Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you nostalgic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today’s tune, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” has its roots in New York City during the Roaring Twenties. In the song, a young suitor tells his girlfriend that he really wants to buy her a fine-quality diamond bracelet but — for now — all he can offer is love.
Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields had written the score for a revue at New York City’s Les Ambassadeurs Club in 1928, but were lacking a “smash hit” that their producer demanded. Their inspiration for “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” came from a chance encounter with a young couple in front of Tiffany’s on Fifth Avenue.
It seemed to the writers that the man didn’t have the resources to buy the diamond jewelry in the display window, and then they heard him say, “Gee, honey I’d like to get you a sparkler like that, but right now, I can’t give you nothin’ but love!”
McHugh and Fields ducked into the nearby Steinway Tunnel of the #7 subway line and composed the breakout show tune in less than an hour.
Their lyrics: “Gee I’d like to see you looking swell, baby. / Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn’t sell, baby. / Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby. / I can’t give you anything but love.”
The song was originally performed by Adelaide Hall, but over the years, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” has been covered by the some of most famous names from yesteryear, including Tony Bennett, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Doris Day and Ella Fitzgerald. On the list of the 100 most-recorded songs from 1890 to 1954, the McHugh/Fields show tune rated #24.
The version of the song featured here was sung by Bennett in 1957 and appeared on his LP titled Tony. Interestingly, 57 years later, Bennett would reprise the song in a duet with Lady Gaga. That version appeared on their 2014 album, Cheek to Cheek.
Anthony Dominick Benedetto, better known as Tony Bennett, was born in Queens, NY, in 1926. At the age of 13, he started singing for money at several Italian restaurants in his neighborhood. Upon his discharge from the Army after World War II, Bennett was taught the bel canto singing discipline at the American Theatre Wing.
In 1949, he got his big break when Pearl Bailey asked him to open for her in Greenwich Village. Bob Hope, who had been invited to her show, was impressed by Bennett’s talent and offered to take him on the road. The next year, Bennett signed with Colombia Records.
Bennett performed well into his 90s and passed away in July of 2023 at the age of 96. During his seven-decade career, Bennett sold more than 50 million records and won 20 Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.
He won his first Grammy for “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1963, and scored his last Grammy in the category Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in 2022 for his Love for Sale collaboration with Lady Gaga.
Please check out the audio track of Bennett’s rendition of “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“I Can’t Give You Anything But Love”
Written by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh. Performed by Tony Bennett.
I can’t give you anything but love, baby.
That’s the only thing I’ve plenty of, baby.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile
We’re sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you’ve always pined for.
Gee I’d like to see you looking swell, baby.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn’t sell, baby.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
Can’t give you anything but love.
Can’t give you anything but love, my baby.
That’s the only thing I’ve plenty of, my baby.
Dream awhile and scheme awhile
And we’re sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you’ve always pined for.
Gee I’d like to see you looking swell, my baby.
With your diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn’t sell, my baby.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
Can’t give you anything but love.
Gee I’d like to see you looking swell, my baby.
With your diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn’t sell, my baby.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, my baby.
Let’s do one for the old time…
Can’t give you anything but love.
Credits: Tony Bennett photo by Tom Beetz, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
