But Not for Me (song)

"But Not for Me" is a popular song, composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin.

It was written for their musical Girl Crazy (1930) and introduced in the original production by Ginger Rogers. It is also in the 1992 musical based on Girl Crazy, Crazy for You.

Singer Ketty Lester, most famous for "Love Letters", remade "But Not For Me" in a similar arrangement and narrowly missed the Billboard Top 40 in 1962.

It is also featured in the 1979 Woody Allen movie Manhattan, the 1989 Rob Reiner movie When Harry Met Sally..., the 1994 Mike Newell film Four Weddings and a Funeral, and in the opening scene of the 1998 Bennett Miller documentary The Cruise.

Notable Recordings

• Bobby Darin
• Chet Baker
• Joshua Bell, in concert in London, London Symphony Orchestra, John Williams conducting (March 2, 2009 at the Barbican Center, London, England)
• Georgia Brown on the album "Georgia Brown Sings Gershwin" (1963)
• Carol Burnett, performed on "The Muppet Show"
• John Coltrane, on the album My Favorite Things
• Chris Connor, on the album Masters of Jazz Vol. 5 Female Vocal Classics Rhino Records
• Elvis Costello, on the album Glory Of Gershwin, produced by George Martin, 1994
• Sammy Davis Jr.
• Doris Day, on the album "Day By Day" (1956)
• Ella Fitzgerald, on the albums Pure Ella (1950), Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook (1959) and Nice Work If You Can Get It (1983).
• Judy Garland
• Ahmad Jamal, on the album "Ahmad Jamal At the Pershing - But Not for Me" (1958)
• Elton John, on the Four Weddings and a Funeral soundtrack (1994)
• Chelsea Krombach, on the album Profile, her debut album
• Modern Jazz Quartet
• Linda Ronstadt (1986)
• Frank Sinatra
• Rod Stewart, on the album Stardust: The Great American Songbook Volume III (2004)
• Dinah Washington
• Miles Davis, on the album Bags' Groove. Instrumental version.
• Ronnie Milsap, on the album Just for a Thrill (2004)

See also

• List of 1930s jazz standards