(1928)
Walter Donaldson(
composer),
Gus Kahn(
lyricist)
Love me or
leave me and let me be
lonely
You won't believe me but I
love you only
I'd rather be lonely than
happy with somebody else
You might find the night time the right time for
kissing
Night time is my time for just reminiscing
Regretting instead of forgetting with somebody else
There'll be no one unless that someone is you
I intend to be independently
blue
I want your
love, don't wanna borrow
Have it today to give back tomorrow
Your
love is my
love
There's no
love for nobody else
Say,
love me or
leave me and let me be
lonely
You won't believe me but I
love you only
I'd rather be lonely than
happy with somebody else
You might find the night time the right time for
kissing
Night time is my time for just reminiscing
Regretting instead of forgetting with somebody else
There'll be no one unless that someone is you
I intend to be independently
blue
Say, I want your
love, don't wanna borrow
Have it today to give back tomorrow
Your
love is my
love
My
love is your
love
There's no
love for nobody else
Written by the songwriting team William Donaldson(composer) and Gus Kahn(lyricist) for the 1928 Broadway show, Whoopee, starring Eddie Cantor and Ruth Etting. It was one of three big hits to come out of that show along with My Baby Just Cares for Me and Makin' Whoopee.
The Nina Simone cover of this song features some fantastic piano work as she gets all Bach in a bridge between the repetition of the lyrics. Alternatively, the Count Basie instrumental cover of this song (Count Basie: Basie and Friends, Pablo Records, Track 3) has drummer Louis Bellson matching Ms. Simone flourish for flourish -- quite an accomplishment considering he only has a drum set to duel with her piano. Basie's famously terse, spacious style compared to Nina's verbose, complex piano work highlights the versatility of jazz; two totally different interpretations of the same song both make great music.
The Lindy Hop competition team, Minnie's Moochers, used a Nina Simone version of this song to great effect to win the Team Division of the 2000 North Atlantic Dance Championships. By taking first place without the use of any flashy aerials, the Moochers proved that you could win with pure musicality. Their victory legitimized and popularized a groovier, musicality-centric sub-style of Lindy Hop, Modern Savoy.