This week’s tune is frankly new to me and I do it on the suggestion of Ted Bloch, an American song maven (and retired lawyer) who mentioned it during a conversation we had a while back.  I’d heard of the title but didn’t really know it.  It’s I’ll String Along With You, written in 1934 by Harry Warren, who wrote many other standards including September in the Rain and The More I See You.

Thinking about the Warren songs I’m familiar with, there is often nothing particularly inventive about their harmony, but their sheer melodic strength wins you over.  Think of, for example, You’ll Never Know, or I Only Have Eyes for you.  This week’s tune is similar.  When it gets in your head, it stays there.

  As for the treatment this week, there’s something different.  My neighbor Joe said he wanted to hear what he called my barroom/living room voice and though I tend not to sing in front of strangers (for reasons that will be shortly obvious), I have obliged him.  In fact, I had been thinking lately of getting some singer friends for these weekly tunes, the better to render the lyric and make them more properly weekly songs.

  In the meantime, this may be considered as a sort of experiment, perhaps more technical than musical!  I summoned the string players again from behind my sofa, because I need all the help I can get.  Apologies to real singers everywhere.  Click above to hear it.  The lyrics are below.   

I’ll String Along With You

 You may not be an angel

‘Cause angels are so few.

But until the day that one comes along

I’ll String along with you.

I’m looking for an angel

To sing my love song to.

And until the day the one comes along

I’ll sing my song to you.

For ev’ry little that fault you have

Say, I’ve got three or four.

The human little faults you do have

Just make me love you more.

You may not be an angel.

But still I’m sure you’ll do.

So until the day that one comes along

I’ll string along with you.