I May Be Wrong (but I Think You're Wonderful)

"I May Be Wrong (but I Think You're Wonderful)" is a popular song. The music was written by Henry Sullivan, the lyrics by Harry Ruskin, arranged by Dan Daugherty, and the original music publisher was Ager, Yellen, and Bornstein, Inc.^[1] The song was published in 1929 and it was included in the musical revue Murray Anderson's Almanac which ran for 69 performances at Erlanger's Theatre on Broadway in 1929.^[2] It is said that the song was written on-demand for John Murray Anderson.

Sheet music cover, 1929

In his book, Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre,^[3] Stanley Green reported that “because Anderson believed that the best songs are created under pressure he locked Sullivan in a room with a piano and threatened to keep him in there until he came up with a potential hit. When finally liberated, the composer had written the most successful number in the show. The song was introduced by singer Jimmy Savo in the revue."^[4]

Other recordings

• High Hatters (vocal: Frank Luther) - recorded August 23, 1929 for Victor Records (catalog No. 22105).^[5]
• Al Katz and His Kittens, recorded August 30, 1929 for Columbia Records, catalog No. 1971D.^[6]
• Libby Holman, recorded September 1920 for Brunswick Records, November 1929, catalog No. 4506.^[7]
• Red Nichols and His Five Pennies (with vocal chorus), recorded on October 24, 1929, for Brunswick Records, catalog. No. 4500.^[8]
• Gladys Rice and Franklyn Baur, recorded November 26, 1929 for Victor Records, catalog. No. 22226.^[9]
• Judy Garland - performed the song on Command Performance #134, August 19, 1944.^[10]
• Dinah Shore - a single release for Columbia Records, catalog No. 37140. (1946)^[11]
• Frankie Laine released a version in 1946, backed by Milton Delugg and the Swing Wing for Mercury Records, catalog No. 1205A.^[12]
• Doris Day with Harry James - included in the album Young Man with a Horn. Released on Columbia CL-6106 in 1950.^[13]
• Frank Rosolino released a version in 1956, on his I Play Trombone album.^[14]
• The Four Freshmen - included in their album Four Freshmen and Five Saxes (1957).^[15]
• Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney recorded the song in 1958^[16] for use on their radio show and it was subsequently included in the CD Bing & Rosie - The Crosby-Clooney Radio Sessions released in 2010.^[17]
• Perry Como - included in his album Saturday Night with Mr. C (1958)^[18]
• The Mills Brothers - included in the album Count Basie & The Mills Brothers – The Board Of Directors (1967).^[19]
• Ray Charles recorded a version for his album Volcanic Action of My Soul (1971)^[20]
• Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass recorded it on their album Speak Love (1983)^[21]
• June Christy - A Friendly Session, Vol. 2 (1999)^[22]

Film appearances

• 1943 Swingtime Johnny - performed by The Andrews Sisters
• 1947 The Unsuspected - briefly sung by Audrey Totter
• 1948 Wallflower - played by the band at the dance and sung by Janis Paige
• 1949 You're My Everything - sung and danced by Dan Dailey
• 1950 Young Man with a Horn - sung by Doris Day
• 1951 Sunny Side of the Street - sung by Frankie Laine and Toni Arden
• 1953 She's Back on Broadway - performed by Gene Nelson
• 1961 Claudelle Inglish - played at the Senior Dance