Mean to Me

By Fred E. Ahlert and Roy Turk
1929

From the tail end of the Roaring '20s comes this sad, plaintive ballad with a clever lyric by Roy Turk which plays on the double meaning of the word "mean". It was introduced by Annette Hanshaw (pictured), considered in the early '30s to be the female equivalent of Bing Crosby. Ruth Etting also scored a major hit with it later that year. The melody would also be featured that year in the Krazy Kat cartoon "Ratskin", the first animated short produced by Columbia Pictures.

Lyrics: 

You're mean to me
Why must you be mean to me?
Gee, honey, it seems to me
You love to see me cryin'
I don't know why
I stay home each night
When you say you phone
You don't and I'm left alone.

Sing the blues and sighin'
You treat me coldly each day in the year
You always scold me
Whenever somebody is near, dear
I must be great fun to be mean to me
You shouldn't, for can't you see
What you mean to me

Recorded By:

Dean Martin
Robert Goulet
Ella Fitzgerald
Billie Holiday
Anita O'Day

I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)

By Fred E. Ahlert & Roy Turk
1931

An extremely versatile standard that has experienced three major periods of popularity and been recorded in many different styles. It was introduced in 1931 by Russ Columbo (pictures), then enjoyed a revival in the '40s thanks to the big bands, and came back again in the early '60s with Linda Scott. Charming and guileless, it has proven suitable for country, blues and rock recordings.

Lyrics:

All day long you're asking me what I see in you
All day long I'm answering but what good does it do?
I have nothing to explain
I just love you, love you, and I'll tell you once again

I don't know why I love you like I do
I don't know why, I just do
I don't know why you thrill me like you do
I don't know why, you just do

You never seem to want my romancing
The only time you hold me is when we're dancing

I don't know why I love you like I do
I don't know why, I just do

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Kate Smith
Hoagy Carmichael
King Cole Trio
The Andrew Sisters

Are You Lonesome Tonight?

By Lou Handman & Roy Turk
1926

It's a common misconception that Elvis Presley's famous 1960 recording was the introduction of this song, but it was actually a standard decades before the King took a crack at it. Handman and his sister Edith were the first to record the tune in 1927. Blue Barron had the first charted hit with it in 1950, and it's believed that it was Jaye P. Morgan's 1959 rendition, heard by Presley in the army, that inspired him to make the record. His spoken-word portion was taken from Al Jolson's 1950 version. The Presley record spent six weeks at the number-one spot.

Lyrics:

Are you lonesome tonight?
Do you miss me tonight?
Are you sorry we drifted apart?

Does your memory stray
To a bright summer day
When I kissed you and called you sweetheart?

Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare?
Do you gaze at your doorstep, and picture me there?

Is your heart filled with pain?
Shall I come back again?
Tell me, dear,
Are you lonesome tonight?

Recorded By:

The Lettermen
Doris Day
Merle Haggard
Al Martino
Frank Sinatra