This week’s Weekly Tune is a new one.  Well, a new one for me anyway, even though it was written in 1937.  It’s Me, Myself and I, written by Irving Gordon, Allan Roberts and Alvin S. Kaufman, whom you may not have heard of, but Billie Holiday sang it, so how bad could it be?

Me, Myself and I was requested by Kevin Duckett who is at Ithaca College and has a radio program there (92 WICB) so if you are in the area or have satellite radio, you might listen in.  Kevin’s show is on Tuesdays 2-4 a.m., which is the shank of the evening if you are a college student, though may be a little less convenient if you are not.  Kevin is also, to his credit, a huge Johnny Costa fan, Costa, the late wizard pianist of the Mr. Rogers show.  Costa is a favorite of mine too and  I have been remiss in not mentioning Costa more often on this site.  Anyone who is interested in Tatumesque solo jazz piano should check out JohnnyCosta.com.

  But I digress.

  Anyway, Kevin knew Me, Myself and I from a recording by the Kennedys, whom I didn’t know, but who have a nice swinging string sound aka The Stringbusters.  My friend, the clarinetist Herb Hecsh whom we heard last week, had a vague recollection of the Me, Myself and I as a sort of novelty tune of its day but I gather that it never became a real standard.  Truth be told, it is fairly boilerplate, but it’s catchy nonetheless and seems to be one of those simple songs that swings on its own.  I’ve been playing it on jobs and enjoying it.

  My version here is a typical 1930’s style version, in a sort of Teddy Wilson vein.  Having no singer handy, I sang it myself and if you overlook some problems of intonation, you will be happy to hear that the song lays mostly within the four or five notes that make up my natural range!  One technical note:  I liked the Kennedys feel, but they altered the opening melody line, infelicitously in my view.  Instead of re do re do re (as it was written), they sing mi re mi re mi.  The written version is a little less conventional and adds a little interest to an otherwise unsurprising melody.  Click on the title in red to her my version.  The lyrics, which play cutely on the numbers, are below. 

Me, myself and I

Are all in love with you.

We all think you’re wonderful,

We do!

Me, myself and I

Have just one point of view.

We’re convinced there’s no one else

Like you.

It can’t be denied, dear,

You brought the sun to us.

We’d be satisfied, dear

If you belonged to one of us.

So, if you pass me be,

Three hearts will break in two,

‘Cause me, myself and I

Are all in love with you.