To Each His Own
1946


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