I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Baby)
The Ink Spots
Words by Dorothy Fields and Music by Jimmy McHugh
- This version did not chart, but no great loss because everybody and their brother
did it, following its introduction in the revue "Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1928".
- In 1928: Cliff Edwards (# 1); Ben Selvin (# 2); Johnny Hamp (# 4); and Seger Ellis (# 19)
- Then, in 1929, it was charted by Gene Austin and Nat Shilkret (both hit # 12)
- In 1936 Teddy Wilson featuring Billie Holiday took it to #5.
- In 1943 it was sung in the film "Stormy Weather" by Lena Horne and Bill
"Bojangles" Robinson.
- In 1948 Rose Murphy brought it back again, at # 13.
- It finally wore out with the 1966 instrumental version by Bert Kaempfert at # 100.
I can't give you anything but love, baby
That's the only thing I've plenty of, baby
Dream a while, scheme a while
You're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for
Now, gee I love to see you lookin' swell, baby
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby
Till that lucky day, you know darn well, baby
I can't give you anything but love
--
MONOLOGUE: Gee, I love to see you lookin' swell, baby. Look like you just came
up outta the wishin' well, baby. Dream awhile, scheme awhile and you're sure to find
happiness and ALL those things you been lookin' for, baby. Gee, I LOVE to see ya
lookin' swell, baby!!. Diamond rings, bracelets, gold watches 'n' everything, baby.
Until that lucky day, honey, you know good 'n' doggone well, honey, I can't give you a
DADGUM thing but love.
Now, I can't give you anything but love, baby
That's the only thing I've plenty of, baby
Dream a while, scheme a while
You're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you'u've always pined for
Now, gee I love to see you lookin' swell, baby
Diamond Sometimes I miss that feeling of falling
Falling on over the ledge
You know I miss that feeling of falling
Falling on over the ledge
And when my mind it gets to worryin'
And I just can't get no rest
Oh Baby, that's when I call you up instead
It's after midnight baby, I'm sittin' here all alone
I tried to call your number baby,
but you weren't at home
I been a good girl baby, through with all that mess
But the way I'm feelin' now, darlin'
Well it scares me half to death
Well I miss that feelin', of fallin'
on over the ledge
That summer night in Texas, baby
Too hot and wet to sleep
I heard you pull up in the distance
You're comin' to get me relief
We went screamin' down the highway, baby
So much faster than we should
You pulled me over in the moonlight
Man, I still can feel that hood
Well I miss that feeling of fallin',
on over the ledge
When that rain starts baby, I want to take a real
Good look at that ledge
It ain't something you get over
You might think you made it through
You can turn your head and walk away
But it never takes it's eyes off you
It'll push your foot right through the floorboard
Make you cut them streamers down his back
You waste what's precious and you can't afford
It runs your life right off the track
Keeps you boilin' in that poison
Only the truly twisted know so well
You don't need drugs to show you heaven, baby
'cause there's plenty clean in hell
That miss that feelin' of fallin'
of fallin' on over the ledge
When the blues start callin' I want to crawl way up close to the ledge