If You Could See Me Now (1946 song)

"If You Could See Me Now" is a 1946 jazz standard, composed by Tadd Dameron.^[1] He wrote it especially for vocalist Sarah Vaughan,^[2] a frequent collaborator. Lyrics were written by Carl Sigman and it became one of Vaughan's signature songs, inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.^[3] Dameron himself included a version, sung by Barbara Winfield, on his 1962 album The Magic Touch.^[3]

Notable recordings

• Sarah Vaughan's 1946 original recording was released through Musicraft Records. It also appeared on her 1981 album Send in the Clowns with the Count Basie Orchestra.
• Sonny Stitt on his 1955 album Sonny Stitt Plays Arrangements from the Pen of Quincy Jones ^[4]
• Randy Weston recorded the composition in 1956/57 for his album Trio and Solo
• Gil Evans recorded a version for his 1957 album Gil Evans & Ten
• Chet Baker recorded it for his 1959 album Chet.
• Yusef Lateef recorded it on his 1959 album Cry! - Tender
• Bobby Timmons from his album Easy Does It (1961)
• Milt Jackson recorded it on his 1962 Big Bags album
• Bill Evans recorded his version of the song for his 1962 album Moon Beams and also on his Trio '65 album
• Sheila Jordan recorded it on her 1963 debut album Portrait of Sheila
• Junior Cook recorded it on the 1963 Roy Brooks album Beat
• Carmen McRae recorded it on 1964's Bittersweet ^[5]
• Red Garland recorded a quintet version that appeared on his Soul Burnin' album, released in 1964
• Wynton Kelly recorded a trio version that appeared on his 1965 album Undiluted
• Wes Montgomery on the live album Smokin' at the Half Note (1965)
• Dexter Gordon recorded it on his 1970 album The Jumpin' Blues
• Kenny Drew recorded a version on his 1974 album If You Could See Me Now
• Barry Harris recorded it on his 1975 Barry Harris Plays Tadd Dameron album
• Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on Life (1976)
• Oscar Peterson – The Oscar Peterson Four with Joe Pass recorded it in 1983 on the album If You Could See Me Now
• Etta Jones recorded the song for her 1978 album If You Could See Me Now
• John Abercrombie and John Scofield included the song in their 1984 album Solar.
• Jaco Pastorius covered the song in 1985 during a televised concert in Belgium.^[6]
• Jacky Terrasson and Tom Harrell included the song in their 1991 Moon and Sand album.^[7]
• Mel Tormé recorded a notable version in 1995 with Canadian trombonist and bandleader Rob McConnell.^[3]
• Buddy DeFranco from his 1992 album Chip off the Old Bop and 1997 Dave McKenna album You Must Believe in Swing
• Joe Lovano included it in his 2000 album 52nd Street Themes.
• Eliane Elias included the song in her 2010 album Eliane Elias Plays Live.