresa Brewer - 1983
Rebecca Kilgore - 1995
Madeleine Peyroux - 1996
David Holladay - 1998
The Polyjesters - 1999
Danny Aiello - 2004
Anne Murray - 2004
Laura Welland - 2004
Paul McCartney - 2012
Also recorded by:
Sarah Vaughan; Barry Manilow; Dean Martin; Nina Simone;
Ruby Braff; Ralph Sutton; George Benson; Gregory Isaacs;
Spanky Wilson; Linda Scott; Jim Kweskin; Ella Fitzgerald;
....... and many others.
I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
And make believe it came from you
I'm gonna write words, oh, so sweet
They're gonna knock me off my feet
A lotta kisses on the bottom
I'll be glad I got 'em
I'm gonna smile and say "I hope you're feeling better"
And close "with love" the way you do
I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
And make believe it came from you
(Instrumental Break)
Gonna smile and say "I hope you're feeling better"
And close "with love" the way you do
I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
And make believe, make believe, make believe it came from you
(Contributed by Carlene - May 2004)
********************
As recorded by THE BOSWELL SISTERS:
Mailman passes by and I just wonder why
He never stops to ring my front door bell
There's not a single line from that old love of mine
Not a word since one has heard "Farewell"
That's the reason why.........
I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
Make believe it came from you, oh-ooh
I'm gonna write words, oh, so sweet
They're gonna knock me off my feet
A lotta kisses on the bottom
I'll be awful glad I got 'em
I'm gonna smile and say "I hope you're feelin' better"
Close "with love" the way you used to do, oh-ooh
I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
Make believe, make believe, make believe the letter came from you
I'm gonna sit right down, write myself a letter, oh-ooh
And make believe it came from you
I'm gonna write words so sweet
They're gonna knock me off my feet
A lotta kisses on the bottom
I'll be glad that I got 'em
I'm gonna smile and say "I hope you're feelin' better"
And close "with love" the way you do
I'm gonna sit right down, write myself a letter, oh-oh-ooh
And make believe it came from you, just you, oh-ooh
Gonna write "I love you, Honey, 'deed I do"
And make believe it came from you
I'm tired of waitin', oh, I'm so blue
Thinkin' of you all day through
I'm gonna say those sweet things that I love to hear
I'll live in a dream and just pretend you're near
I'm gonna sit right down, write myself a letter
I'm gonna fool myself when I make myself
Believe the letter came from you
Make believe it came from you
(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - June 2013)
**********
I'M GONNA SIT RIGHT DOWN AND WRITE MYSELF A LETTER
(note to Kylie - this could be added to existing entry)
as recorded by The Boswell Sisters
January 6th 1936 New York
Mail man passes by,
And I just wonder why
He never stops to ring my front door bell, (scat)
There's not a single line
>From that old love of mine,
Not a word since I last heard "farewell!".
That's the reason that
I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter,
Make believe it came from you, oh-oh!
I'm gonna write words oh, so sweet,
They're gonna knock me off my feet.
A lot o' kisses on the bottom,
I'll be oh so glad I got 'em!
I'm gonna smile and say "I hope you're feelin' better!",
Close with love the way you used to do, oh-oh!
I'm gonna sit right down, write myself a letter,
Make believe,
Make believe,
Make believe the letter came from you!
I'm gonna sit right down, write myself a letter, oh-oh,
And make believe it came from you.
I'm gonna write words so sweet,
They're gonna knock me off my feet.
A lot o' kisses on the bottom,
I'll be glad that I got 'em!
I'm gonna smile and say "I hope you feelin' better!",
And close with love the way you do.
I'm gonna sit right down, write myself a letter, woe-oh-oh,
And make believe it came from you, just you, oh-oh!
Gonna write "I love you, honey 'deed I do!",
And make believe it came from you!
I'm tired of waitin' 'cause i'm so blue,
Thinkin' of you,
All day through!
I'm gonna say those sweet things that I love to hear,
I live in a dream and just pretend you're near!
I'm gonna sit right down, write myself a letter,
I'm gonna fool myself
When I make myself
Believe the letter came from you,
That the letter came from you!
(Transcribed by Peter Akers - February 2015)
