Ruth Etting - After You've Gone (1927) video free download

After You've Gone

Words by Henry Creamer

Music by Turner Layton

Performed by Ruth Etting

March 1, 1927

Columbia 995-D

Henry Creamer (1879-1930) and Turner Layton (1894-1978), a vaudeville duo, wrote more than 60 tunes between 1917 and 1923 and "After You've Gone" was probably their greatest hit. It had been added to the score of the musical "So Long Letty" at the beginning of it's successful road tour. The song became very popular but nobody could buy the sheet music since it hadn't been officially published yet. It was first recorded by Campbell and Burr in April 1918 followed by Marion Harris in July 1918. Both sang it as a slow ballad which is the same way Ruth Etting sings it on this recording. It had languished until being revived in 1927, by the successful recordings of Ruth Etting, Bessie Smith and Sophie Tucker and the more upbeat tempos by the dance and jazz bands including Louis Armstrong, Charleston Chasers, Paul Whiteman and the California Ramblers. Since then it has become one of the most recorded of all popular tunes and has been performed by such artist as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman and Judy Garland.