I'm trying to locate the sheet music for PLEASE TELL ME WHY, a 1924 tune composed by Fats Waller.
If anyone has a copy and would be willing to share a pdf file of it, please let me know. The song is now in the public domain, so there's no copyright issues at this point. SETH
I doubt t his is Fats Waller's exact version, but it's a sheet music version of that song. Would it work?
Go here: musescore.com/user/7580821/scores/5472404
Hmmmm, are you saying this is the same 1924 melody, but different lyrics? Let me know! If so, it's somewhat helpful, although I'd still need to work out the chord changes from the piano part.
In any event, it's the most progress I've made so far, so thanks for trying! I checked several university sheet music collections and came up dry, ditto on eBay. My guess is that because the song was only recorded once in 1924 and apparently never caught on, sheet music sales were nil, if in fact any sheet music was available at retail. I do know the tune was copyrighted, so I'm guessing the Library of Congress probably has a copy, but I'd rather not go down that road if I don't have to! SETH
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Originally posted by sethbHmmmm, are you saying this is the same 1924 melody, but different lyrics? Let me know! If so, it's somewhat helpful, although I'd still need to work out the chord changes from the piano part.
In any event, it's the most progress I've made so far, so thanks for trying! I checked several university sheet music collections and came up dry, ditto on eBay. My guess is that because the song was only recorded once in 1924 and apparently never caught on, sheet music sales were nil, if in fact any sheet music was available at retail. I do know the tune was copyrighted, so I'm guessing the Library of Congress probably has a copy, but I'd rather not go down that road if I don't have to! SETH
It may not be the same. I just Googled it and the name was what I was looking for, as I never heard the song. Someone will know if it's the wrong one. If so, sorry. At least I tried to help.
No worries, and I appreciate your effort!! I'll keep poking around and hopefully it will surface somewhere eventually.
I did go to the Library of Congress website to take a fast look. Curiously, their digital sheet music collection stops at the year 1922. That's supposedly due to copyright restrictions, and so by that standard, my 1924 song would not be available from there in any event.
However, it's my understanding that every year, an additional year of sheet music falls into the public domain once it becomes more than 95 years old after publication. In fact, I believe the public domain "line" is now up to 1927. Perhaps no one bothers to update the available material, but it sure looks like the Library of Congress has some work to do! SETH
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Originally posted by mmuussiiccaallhere's the chords
Rick --- Thanks very much!! Somehow I missed your post in this thread, and just caught it now. I can get the words from Jeff Barnhardt's YouTube video, so I'm slowly pasting the tune back together. SETH
