| "What's New?" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Bob Crosby and His Orchestra, with vocals by Teddy Grace | |
| Published | 1939 |
| Genre | Pop |
| Composer(s) | Bob Haggart |
| Lyricist(s) | Johnny Burke |
"What's New?" is a 1939 popular song composed by Bob Haggart, with lyrics by Johnny Burke. It was originally an instrumental tune titled "I'm Free" by Haggart in 1938, when Haggart was a member of Bob Crosby and His Orchestra. The tune was written with a trumpet solo, meant to showcase the talents of band-mate Billy Butterfield. Crosby's orchestra recorded "I'm Free" the same day it was written.
The following year, the music publishers hired Johnny Burke to write lyrics for the tune. Burke's telling of the torch song is unique, using one side of a casual conversation between former lovers. Thus the song was retitled using the song's first line, "What's New?". The song was recorded with the new title in 1939 by Bob Crosby and His Orchestra with vocalist Teddy Grace. The song reached a peak chart position of #10.[1]
Bing Crosby recorded the song on June 30, 1939 with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra[2] and this was the biggest hit recording of the song, peaking at #2 during a 10-week stay in the charts.[3] Other popular 1939 recordings of "What's New" include Hal Kemp and His Orchestra with vocalist Nan Wynn, which peaked at #11, Benny Goodman and His Orchestra with vocalist Louise Tobin, which peaked at #7. Dexter Gordon regularly performed the song in the 1950s and 1960s. Peggy Lee covered the song on her 1957 album Dream Street.
"I'm Free" was "lyricized" again in the 1990s, this time by Catherine O'Brien, who also provided lyrics to the Haggart tune "My Inspiration." O'Brien's version, published in 1996, retains the original title, "I'm Free."