I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter

"I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter"
"I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter"
Single by Fats Waller & His Rhythm
B-side	"You've Been Taking Lessons in Love"
Released	May 29, 1935
Recorded	May 8, 1935
Studio	Victor Studios, New York
Genre	popular
Length	3:33
Label	Victor
Composer(s)	Fred E. Ahlert
Lyricist(s)	Joe Young
Fats Waller & His Rhythm singles chronology

"I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" is a 1935 popular song with music by Fred E. Ahlert and lyrics by Joe Young.^[1] It has been recorded many times, and has become a standard of the Great American Songbook. It was popularized by Fats Waller, who recorded it in 1935 at the height of his fame.^[2]

It is one of several songs from the Harlem Renaissance featured in the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin'.

American Public Media's business-news program, Marketplace, uses a portion of Fats Waller's version to open its weekly letters-from-listeners segment.

Recordings[]

The song had a major revival in 1957 in a Coral recording (on April 3) by Billy Williams with orchestra directed by Dick Jacobs.^[3] It reached #3 on the Billboard magazine charts.^[4] A reported million-seller,^[5] it was awarded a Gold record.^[6]

The song was recorded by Frank Sinatra for his 1954 album Swing Easy, by Bing Crosby for his 1957 LP Bing with a Beat and again by Sinatra in 1962 for his collaborative album with Count Basie, Sinatra–Basie: An Historic Musical First.

Among other versions are recordings by The Boswell Sisters, Connee Boswell, Nat "King" Cole, Scatman Crothers, Gregory Isaacs, Barry Manilow, Dean Martin, Anne Murray, Willie Nelson, Linda Scott, Shakin' Stevens, Al Bowlly, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Mae Morse, and The Mills Brothers.

Don Cherry, best known for "Band of Gold", his 1955 mega hit, released a version of 'Letter' in 1957 on a Coronet 78 (an Australian label), working with . On the flip side was So Rare.

Charlie Gracie (mostly known for his 1957 #1 hit "Butterfly" on Cameo Record label #105—45rpm) recorded "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" (Cadillac Record label #141—45 rpm). The flip side of the record was a song written by Gracie, "Boogie Woogie Blues". Gracie's version was released in 1953.^[7]

Bill Haley & His Comets recorded a rock and roll version of the song in 1957.^[8]

Fabian recorded his version of the song in 1960 on Chancellor Records.^[9]

In 1973 Cleo Laine included the song as her opening song on the album I Am a Song^[10] and sang on stage during her subsequent tour.

Comedian Larry Storch recorded and released the song on Roulette records.

New Jersey entertainer Uncle Floyd (aka Floyd Vivino) has covered this song in his live performances as well as recording it.^[11]

Madeleine Peyroux also covered this song on her debut album Dreamland (1996).

Tony Danza released a version in 2002.

In 2012 Paul McCartney covered it on his album of standards, Kisses on the Bottom and chose one of its lines as the title.

References[]

^ "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter Lyrics". MetroLyrics > Paul McCartney Lyrics. MetroLyrics. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016. Songwriters AHLERT, FRED E. / YOUNG, JOE
^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 436. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 679. ISBN 0-8230-7499-4.
^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs. London: Barrie and Jenkins. p. 97. ISBN 0214205126.
^ "Golden Wax: Awards Go to 4 Coral Top Artists". Billboard. October 28, 1957. p. 22.
^ "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
^ "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
^ "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
^ "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.

[1] "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter Lyrics". MetroLyrics > Paul McCartney Lyrics. MetroLyrics. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016. Songwriters AHLERT, FRED E. / YOUNG, JOE

[2] Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 436. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.

[3] "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.

[4] Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 679. ISBN 0-8230-7499-4.

[5] Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs. London: Barrie and Jenkins. p. 97. ISBN 0214205126.

[6] "Golden Wax: Awards Go to 4 Coral Top Artists". Billboard. October 28, 1957. p. 22.

[7] "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.

