Lyr Req/Add: What'll I Do (Irving Berlin)

Subject: What'll I Do
From: Singout
Date: 01 Jan 00 - 09:10 PM

Does anyone have the lyrics for "What'll I Do"? Penny.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: Jeri
Date: 01 Jan 00 - 09:16 PM

It's not WHAT WILL WE DO, is it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: Allan C.
Date: 01 Jan 00 - 09:47 PM

Look here.

...one of Irving Berlin's most beautiful songs

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: Singout
Date: 01 Jan 00 - 09:49 PM

No, Jeri, it's like: What'll I do when you are far away, and I am blue, what'll I do. That's about all I know.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: WyoWoman
Date: 01 Jan 00 - 11:22 PM

Singout -- Allan C. was right. That's an Irving Berlin tune. I have a couple of recordings of Ella Fitzgerald singing it, and Linda Ronstadt also does it on her double CD of old standards. Lovely song.

ww

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: JenEllen
Date: 01 Jan 00 - 11:40 PM

Allan, thanks for the tip on the site. Resources abound. Cheers, Elle

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: DougR
Date: 01 Jan 00 - 11:54 PM

What'll I do when you are far away and I am blue. What'll I do. What'll I do when I am wondering who is kissing you, what'll I do.

What'll I do with just a photograph to tell my troubles to. When I'm alone with only dreams of you, that can't come true, what'll I do.

DougR

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: Allan C.
Date: 02 Jan 00 - 12:01 PM

I would be interested in knowing what chords might be used for this song. The progression gets a bit iffy (for me) after the main theme becomes changed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: DougR
Date: 02 Jan 00 - 09:26 PM

Allan C:

You're right. I hope someone much more savvy than me will respond. I love the song.

DougR

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: WyoWoman
Date: 02 Jan 00 - 09:46 PM

I may have a simplified version of it, from a friend's fake book, but here's what I've got:

(I'm not sure how to write this stuff down here, but here goes:)

            C       Fm6     C/E C7 Dm7b5
  What'll I do when you are far away

      C/G  G7              C
  And I am blue, What'll I do?

            C            C/E  C7   Dm7b5
   What'll I do when I am wondering who

     C/G     G7             C
  is kissing you, What'll I do?

            F        Dm    F     Fm6
  What'll I do with just a photograph

     C/E     A7       D7  G7
  To tell my troubles to?

           C          Fm6   C/E  C7  Dm7b5
  When I'm alone with only dreams of you

       C/G        G7             C C6/9
   That won't come true, what'll I do?

Well, here goes nuttin. If it scrambles when I send it, I'll drop back to plan B and put the chords in front of the word on which they change. But, let's try this...

WW

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: margaret
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 02:10 PM

Have a listen to Harry Nilsson's beautiful album, "A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night," which includes "What'll I Do" among a bunch of other great old stuff.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 11:15 PM

And for anyone who wants even more complex chords for this song to play with, they are out there in MIDI format on the Web. If you're happiest working with chord names (rather than the music score) you can download a demo version of Winjammer Professional from soundtrek.com that takes all the hard work out of extracting all the Eb sus2 6/9/11th's for you. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Feb 06 - 07:07 AM

I knew 'd find the lyrics to this on Mudcat. Hadn't heard it in years. The community radio station played a lovely version, yesterday, by Loudon Wainwright. Just simply beautiful. Thanks for posting the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: cptsnapper
Date: 15 Feb 06 - 12:50 PM

A good source for songs & ideas re; chords for songs is theguitarguy.com/

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: Jeanie
Date: 15 Feb 06 - 01:09 PM

It's one my favourites, too. It was also used as the signature tune to the UK sitcom "Birds of a Feather" (about the Essex girls whose husbands were in prison) - don't know if that series ever made it to the US.

For no particular reason that I can remember, it has become the "Test Song" in our house to see if your voice has recovered from a cold/sore throat: if you can sing the bit where it goes higher "What'll I do with just a photograph...." then you're on the mend. (And if you haven't yet recovered, it provides great amusement to everyone else. Yes, I know, I live in a strange household).

- jeanie

Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT'LL I DO? (Irving Berlin)
From: GUEST,Mark Dowding
Date: 16 Feb 06 - 03:09 AM

As usual with songs of this era, many people sing the chorus and leave the rest of the song out. Here is the full version - words anyway. The a midi of the tune was on the melodylane site but you now have to be a member of that site to get access to the songs due to copyright reasons.


WHAT'LL I DO?
(Irving Berlin)

1.
Gone is the romance that was so divine
'Tis broken and cannot be mended
You must go your way and I must go mine
But now that our love dreams have ended


Ch
What'll I do
When you are far away
And I am blue
What'll I do

What'll I do
When I am wond'ring who
Is kissing you
What'll I do

What'll I do with just a photograph
To tell my troubles to

When I'm alone
With only dreams of you
That won't come true
What'll I do

2.
Do you remember a night filled with bliss?
The moonlight was softly descending
Your lips and my lips were tied with a kiss
A kiss with an unhappy ending


Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do (Irving Berlin)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Aug 13 - 11:01 AM

Lyrics by Mark are correct.

The song was introduced in Irving Berlin's "Music Box Review" of 1923, sung by Grace Moore and John Steel, and was used again in the 1924 edition.
The music was used in several films including "The Great Gatsby," 1974.
The song has been sung by many, including Sarah Vaughan, Lena Horne and Georgia Gibbs. The early version on record is by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra.

The song bears copyright by Irving Berlin, 1924 and 1947.

Irving Berlin's name should be added to the thread title.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 11 Aug 13 - 11:13 AM

It was the theme tune of Birds of a Feather, a British sitcom that was broadcast on BBC One from 1989 until 1998, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph; created by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birds_of_a_Feather

~M~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What'll I Do
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 11 Aug 13 - 11:38 AM

"It's not WHAT WILL WE DO, is it?"
Mary Delaney, who appears to be the sole traditional source for this can be heard singing this (in spectacular contrast to the Silly Sisters rendition) on 'From Puck To Appleby' on the Musical Traditions label.
Jim Carroll