“After You’ve Gone“ is a 1918 popular song composed by Turner Layton….with lyrics by Henry Creamer .… and was recorded by Marion Harris and released by Victor Records in the same year. The chorus adheres to a standard ABAC pattern….but is only 20 measures long…while there are four 4-bar phrases…. which are followed by a 4 measure tag….as the song is harmonically active….with chord changes almost every measure. The opening four notes are identical to the opening notes of Peg o’ My Heart in 1912….for at the time, songwriters often borrowed the first few notes of a hit melody.
“After You’ve Gone” has been recorded by many great artist over the 102 years since the song was first recorded by the likes of Sophie Tucker, Bessie Smith, Bing Crosby, Louie Armstrong, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker, Lionel Hampton, Peggy Lee, Bobby Darin, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Tony Bennett, Frankie Laine, Al Jolson, Frank Sinatra, Chet Atkins and Phil Collins….just to name a few.
In this video herewith….Willie Nelson teams up with Ray Benson + Asleep At the Wheel to sing the Django Reinhardt version of “After You’ve Gone” on Austin City Limits in 1980….for a wonderful rendition of this great old song.
