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| "Should I?" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Arden–Ohman Orchestra | |
| Published | 1929 by Robbins Music Corp. |
| Recorded | July 29, 1929 (1929-07-29) |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:15 |
| Label | Victor 53960 |
| Composer(s) | Nacio Herb Brown |
| Lyricist(s) | Arthur Freed |
"Should I?" is a song with music by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed, first published in 1929. It was originally written for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Lord Byron of Broadway (1930), where it was introduced by singer and actor Charles Kaley. The song became a major hit, charting at number 3 on Billboard for 11 weeks in 1930.
Background
The first recording of "Should I?" was on July 29, 1929, by Arden–Ohman Orchestra with Scrappy Lambert providing vocals.
In 1931, the song was recorded in Polish by Henryk Wars' Vocal Group under the title "Ja wiem o twej miłości" (eng. "I Know About Your Love"). The translation was made by Andrzej Włast.
Re-arranged by Conrad Salinger, Wally Heglin and Skip Martin, "Should I?" appeared in the musical film Singin' in the Rain (1952). Under the musical direction of Lennie Hayton, it was briefly sung by character actor Wilson Wood parodying Rudy Vallee during the "Beautiful Girl Montage" segment. A portion of the song had also been featured in the 1943 MGM musical film, Thousands Cheer, sung by Georgia Carroll as part of a medley built around an unrelated song, "I Dug a Ditch" by the Kay Kyser orchestra, for which Carroll was a featured vocalist.
Notable recordings
| Date | Main recording artist | Vocalist | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 29, 1929 | Arden–Ohman Orchestra | Scrappy Lambert | Lambert credited as "Burt Lorin". | |
| October 10, 1929 | The Harmonians | Tom Frawley | ||
| October 18, 1929 | Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra | Jack Fulton | ||
| November 17, 1929 | Jesse Stafford and his Orchestra | Jesse Stafford | ||
| December 5, 1929 | Frank Munn and his Orchestra | Frank Munn | Credited as "Paul Oliver". | |
| December 23, 1929 | Phil Spitalny and his Orchestra | instrumental | Credited as "Hotel Pennsylvania Music". | |
| December 24, 1929 | Charles Kaley | Featured in Lord Byron of Broadway. | ||
| January 15, 1930 | Jack Miller and the New Englanders | Jack Miller | ||
| February 18, 1930 | Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra | Jimmie Noone | ||
| February 20, 1930 | The Rondoliers | |||
| February 28, 1930 | Seger Ellis | Featuring Tommy Dorsey and Eddie Lang. | ||
| c. 1931 | Chór Henryka Warsa | Polish version "Ja wiem o twej miłości". | ||
| October 20, 1947 | André Previn | instrumental | Featuring Al Viola and Jackie Mills. | |
| April 24, 1950 | Frank Sinatra | Released on the Sing and Dance with Frank Sinatra album. | ||
| c. 1951 | Lennie Hayton | Wilson Wood | Soundtrack recording for Singin' in the Rain and part of the "Beautiful Girl Montage" medley. | |
| September 19, 1956 | Nat King Cole | Recording included on From The Capitol Vaults (Vol. 3) compilation album. | ||
Charts
| Chart (1930) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard | 3 |
References
- ^ "Nacio Herb Brown – Discography of American Historical Recordings".
- Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 104. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- ^ "Songs from the Year 1930". tsort.info. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
- ^ "Ja wiem o twej miłości". Stare Melodie. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
- ^ "Full credits of Singin' in the Rain – Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
- ^ "Wilson Wood – Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- Should I? at AllMusic
- "Soundtracks for Singin' in the Rain – Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- "Nat King Cole With Nelson Riddle's Orchestra – Recording History". imdb.com. Retrieved 2023-06-17.