[8] "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.

[9] "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.

[10] "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.

[11] "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

show v t The Boswell Sisters
Martha Boswell Connee Boswell Helvetia Boswell
Singles	"I Found a Million Dollar Baby" "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" "Dinah" "Alexander's Ragtime Band" "St. Louis Blues" "Cheek to Cheek" "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter"
Film Appearances	The Big Broadcast (1932) Meet the Baron (1933) Moulin Rouge (1934) Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round (1934)

show v t Connee Boswell
Singles	"Say It Isn't So" "Moon Over Miami" "Basin Street Blues" "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart" "Alexander's Ragtime Band" "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" "You Were Meant for Me" "Singin' the Blues" "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" "If I Give My Heart to You"
Related topics	The Boswell Sisters

show v t Willie Nelson singles
1950s	"No Place for Me" "Man With the Blues" / "The Storm Has Just Begun" "What a Way to Live"
1960s	"Nite Life" "The Part Where I Cry" / "Mr. Record Man" "Willingly" "Touch Me" "Wake Me When It's Over" "Half a Man" / "The Last Letter" "Am I Blue" "I Never Cared For You" "Pretty Paper" "San Antonio Rose" "I Love You Because" "The Party's Over" "Blackjack County Chain" "Johnny One Time" "Bring Me Sunshine"
1970s	"Fire and Rain" "Yesterday's Wine" "Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)" "Bloody Mary Morning" "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" "If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time" "Georgia on My Mind" "Blue Skies" "All of Me" "Whiskey River" "September Song" "White Christmas"
1980s	"Help Me Make It Through the Night" "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" "Midnight Rider" "On the Road Again" "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" "Mona Lisa" "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" "Always on My Mind" "Let It Be Me" "Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning" "Little Old Fashioned Karma" "Why Do I Have to Choose" "Take It to the Limit" "Without a Song" "City of New Orleans" "Forgiving You Was Easy" "Living in the Promiseland" "Heart of Gold" "Spanish Eyes" (with Julio Iglesias) "Twilight Time" "Nothing I Can Do About It Now" "There You Are" "Mr. Record Man"
1990s	"Ain't Necessarily So" "Graceland"
2000s	"Mendocino County Line" (with Lee Ann Womack) "Wurlitzer Prize" (with Norah Jones) "Beer for My Horses" (with Toby Keith) "The Harder They Come" "You Don't Know Me" "Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other" "Gravedigger"
2010s	"Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die" "Just Breathe" "Grandma's Hands" (with Mavis Staples) "The Wall" "It's All Going to Pot" "Summer Wind" "Vote 'Em Out"
Category:Willie Nelson

show v t Barry Manilow singles
1970s	"Mandy" (1974) "Sandra" (1974) "It's a Miracle" (1975) "Could It Be Magic" (1975) "I Write the Songs" (1975) "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again" (1976) "This One's for You" (1976) "Weekend in New England" (1976) "Looks Like We Made It" (1977) "Daybreak" (1977) "It's Just Another New Year's Eve" (1977) "Can't Smile Without You" (1978) "Even Now" (1978) "Copacabana" (1978) "Ready to Take a Chance Again" (1978) "Somewhere in the Night" (1978) "Ships" (1979) "When I Wanted You" (1979)
1980s	"I Don't Want to Walk Without You" (1980) "Bermuda Triangle" (1980) "I Made It Through the Rain" (1980) "Lonely Together" (1981) "The Old Songs" (1981) "Somewhere Down the Road" (1981) "Let's Hang On!" (1982) "Oh Julie" (1982) "Memory" (1982) "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" (1982) "Read 'Em and Weep" (1983) "When October Goes" (1984) "Run to Me" (1985) "I'm Your Man" (1986) "Keep Each Other Warm" (1989)
1990s	"If I Can Dream" (1990) "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" (1997) "I Go Crazy" (1997)
2000s	"River" (2003) "Unchained Melody" (2006) "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" (2006)
2010s	"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (2012)