"I Could Write a Book" is a

show tune A show tune is a song originally written as part of the score of a work of musical theatre or musical film, especially if the piece in question has become a standard, more or less detached in most people's minds from the original context. T ...

from the 1940

Rodgers and Hart Rodgers and Hart were an American songwriting partnership between composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and the lyricist Lorenz Hart (1895–1943). They worked together on 28 stage musicals and more than 500 songs from 1919 until Hart' ...

musical '' Pal Joey'', where it was introduced by Gene Kelly and Leila Ernst. It is considered a

standard Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object th ...

Critical reception

An uncredited critic reviewing "New Plays in Manhattan" for ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...

'' said of ''Pal Joey'' that the musical contains "all the dancing anyone could want and at least three more great Richard Rodgers tunes: 'I Could Write a Book' (sweet), 'Love Is My Friend' (torchy), '

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered "Bewitched (Bothered and Bewildered)" is a show tune and popular song from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical '' Pal Joey''. It is part of the Great American Songbook. The song was introduced by Vivienne Segal on December 25, 1940, in the Bro ...

' (catchy)."(No author.) "New plays in Manhattan," ''Time'', 37:1, 6 January 1941.

Cover versions

The song has been covered by such artists as: *

Anita O'Day Anita Belle Colton (October 18, 1919 – November 23, 2006), known professionally as Anita O'Day, was an American jazz singer and self proclaimed “song stylist” widely admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band app ...

1960 * Frank D'Rone, *

Vince Guaraldi Vincent Anthony Guaraldi (; né Dellaglio, July 17, 1928 – February 6, 1976) was an American jazz pianist best known for composing music for animated television adaptations of the ''Peanuts'' comic strip. His compositions for this series includ ...

, * Frank Sinatra, *

Vic Damone Vic Damone (born Vito Rocco Farinola; June 12, 1928 – February 11, 2018) was an American traditional pop and big band singer and actor. He was best known for his performances of songs such as the number one hit "You're Breaking My Heart", and ...

1964 * Harry Connick Jr., *

Dinah Washington Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, who has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s songs". Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performe ...

. *

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...

In popular culture

*Harry Connick Jr.'s version of "I Could Write a Book" was used in the 1989 film '' When Harry Met Sally...'', appearing on the film's soundtrack, and also appears on the soundtrack of the 1997 film ''

Deconstructing Harry ''Deconstructing Harry'' is a 1997 American black comedy film written, directed by, and co-starring Woody Allen, alongside Caroline Aaron, Kirstie Alley, Bob Balaban, Richard Benjamin, Eric Bogosian, Billy Crystal, Judy Davis and others. The fil ...

''. *Dinah Washington's version of "I Could Write a Book", from her 1955 album ''

For Those in Love ''For Those in Love'' is a studio album by American jazz vocalist Dinah Washington with musical arrangements by Quincy Jones. It was originally released by EmArcy Records in June 1955, and was reissued by EmArcy Records in 1991. In popular cultu ...

'', was used in the ninth episode of the first season of the television series ''

Ash vs Evil Dead Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...

''.

References

Sources

* Songs about writers Songs with music by Richard Rodgers Songs with lyrics by Lorenz Hart Songs from Pal Joey (musical) Ella Fitzgerald songs 1940 songs Songs from Pal Joey (film) 1940s jazz standards {{Show-tune-stub