"(I Love You) for Sentimental Reasons" is a popular song written by Ivory "Deek" Watson, founding member of

the Ink Spots The Ink Spots were an American vocal pop group who gained international fame in the 1930s and 1940s. Their unique musical style predated the rhythm and blues and rock and roll musical genres, and the subgenre doo-wop. The Ink Spots were widely ...

and of the Brown Dots, and William "Pat" Best, founding member of the Four Tunes. The credits and Leeds Publishing Company list Watson as a co-writer. Best later claimed that Watson had nothing to do with the creation of the song, but Watson maintained in his late-1960s autobiography that he and Best wrote the song together, lyrics and music respectively. Best was a member of Watson's group, the Brown Dots. The song was published in 1945 and released by Watson's quartet with Joe King as lead vocalist on the Manor Records label (catalog No. 1041A).

Hit versions

The biggest-selling version by The King Cole Trio was released by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...

as catalog number 304. It first reached the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on November 22, 1946 and lasted 12 weeks on the chart, peaking at number one. * The recording by

Eddy Howard Edward Evan Duncan Howard (September 12, 1914 – May 23, 1963) was an American vocalist and bandleader who was popular during the 1940s and 1950s. Early years Eddy Howard was born in Woodland, California, and after attending San Jose State Coll ...

was released by

Majestic Records Majestic Records was a mid-20th century record label based in New York City, incorporated in 1945 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Majestic Radio & Television. The label enjoyed its greatest commercial success in the 1940s until expansion and sup ...

as catalog number 1071A. It first reached the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on January 10, 1947, and lasted five weeks on the chart, peaking at number six. * The recording by

Dinah Shore Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore; February 29, 1916 – February 24, 1994) was an American singer, actress, television personality, and the chart-topping female vocalist of the 1940s. She rose to prominence as a recording artist during the ...

was released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number 37188. It first reached the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on January 10, 1947, and lasted four weeks on the chart, peaking at number six. * The recording by

Charlie Spivak Charlie Spivak (c. February 17, 1904 – March 1, 1982) was an American trumpeter and bandleader, best known for his big band in the 1940s. Early life According to his immigration record, Sender Spivakovsky was born around 1904 in the village ...

(vocal by Jimmy Saunders) was released by

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic ...

as catalog number 20-1981. It first reached the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on January 10, 1947, and lasted 14 weeks on the chart, peaking at number seven. *

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

& The Delta Rhythm Boys' version reached the No. 8 spot in the charts in 1947. * Art Kassel and His "Kassels-in-the-air" (vocal by Jimmy Featherstone) – their recording was also a chart hit, peaking at No. 15 in 1947. *

Sam Cooke Samuel Cooke (; January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter. Considered one of the most influential soul music, soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred to as the "King of Soul" for his distin ...

recorded an early soul version. Released in 1957, it peaked at 17 on the pop charts, and 15 on the R&B charts. ( Sam Cooke discography) *

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...

disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

version in 1976 charted at No. 70 R&B.

Other recordings

The Four Lovers The Four Lovers was a band formed in 1956 which was the result of vocalist Frankie Valli joining The Variatones (first Tommy DeVito (musician), Tommy DeVito, lead guitar; James Gregorio Valeo, then Henry Majewski, rhythm guitar; Frank Cottone, ...

– on their album '' Joyride'' (1956) *

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...

– '' The Nat King Cole Story'' (1961) *

Vera Lynn Dame Vera Margaret Lynn (; 20 March 1917 – 18 June 2020) was an English singer and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were very popular during World War II. She is Honorific nicknames in popular music, honorifically known ...

– for her album ''Yours'' (1961) *

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor, and comedian. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Cool", he is regarded as one of the most popular entertainers of ...

– for his album '' Cha Cha de Amor'' (1962) *The Cleftones – 1962 (Gee label, then Roulette label. The Cleftones Presenting Heart and Soul) *

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...

Mary Wells Mary Esther Wells (May 13, 1943 – July 26, 1992) was an American singer, who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s. Along with the Supremes, the Miracles, the Temptations, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and the F ...

on their album ''

Together ''ToGetHer'' (, aka Superstar Express) is a 2009 Taiwanese drama starring Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit, Rainie Yang and George Hu. It was produced by Comic International Productions ( 可米國際影視事業股份有限公司) and directed by Linzi ...

'' (1964) *

Sammy Davis Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, actor, comedian, dancer, and musician. At age two, Davis began his career in Vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the Will Mastin Trio, which t ...

– '' The Nat King Cole Songbook'' (1965) *

– '' Gettin' Down to It'' (1969) *

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American singer who has performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin music. Ronstadt has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three A ...

– '' For Sentimental Reasons'' (1986) *

Five Star Five Star (also styled as 5 Star) were a British Pop music, pop group, formed in 1983 and comprising siblings Stedman Pearson, Stedman, Lorraine, Denise Pearson, Denise, Doris, and Delroy Pearson. From 1985 to 1988, Five Star had four top-20 a ...

– on their album '' Heart and Soul'' (1994) *

The Four Freshmen The Four Freshmen is an American male vocal quartet that blends close and open harmony, open-harmonic jazz arrangements with the big band vocal group sounds of The Modernaires, The Pied Pipers, and The Mel-Tones, founded in the Barbershop music, ...

- ''The Complete Capitol Four Freshmen Fifties Sessions'' (2000) *

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...

– '' Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III'' (2004) *

Glenn Frey Glenn Lewis Frey (; November 6, 1948 – January 18, 2016) was an American musician. He was a founding member of the rock band Eagles, for whom he was the co-lead singer and frontman, roles he came to share with fellow member Don Henley, with ...

– '' After Hours'' (2012) *

The Righteous Brothers The Righteous Brothers are an American musical duo originally formed by Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield but now comprising Medley and Bucky Heard. Medley formed the group with Hatfield in 1963. They had first performed together in 1962 in the L ...

- ''Back to Back'' (1965) * The Rivileers -- 1955 R&B single on Baton Records.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:I Love You For Sentimental Reasons 1945 songs 1946 singles Nat King Cole songs Sam Cooke songs Dean Martin songs Dinah Shore songs James Brown songs Five Star songs Eddy Howard songs

Hit versions

Other recordings

See also

References

External links