I Can't Begin to Tell You

"I Can't Begin to Tell You" is a popular song with music written by James V. Monaco and lyrics by Mack Gordon. The song was published in 1945.

The song was introduced by John Payne and reprised by Betty Grable in the film The Dolly Sisters. The song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1946 but lost out to “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe”.

A version by Bing Crosby was the best-known recording, reaching its peak of popularity in 1945.

Hit versions
  • The recording by Bing Crosby (with Carmen Cavallaro [piano])[1] was recorded on August 7, 1945[2] and released by Decca Records as catalog number 23457. It first reached the Billboard Best Seller chart on November 15, 1945, and lasted 17 weeks on the chart, peaking at #1.[3]
  • The recording by Andy Russell was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 221. It first reached the Billboard Best Seller chart on December 27, 1945, and lasted 2 weeks on the chart, peaking at #8.[3]
  • A version by Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra (vocal by Nancy Norman) also reached the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 9 in 1946.
  • The recording by the Harry James orchestra, with his wife Grable (as "Ruth Haag", using Grable's real first name and James' middle name) singing,[1] was released by Columbia Records as catalog number 36867. It first reached the Billboard Best Seller chart on December 27, 1945, and lasted 3 weeks on the chart, peaking at #9.[3] The flip side, "Waitin' for the Train to Come In," also charted, reaching #10 in its only week on the chart.

Other notable recordings

The song has also been recorded by: Perry Como (1946), Brook Benton (1959), Jane Morgan (1959), Michael Holliday (1960) and Joni James (1960). Willie Nelson recorded a country genre version of the song for his album Without a Song (1983).

  • It was sung by Marty Robbins on his 1978 "Spotlight" TV show sitting on stools with Eddie Rabbit and singing songs back and forth in "duet".
  • The song was used in the 1949 film You're My Everything when it was sung by Mack Gordon himself.

References
  1. Gilliland, John (197X). "Show 15" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
  2. "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top Pop Records 1940-1955. Record Research.
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