Helen Humes (June 23, 1913 - September 9, 1981) was an American jazz and bl… Read Full Bio ↴Helen Humes (June 23, 1913 - September 9, 1981) was an American jazz and blues singer. Helen was born in Louisville, Kentucky.

She moved to New York and became a recording vocalist with Harry James big band in 1937.

Her swing recordings with Harry James included "Jubilee", "I Can Dream Can't I", "That's The Dreamer In Me" and "Song Of The Wanderer".

Helen Humes became one of the vocalists with Count Basie's band in the late 1930s.

Her vocals with Basie's band included "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea".

During the 1940s and 1950s Helen Humes became a solo performer and worked with different bands and other vocalists including Nat King Cole.

In 1950 Humes recorded Benny Carter's "Rock Me to Sleep". She managed to bridge the gap between big band jazz swing and rhythm and blues.

She moved to Hawaii and later to Australia.

Helen Humes died in Santa Monica, California.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Humes"

Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
Helen Humes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Years we've been together
Seems we cant get along,
No matter what I do
I don't appeal to you
Makes no difference whether
I am right or wrong
If we cant be sweethearts
This much you can do

Please don't talk about me when I'm gone
Oh, Honey, though our friendship ceases from now on
And listen, if you cant say anything real nice
Its better not to talk at all, that's my advice
Were parting, you go your way, I'll go mine
Its best that we do
Here's a kiss, I hope that this brings lots of luck to you
Makes no difference how I carry on

Just remember
Please don't talk about me when I'm gone.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone by Helen Humes narrate a story of a romantic relationship that has failed to work out despite the number of years the two lovers have been together. The singer laments the fact that no matter what she does, she can't appeal to her lover, and that they just can't seem to get along. The plea to her lover is for them to refrain from talking about her when she's gone, and to only say nice things about her if they must talk. The singer acknowledges that they will be parting ways and wishes her lover good luck with a kiss. The overall tone of the lyrics is sad, yet accepting of the reality that the relationship is over, and it's best for them to go their separate ways in peace.

One of the interesting facts about the song is that it was written by jazz bassist and bandleader Sidney Bechet in 1930, with lyrics by his longtime friend, pianist John W. "Johnny" Mercer. The song was first recorded by Bechet himself in 1931, and it became an instant hit. However, it was not until several years later that the song would become a standard in the jazz and pop repertoire. Many famous artists such as Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, and Billie Holiday have also recorded their versions of the song over the years.

Another interesting fact about the song is that it was featured in the 1958 film The Big Beat, where it was performed by the jazz musician and actor, Louis Prima. The song has since been included in several other films and TV shows, including The Benny Hill Show and Woody Allen's film Sweet and Lowdown. The song has also been covered by numerous artists across different music genres, including Frank Sinatra, Willie Nelson, and Cher.

The chords for Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone are as follows:

Verse:
G F#7 B7
Em A7 D7
G G#dim Em7 A7
D7 G

Chorus:
G F#7 B7
Em A7 D7
G G#dim Em7 A7
D7 G

Overall, Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone is a classic song that has stood the test of time, and is still beloved by many music lovers around the world.

Line by Line Meaning

Years we've been together
We have spent a lot of time together in a romantic relationship.

Seems we cant get along,
Unfortunately, we are unable to have a good relationship with each other.

No matter what I do
It doesn't matter what I try, I can't make you happy.

I don't appeal to you
You don't find me attractive or interesting anymore.

Makes no difference whether,
It doesn't matter if I'm right or wrong.

I am right or wrong
Whether my actions are correct or incorrect is irrelevant to you.

If we cant be sweethearts
If we can't be in a loving romantic relationship,

This much you can do
At least, you can do me one favor,

Please don't talk about me when I'm gone
When I am no longer around, please don't speak negatively about me to others.

Oh, Honey, though our friendship ceases from now on
Even though we won't be friends anymore, my request still stands.

And listen, if you cant say anything real nice
I am reminding you that, if you cannot say something good about me, don't say anything at all.

Its better not to talk at all, that's my advice
In fact, it is best if you do not talk about me at all, and that is my recommendation.

Were parting, you go your way, I'll go mine
Since we are separating, it is time for us to go our separate ways.

Its best that we do
It is the best thing for us to do in our current situation.

Here's a kiss, I hope that this brings lots of luck to you
I am offering you a kiss as a sign of goodwill and hope that it brings you good luck.

Makes no difference how I carry on
It doesn't matter how I behave after our separation.

Just remember
But please keep in mind

Please don't talk about me when I'm gone.
That my request still stands: please refrain from speaking negatively about me to others when I am not present.

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bee Palmer, Sidney Clare, Sam Stept

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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