IF I COULD BE WITH YOU (ONE HOUR TONIGHT)
Music: James P. Johnson- Lyrics: Henry Creamer
Origin of the song
The pianist James P. Johnson and the songwriter Henry Creamer wrote 'If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight)' in 1926. The year after, the group Clarence Williams' Blue Five, with the voice of Eva Taylor, Clarence Williams' wife, recorded this song and, in 1929, also the Mound City Blue Blowers, an orchestra that included Coleman Hawkins, Pee Wee Russell, Glenn Miller, Eddie Condon, and Gene Krupa.
'If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight)' became famous in 1930, when The McKinney's Cotton Pickers, with the singer George 'Fathead' Thomas, recorded an excellent version that reached the top of the charts. The version that Louis Armstrong's orchestra recorded that year was also very popular.
James P. Johnson is also the author of 'Caprice Rag' (1917), 'Steeplechase Rag' (1917), 'Carolina Shout' (1918), 'Keep Off the Grass' (1921), Charleston' (1923), 'Old-Fashioned Love' (1923), 'Snowy Morning Blues' (1927), and 'You've Got To Be Modernistic' (1930). The lyrics of 'After You've Gone' (1918), 'Dear Old Southland' (1921), and ''Way Down Yonder In New Orleans' (1922), among others, are by Henry Creamer.
Versions in the top charts
DATE OF RECORDING
DAY OF ENTRANCE
PERMANENCE WEEKS
HIGH POSITION REACHED
The McKinney's Cotton Pickers
(two weeks)
George Thomas (voc)
Louis Armstrong Sebastian Cotton Club Orchestra
Louis Armstrong (voc)
Tom Gerun Orchestra
Biff Hoffman (voc)
Jazz. Outstanding performances
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
The Mound City Blue Blowers
Coleman Hawkins (ts), Pee Wee Russel (cl), Glenn Miller (tb), William 'Red' McKenzie (kaz), Jack Bland (g), Eddie Condon (bjo), Pops Foster (b), Gene Krupa (d)
Bechet- Spanier Big Four
Sidney Bechet (cl, ss), Muggsy Spanier (cnt), Carmen Mastren (g), Wellman Braud (b)
James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson (p), Eddie Dougherty (d)
Oscar Peterson Quartet
Oscar Peterson (p), Armand Samson (g), Bert Brown (b), Roland Verdon (d)
Benny Carter Quartet
Benny Carter (tp), Earl Hines (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Shelly Manne (d)
Eva Taylor (voc), Clarence Williams' Blue Five
McKinney's Cotton Pickers
Don Redman (cl, as, bars, dir), Joe Smith (cnt), John Nesbitt, Langston Curl (tp); Ed Cuffee (tb), Benny Carter (cl, as), George Thomas (cl, as, ts, voc), Prince Robinson (cl, ts), Todd Rhodes (p, cel), Dave Wilborn (bjo, g), Billy Taylor (b), Cuba Austin (d)
Ben Pollack Orchestra
Ben Pollack (dir), Charlie Spivak or Ruby Weinstein, Charlie Teagarden (tp), Jack Teagarden (tb, voc), Gil Rodin, Matty Matlock (cl, as), Babe Russin (ts), Alex Beller (vn), Vic Briedis (p), Dick Morgan (bjo), Harry Goodman (b), Ray Bauduc (d)
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Leon Elkins (tp, dir), Lawrence Brown (tb), Leon Herriford, Willie Stark (as), William Franz (ts), Harvey Brooks (p), Ceele Burke (bjo, g), Reggie Jones (tu), Lionel Hampton (d, vib)
Count Basie Orchestra
Count Basie (p, dir), Buck Clayton, Ed Lewis, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Shad Collins (tp), Dicky Wells, Benny Morton, Dan Minor (tb), Earle Warren (as), Buddy Tate, Lester Young (ts), Jack Washington (bars), Freddie Green (g), Walter Page (b), Jo Jones (d), He!en Humes (voc)
The Capitol International Jazzmen
Bill Coleman (tp), Buster Bailey (cl), Benny Carter (as), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), John Kirby (b), Max Roach (d), Kay Starr (voc)
Mark Murphy (voc), Ralph Burns Orchestra
Julie London (voc), Russell Garcia Orchestra
Helen Humes
Helen Humes (voc), Ben Webster (ts), André Previn (p), Barney Kessel (g), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Shelly Manne (d), string section, Marty Paich (dir)
Carmen McRae
Carmen McRae (voc), Ray Beckenstein (fl), Norman Simmons (p), Joe Puma (g), Paul Breslin (b), Frank Severino (d), Jose Mangual (bon)
On cinemas
The song 'If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
TITLE IN SPAIN
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM
Big Business Girl
Una audaz ante todo mujer decidida
Frank Albertson
Lawyer man
Hombre de leyes
Ladies They Talk About
Lillian Roth; instrumental with a guitar
Los violentos años veinte
Night Train to Munich
Tren nocturno a Munich
Wistled by Rex Harrison
Encuentro invernal
Joan Crawford; background music
Thieves Highway
Mercado de ladrones
Slattery's Hurricane
Furia del trópico
El trompetista
Wistled by the lift assistant
Huracán de emociones
Mr. Roberts
Escala en Hawaii
Wistled by Jack Lemmon
The Joker Is Wild
La máscara del dolor
The Naked And The Dead
Los desnudos y los muertos
La ley del hampa
La dama de rojo
El precio de la ambición
Ruth Etting
El curioso caso de Benjamin Button
Louis Armstrong Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra
Si la cosa funciona
Jackie Gleason Orchestra