I'm Just Wild About Harry

By Eubie Blake & Noble Sissle
1921

A historic and highly memorable number by the prolific ragtime-era duo of Blake & Sissle. It came from the first successful African-American Broadway musical, Shuffle Along. In fact, it broke the taboo of depicting romantic love between blacks on stage. A huge hit, which made a comeback in 1948 when Harry Truman used it as his campaign song.

Lyrics:

I am here to state, I'm here to relate,
To explain and make it plain that:

I`m just wild about Harry,
And Harry's wild about me;
The heavenly blisses
Of his kisses
Fill me with ecstasy.

He's sweet just like sugar candy,
And just like honey from a bee;
Oh, I`m just wild about Harry,
And he's just wild about,
He can't do without,
He's just wild about me.

Recorded By:

Judy Garland
Peggy Lee
Sarah Vaughan
Jessica Molaskey
Jimmy Dorsey

Memories of You

By Eubie Blake & Andy Razaf
1930

Blake, of course, was a ragtime and early jazz pioneer, while Razaf is also known for such lyrics as "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Honeysuckle Rose". Significantly for the era, both composers were African American. Minto Cato introduced the tune on Broadway in Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1930, but it was Benny Goodman who made a huge hit of it shortly thereafter, and adopted it as his theme song.

Lyrics:

Waking skies
At sunrise,
Every sunset, too.
Seems to be
Bringing me
Memories of you.

Here and there,
Everywhere,
Scenes that we once knew.
And they all
Just recall
Memories of you.

How I wish I could forget those
Happy yesteryears.
That have left a rosary of tears.

Your face beams
In my dreams,
In spite of all I do.
Everything
Seems to bring
Memories of you.

Recorded By:

Duke Ellington
Ethel Waters
Louis Armstrong
Anita O'Day
Billy Eckstine