I Can't Give You Anything but Love (song)

"I Can't Give You Anything but Love" is an American popular song and jazz standard by Jimmy McHugh (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics).

The song was introduced by Adelaide Hall at Les Ambassadeurs Club in New York in January 1928 in Lew Leslie's Blackbird Revue, which opened on Broadway later that year as the highly successful Blackbirds of 1928 (518 performances), wherein it was performed by Adelaide Hall, Aida Ward, and Willard McLean.

Background
Some controversy surrounds the song's authorship. Andy Razaf biographer Harry Singer offers circumstantial evidence that suggests Fats Waller might have sold the melody to McHugh in 1926 and that the lyrics were by Andy Razaf.

Alternatively, Philip Furia has pointed out that Fields' verse is almost identical to the end of the second verse of Lorenz Hart's and Richard Rodgers' song "Where's That Rainbow?" from Peggy-Ann, the 1926 musical comedy with book by Fields' brother Herbert and produced by their father Lew:

My luck will vary surely,

That's purely a curse.

My luck has changed--it's gotten

From rotten to worse.

"I Can't Give You Anything but Love" was the hit of Blackbirds of 1928, was McHugh and Fields's first hit, and has been covered extensively by subsequent popular artists and jazz musicians.

Use in the Media

 * In the 1931 short film The Birthday Party, the song is performed as a duet between Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
 * Lena Horne performed this song in the movie Stormy Weather (1943).
 * The song is featured in the screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby (1938) in a scene where quirky heiress Susan Vance (Katharine Hepburn) and befuddled paleontologist Dr. David Huxley (Cary Grant) attempt to coax a surly leopard named Baby off the roof of a house by singing "I can't give you anything but love, Baby".
 * The song is used in the film version of The Green Mile.
 * The song is featured in the short animation Contract.
 * In the 1940 film Seven Sinners, the song is performed by the character Bijou Blanche, portrayed by Marlene Dietrich.
 * The song is also featured in the 2006 Tony-awarding winning Broadway play Jersey Boys.
 * The song is sung by the strip-club MC in John Cassavetes' 1976 film The Killing of a Chinese Bookie.
 * The song is played during the episode He's Our You of Lost (TV series).
 * The song is played during the 2004 movie 'The Aviator.'
 * Judy Holliday sings this while playing cards in the film "Born Yesterday".

Recorded Versions
The song has been covered by many artists, including:


