Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone

For Nelson Algren's 1947 story, see The Neon Wilderness.

"Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" is a song published in 1930. It was written by Sam H. Stept with lyrics by Sidney Clare. The original publication also credited singer Bee Palmer as co-composer.^[1]

Background

The lyrics are an admonishment between parting lovers, where the singer asks the other to either speak nicely of her, or not at all.^[2]

1931 recordings

Early hit versions in 1931 were by Gene Austin and Bert Lown.^[3]

Other notable recordings

• Ethel Waters – recorded February 10, 1931 for Columbia Records (catalog No. 2409D).^[4]
• Barney Bigard – in the album Barney Bigard in Chronology 1944-1945.
• Doris Day – in her album Lullaby of Broadway (1951).
• The Mills Brothers with Tommy Dorsey and His Sentimentalists (1951).^[5]
• Johnnie Ray (1953)^[6] This charted briefly in the No. 29 spot.^[7]
• Billie Holiday – included in her album Velvet Mood (1956).^[8]
• Bing Crosby (1957)^[9]
• Bill Haley & His Comets – for the album Rockin' the Oldies (1957).
• Kay Starr – included in her album Losers, Weepers (1960)^[10]
• Dean Martin – for his album This Time I'm Swingin'! (1960).^[11]
• Mose Allison – for his album Takes to the Hills (1961).
• Frank Sinatra – for his album Swing Along with Me (1961)
• Sammy Davis Jr. – included in the album The Sounds of '66 (1966).
• Connie Francis – included in her album Connie & Clyde – Hit Songs of the 30s (1968).
• Helen Humes – for her album Songs I Like To Sing! (1961).^[12]
• Ann-Margret – for her album The Vivacious One (1962).^[13]
• Ray Price – included in the album Portrait of a Singer (1985).^[14]
• Piano Red – in the album Percussive Piano "Dr. Feelgood" (1976).^[15]
• Leon Redbone – for his album Champagne Charlie (1978).
• Ella Fitzgerald – with Count Basie & His Orchestra, in the album A Perfect Match (1979).
• Pete Seeger & Arlo Guthrie – on the 1981 live recorded album Precious Friend.
• Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys – this can be found on the album The Tiffany Transcriptions Vol. 3: Basin Street Blues (1984).^[16]
• Rita Reys – included in the album Live at the Concertgebouw (1986).^[17]
• Harry Connick Jr. and Carmen McRae – included in the album 20 (1988).
• Jerry Lee Lewis – included in the compilation box set All Killer, No Filler: The Anthology issued in 1993.
• Willie Nelson – for his album Moonlight Becomes You (1994).
• Dean Martin and Robbie Williams – included in the album Forever Cool (2007)
• Deana Martin – included on her album Volare, released in 2009 by Big Fish Records.
• The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band in 2009

Film appearances

• This song is sung by Norma Shearer's character Mary Haines in the 1939 film The Women as a joke when she leaves her girl friends alone at tea while she takes a call from her philandering husband Stephen Haines.
• The song was used in the film House of Strangers (1949) when it was performed by Dolores Parker at the restaurant.
• In the 1950 film The Breaking Point, it was sung by Patricia Neal at the bar.
• In Lullaby of Broadway (1951), it was sung by Gladys George.
• The song was also sung by the character Michigan J. Frog in the 1955 Warner Bros. animated short, One Froggy Evening.

In popular culture

• Television anchor Edwin Newman sang the song during his hosting of Saturday Night Live in 1984.
• Jamie Cullum also performed the song on the last Michael Parkinson chat show in December 2007.

References

1. H, Stept, Sam; Sidney, Clare; Bee, Palmer; Harry, Connick Jr; Brothers, The Mills; Ella, Fitzgerald; Frank, Sinatra; Carmen, McRae; Billie, Holiday (5 April 2010). "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
2. "Billie Holiday - PLEASE, DON'T TALK ABOUT ME WHEN I'M GONE Lyrics". Metrolyrics.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
3. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 568. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
4. "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
5. "Mills Brothers And Tommy Dorsey And His Sentimentalists - Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
6. "Johnnie Ray -". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
7. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 362. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
8. "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
9. "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
10. "Kay Starr - Losers, Weepers". Discogs.com. 1960. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
11. "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
12. "Helen Humes - Songs I Like To Sing!". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
13. "Miss Ann-Margret* - The Vivacious One". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
14. "Ray Price – Portrait Of A Singer (1986, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
15. "Piano Red – Percussive Piano "Dr. Feelgood" (1976, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
16. "Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys – The Tiffany Transcriptions Vol. 3: Basin Street Blues (1988, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
17. "Rita Reys, Trio Pim Jacobs, Louis van Dijk – Live At The Concertgebouw (1986, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 1986. Retrieved May 31, 2021.