Everything Happens to Me (song)

Everything Happens to Me

Composer

Matt Dennis

Lyricist

Tom Adair

Published

{{{published}}}

Album

Close to You (1957)

Artist

Frank Sinatra

Release

1957

Recording

1956

Release

{{{release}}}

Recording

{{{recording}}}

Royalties

{{{royalties}}}

Audio

{{{audio}}}

{{{Audio2title}}}

{{{audio2}}}

{{{Audio3title}}}

{{{audio3}}}

For the 1996 compilation album, see Everything Happens to Me (album).

"Everything Happens to Me" is a song Frank Sinatra recorded four times throughout his career.

Sinatra performed the song initially in 1941. This first Axel Stordahl arrangement was performed with the Tommy Dorsey orchestra for the RCA Victor label. This song peaked at #9 on the charts of 1941 and was released as a single. The B-side of this single was "Watcha Know Joe," a song featuring both Jo Stafford and The Pied Pipers.

In 1956, now under the Capitol label, Sinatra recorded this song again. This time with a Nelson Riddle arrangement, the song was recorded for Sinatra's upcoming LP, Close to You. This rendition of the song featured the Hollywood String Quartet plus a nine-piece orchestral backing.

This song was later recorded again, this time under Reprise Records. With a Gordon Jenkins arrangement, Sinatra performed this song in autumn of 1974. Sinatra, seven years later, recorded the song yet again in a similar Gordon Jenkins arrangement under Reprise for the final time. Both renditions Sinatra did under Reprise however, were not released until The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings box set was released in 1995.

Following Sinatra's initial version, the song has become a jazz/pop standard, covered by several artists.

Releases

Studio recordings

• Close to You (1957)

Reissues

• Concepts (1992)
• The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings (1995)
• Everything Happens to Me (1996)
• The Capitol Years (1998)
• Frank Sinatra & the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (1998)
• All or Nothing at All (2002)
• Frank Sinatra 5CD (2009)

Lyrics

Black cats creep across my path
Until Im almost mad
I must have roused the devils wrath
'cause all my luck is bad

I make a date for golf – and you can bet your life it rains.
I try to give a party - but the guy upstairs complains.
I guess I'll go thru life just catching colds and missing trains;
Everything happens to me.

I never miss a thing - I've had measles and the mumps.
And every time I play my ace my partner always trumps.
I guess I'm just a fool who never looks before he jumps;
Everything happens to me.

At first my heart thought you could break this jinx for me.
That love would turn the trick to end despair.
But now, I just can't fool this head that thinks for me.
I've mortgaged all my castles in the air.

I telegraphed and phoned, sent an Air Mail Special, too;
You answer was goodbye - there was even postage due.
I fell in love just once, and then it had to be with you,
Everything happens to me.

I've never drawn a sweepstake, or a bank night at a show.
I thought perhaps this time I'd won, but Lady Luck said no.
And though it breaks my heart, I'm not surprised to see you go,
Everything happens to me,
Everything happens to me.

Other artists

Other artists that have recorded "Everything Happens to Me."
Chet Baker Jerry Bergonzi Rosemary Clooney Nat King Cole Bill Evans Ella Fitzgerald Erroll Garner Stan Getz Billie Holiday Branford Marsalis Thelonious Monk Charlie Parker Art Pepper Danilo Perez Sonny Rollins Neil Sedaka Massimo Urbani Mr. Hudson