To Each His Own
1946


Recording History
Rita Remington
Marty Robbins
Andy Russell, 1946
Merle Haggard, Capitol Records Nashville, 1974
Sam Cooke, 1965
Al Hirt
Keely Smith
Audre Cooper
The Ink Spots, 1946
Kay Starr
Syd Dale
Joni James, 1955
The Strangers
Bo Diddley
Jose Feliciano
The Ted Weems Orchestra
Ronnie Dove, 1964
The Five Keys
The Three Chuckles
Eddie Howard and his Orchestra, 1946
Sonny Til and The Orioles
David Forrester
Wayne Newton
Buddy Greco
Trudy Erwin
The Platters, 1960
Billy Vaughn
Joe Marine
Anthony Ray
The Esquire Trio
Michael Feinstein, Livingston & Evans Songbook, Concord Records, FCD-3101-2, 2002
Django Reinhardt
Freddy Martin and The Roy Hargrove Quintet, 1946
Bobby Vinton
The Modernaires and Paula Kelly, 1946
Don Byas
Stephen Wade
Tony Martin
Jane Morgan
Frankie Carle
Jimmy Wakely
Al Martino
Lamar Morris
Rosemary Clooney
Billy Ward and The Dominoes
Glenn Miller
Willie Nelson, 1983
The Clovers
Jon Weber, It's Never Quite the Same, Mood Records, MD-1111, 1998
Gordon Jenkins
The Ames Brothers
Jerry Vale
Sammy Kaye
Lawrence Welk and his Orchestra
Eddy Arnold
Rudy Vallee
Frankie Laine, 1968
Karen Benjamin and Alan Chapman
Paul Weston
The Tymes
Living Guitars
The Bob Crewe Generation
Roger Williams
Listen

Highlights
  • Written for the 1946 Paramount Picture To Each His Own, starring Olivia de Havilland.
  • The first hit for Livingston & Evans with Paramount Pictures.
  • In 1946, three different versions hit number one on the Billboard charts in the United States. Eddy Howard's single (Majestic Records), lasted nineteen weeks on the chart, reaching the top spot on August 10th for three weeks and returning for two more weeks on October 5th.
  • Freddy Martin and his Orchestra, featuring vocals by Stuart Wade, and Tony Martin both had their versions debut on the musical charts on August 8, 1946. Each remained on the charts for twelve weeks. While Freddie Martin (RCA Victor Records) was able to top the chart for two weeks, Tony Martin's version (Mercury Records) peaked at number four.
  • The next version to reach the Billboard charts was performed by The Modernaires with Paula Kelly. Released by Columbia Records, together they debuted on the chart on August 15, 1946, lasting six weeks on the chart and peaking at number five.
  • The final recording to reach number one was by The Ink Spots, which was released by Decca Records. Reaching the charts on August 29, 1946, it remained on the chart for eleven weeks on the chart, reaching its number-one peak on September 21.
  • Sam Cooke recorded "To Each His Own" for his LP, Try a Little Love. Frankie Laine had a minor revival with the song in 1968, reaching number two on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. The Platters also hit the charts with this tune in 1960.
  • In 1946, Famous Music Corporation presented Livingston and Evans an 18-carat gold framed copies of "TO EACH HIS OWN", in recognition of being the first song to have ever sold over one million copies of sheet music.

WRITTEN BY RAY EVANS & JAY LIVINGSTON
COPYRIGHT 1946
Lyrics
Voice (ad lib):
Wise men have shown
Life is no good alone,
Day needs night,
Flowers need light,
I need you
I need you.
A rose must remain with the sun and the rain
Or its lovely promise won’t come true.
To each his own, to each his own
And my own is you.
What good is a song if the words just don’t belong
And a dream must be a dream for two
No good alone, to each his own,
For me there’s you:
If a flame is to grow there must be a glow,
To open each door there’s a key.
I need you I know, I can’t let you go,
Your touch means too much to me.
Two lips must insist on two more to be kissed
Or they’ll never know what love can do.
To each his own, I’ve found my own
One and only you.
If a flame is to grow there must be a glow,
To open each door there’s a key.
I need you I know, I can’t let you go,
Your touch means too much to me.
Two lips must insist on two more to be kissed
Or they’ll never know what love can do.
To each his own, I’ve found my own
One and only you.
 
TO EACH HIS OWN Inspired by the Paramount Picture To Each His Own Paramount Music Corporation, 1946 Music and Lyrics by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans (Special Picture Release)