I'm old
Smiles,
great big Smiles,
just got an answer to a letter I
wrote, ha -ha.
She said, yes, I'll be dressed.
An d all I did was drop her this little note,
and I told her, I'll,
I'll stand beneath your window tonight,
and I'll whistle for you.
Don't hesitate to turn off the light,
and whistle,
so that I'll know you're set to go.
And when your daddy asks you
why you're all dressed funny,
listen, just whistle, and I'll to the rest.
Don't let anything interfere.
My darling, I have a preacher
waiting right here.
Remember,
I'll, I'll, I'll stand beneath your window tonight
and I'll whistle for you.
It's half past nine,
I'm right on time, the light's turned off,
I think that she's gone to bed.
I hope she knew just what I meant
when I said, my dearie,
I'll stand beneath your window tonight
and I'll whistle for you.
Now don't hesitate to
turn off the light and whistle
so that I'll know you're set to go
and when an d when your daddy asks you
why you're all dressed
Listen, baby, just whistle,
and I'll do the rest.
We'll share fifty -fifty, you know.
I'm the ring, and you've got
the dough.
Don't worry,
I'll stand by and keep your window tonight.
And I'll whistle for you.
Jolson made his first appearance
on radio
the same year that he recorded
I'll Stand Beneath Your Window,
1922.
Most of Jolson's
radio performances
from the 1920s and 30s
are lost forever.
He always performed live,
and reference recordings
of these early live broadcasts
were not always made
and saved.
The relatively few
surviving transcriptions
from that era
are a rare treat.
I'd like to share some live radio
performances
that have never been commercially
released.
As you'll hear, Jolson comes on big
with that boundless energy of his.