 * Adelaide Hall accompanied by Fats Waller, HMV Records OEA6391, 28 August 1938, London, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London.
 * Ukulele Ike in New York 1928—Columbia 1471-D Columbia 5068
 * Carmen Moreno recorded it with A. Trzaskowski and several famous Polish jazz musicians as a part of jam session—Muza 2825a
 * Thomas Anders (of Modern Talking fame) both in English and Spanish (1991)
 * Louis Armstrong (recorded March 5, 1929, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 38052, with the flip side "Black and Blue" and as catalog number 38221, with the flip side "Mood Indigo"; also released by OKeh Records as catalog numbers 8669 and 41204, both with the flip side "No One Else but You" )
 * Gene Austin (recorded November 23, 1928, released by Victor Records as catalog number 21798, with the flip side "I Wonder if You Miss Me Tonight" )
 * Les Backer (recorded October 22, 1928, released by Vocalion Records as catalog number 15737, with the flip side "My Blackbirds Are Bluebirds Now" )
 * Rube Bloom (recorded August 2, 1928, released by OKeh Records as catalog number 41117, with the flip side "Because My Baby Don't Mean 'Maybe' Now" )
 * Lillie Delk Christian (recorded December 11, 1928, released by OKeh Records as catalog number 8650, with the flip side "Sweethearts on Parade" )
 * King Cole Quintet (recorded in 1942, released by Disc Records as catalog number 2011, with the flip side "Pro-Sky" )
 * Doris Day (1953 - not released as a single but recorded for a radio program; eventually released in the album Doris Day Sings 22 Original Recordings by Hindsight Records in 1987)
 * Marlene Dietrich (1965)
 * Mary Dixon (recorded July 30, 1928, released by Vocalion Records as catalog number 1199, with the flip side "Dusty Stevedore" )
 * Dude Sky Vine Street Boys (recorded December 17, 1936, released by Variety Records as catalog number 516, with the flip side "My Girl" )
 * Gay Ellis (pseudonym for Annette Hanshaw) & her Novelty Orchestra (vocal by Hanshaw, recorded July 24, 1928, released by Harmony Records as catalog number 706-H and by Supertone Records as catalog number 1005P, both with the flip side "I Must Have That Man" )
 * Duke Ellington and his Orchestra (recorded October 30, 1928, released by Montgomery Ward Records as catalog number 4990, with the flip side "Memories of You" )
 * Seger Ellis and his Orchestra (recorded June 8, 1928, released by OKeh Records as catalog number 41077, with the flip side "Don't Keep Me in the Dark, Bright Eyes" )
 * Ella Fitzgerald (1957)
 * Judy Garland (1958)
 * Lou Gold and his Orchestra (recorded May 28, 1928, released by Harmony Records as catalog number 660-H, with the flip side "Sweet Lorraine" )
 * Benny Goodman and his Orchestra (recorded September 6, 1937, released by Victor Records as catalog number 25678, with the flip side "Sugar Foot Stomp" )
 * Benny Goodman Sextet (recorded December 18, 1940, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 36755, with the flip side "Fiesta in Blue" )
 * The Goofus Five and their Orchestra (recorded June 27, 1928, released by OKeh Records as catalog number 41069, with the flip side "Ready for the River" )
 * Mildred Griselle (released by Supertone Records as catalog number 9276, with the flip side "Just a Little Blue for You" )
 * Johnny Hamp's Kentucky Serenaders (vocal by H. White; recorded May 17, 1928, released by Victor Records as catalog number 21414A, with the flip side "Sweet Lorraine" )
 * Grace Hayes (recorded August 6, 1928, released by Victor Records as catalog number 21571A, with the flip side "I Must Have That Man" )
 * Biff Hoffman (recorded August 27, 1928, released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 4046, with the flip side "You Tell Me Your Dream (I'll Tell You Mine)" )
 * Billie Holiday (1936)
 * Hollywood Dance Orchestra (recorded August 7, 1928, released by Challenge Records as catalog number 536, also released by Banner Records as catalog number 7193; also released under the name Jewel Dance Orchestra by Jewel Records as catalog number, all with the flip side "Raggedy Maggie"  )
 * Jonah Jones Septet (recorded September 4, 1946, released by Prestige Records as an extended-play disc, catalog number PR-7604 and by Swing Records in France as catalog number 228, with the flip side "That's the Lick" )
 * Louis Jordan (recorded March 1, 1951, released by Decca Records as catalog number 27620 with the flip side "You Will Always Have a Friend" )
 * Peggy Lee and Dave Barbour (released by Capitol Records as catalog numbers 511 and 10118, both with the flip side "Why Don't You Do Right?" )
 * Jerry Lee Lewis recorded in 1973 but released in 1986.
 * Louisiana Rhythm Kings (recorded May 31, 1928, released by Vocalion Records as catalog number 15710, with the flip side "Jubilee Stomp" )
 * Abe Lyman and his Californians (recorded November 26, 1928, released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 4136, with the flip side "Baby" )
 * Manhattan Madcaps (recorded June 22, 1928, released by Supertone Records as catalog number 9055, with the flip side "Sunbeams Bring Dreams of You" )
 * Dean Martin (recorded January 28, 1957, released by Capitol Records as catalog number 3718 [78 rpm] and F-3718 [45 rpm], with the flip side "I Never Had a Chance" )
 * Mills Brothers (recorded December 22, 1932, released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 6519, with the flip side "Diga Diga Doo" )
 * Buddy Morrow (released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-3947, with the flip side "Our Song of Love" )
 * Rose Murphy (recorded December 1947, released by Mercury Records as catalog number 8111, with the flip side "Cecelia" )
 * Lee O'Daniel Hillbilly Boys (recorded June 10, 1937, released by Vocalion Records as catalog number 03753, with the flip side "Thank You, Mr. Moon" )
 * Anita O'Day (1945)
 * Oscar Peterson Trio (recorded May 21, 1953, released by Mercury Records as catalog number 89062, with the flip side "Spring Is Here", also released by Mercury subsidiary Clef Records under the same catalog number )
 * Ben Pollack's Pickarib Boys (recorded February 28, 1950, released by Discovery Records as catalog number 131 )
 * Harry Richman (recorded August 28, 1928, released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 4035, with the flip side "King for a Day" )
 * Shilkret's Rhyth-Melodists (recorded September 22, 1928, released by Victor Records as catalog number 21688, with the flip side "I'm Sorry, Sally" )
 * Lee Sims (recorded November 1928, released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 4152A, with the flip side "Sonny Boy" )
 * Willy "the Lion" Smith (recorded December 1950, released by Commodore Records as catalog number 652, with the flip side "Just One of Those Things" )
 * Ted Straeter and his Orchestra (recorded March 24, 1942, released by Decca Records as catalog number 18308B, with the flip side "What Is This Thing Called Love?" )
 * Joe Sullivan (recorded February 9, 1940, released by Conqueror Records as catalog number 9503 and by Vocalion Records as catalog number 5496, both with the flip side "Oh, Lady Be Good" )
 * Rufus Wainwright - Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall (2007)
 * Fats Waller (vocal by U. Carlyle, a.k.a. Una Mae Carlisle, recorded November 3, 1939, originally released by Bluebird Records as catalog number 10573B, with the flip side "Darktown Strutters' Ball"; later re-released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-1582, with the flip side "The Joint's Jumpin'" )
 * Ethel Waters with Duke Ellington (recorded December 22, 1932, released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 6517, with the flip side "Doin' the New Lowdown", and as catalog number 6758, with the flip side "Porgy" )
 * Lee Wiley
 * Cootie Williams Rug Cutters (recorded October 26, 1937, released by Vocalion Records as catalog number 3890, with the flip side "Watching" )
 * Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys (recorded September 23, 1935, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 37703 and by Vocalion Records as catalog number 03264, both with the flip side "Never No More Blues" )
 * The Four Seasons on their "Sherry" Album(Side 2, Track 2), 1962
 * Bruce Millholland with Will Charette & Friends on GoodworksMusic™ Hunger Project Benefit "Riding The Wings of Love" Album (Side 4, Track 7), Jubilato Publishing-BMI, 1978
 * Joe Pesci reunited with My Cousin Vinny co-star Marisa Tomei and covered this song in comedy form as a duet on his second album Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just For You in 1998 on Columbia Records, reprising their movie roles as "Vinny Gambini" and "Mona Lisa Vito", respectively.
 * Diana Krall - When I look in Your Eyes (1999)
 * The Four Freshmen - First Affair/Voices in Fun (2002)

More modern artists who have covered the song include James Darren on his 2001 album Because of You, and Buffalo Crooner Mark Weber.