"(I Love You) for Sentimental Reasons" is a

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

song written by Ivory "Deek" Watson, founding member of

the Ink Spots The Ink Spots were an American pop vocal group who gained international fame in the 1930s and 1940s. Their unique musical style presaged the rhythm and blues and rock and roll musical genres, and the subgenre doo-wop. The Ink Spots were widely a ...

and of

the Brown Dots The Brown Dots were an American vocal group initially formed in late 1944, when second tenor Ivory "Deek" Watson (b. 18 July 1909, Mounds, Illinois - d. 4 November 1969, Washington, DC) left the Ink Spots. He immediately put together a competing ...

, and William "Pat" Best, founding member of

the Four Tunes The Four Tunes (also referred to as The 4 Tunes) were a leading black pop vocal quartet during the 1950s. The members at the peak of their fame were Pat Best, Jimmy Gordon, Jimmie Nabbie, and Danny Owens. Career The group originated from The Br ...

. The credits and Leeds Publishing Company list Watson as a co-writer. Best later claimed that Watson had nothing to do with the creation of the song, but Watson maintained in his late 1960s autobiography that he and Best wrote the song together, lyrics and music respectively. Best was a member of Watson's group,

. The song was published in 1945 and released by Watson's quartet with Joe King as lead vocalist on the Manor Records label (catalog No. 1041A).

Hit versions

The biggest-selling version by

The King Cole Trio Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...

was released by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

as catalog number 304. It first reached the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on November 22, 1946 and lasted 12 weeks on the chart, peaking at number one. * The recording by

Eddy Howard Edward Evan Duncan Howard (September 12, 1914 – May 23, 1963) was an American vocalist and bandleader who was popular during the 1940s and 1950s. Early years Eddy Howard was born in Woodland, California Woodland is a city in and the county ...

was released by

Majestic Records Majestic Records was a mid-20th century record label based in New York City, incorporated in 1945 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Majestic Radio & Television. The label enjoyed its greatest commercial success in the 1940s until expansion and supp ...

as catalog number 7204. It first reached the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on January 10, 1947, and lasted five weeks on the chart, peaking at number six. * The recording by

Dinah Shore Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore; February 29, 1916 – February 24, 1994) was an American singer, actress, and television personality, and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1940s. She rose to prominence as a recording artist during ...

was released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

as catalog number 37188. It first reached the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on January 10, 1947, and lasted four weeks on the chart, peaking at number six. * The recording by

Charlie Spivak Charlie Spivak (February 17, 1907 – March 1, 1982) was an American trumpeter and bandleader, best known for his big band in the 1940s. Early life The details of Spivak's birth are unclear. Some sources place it in Ukraine in 1907, and that h ...

(vocal by Jimmy Saunders) was released by

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...

as catalog number 20-1981. It first reached the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on January 10, 1947, and lasted 14 weeks on the chart, peaking at number seven. *

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

The Delta Rhythm Boys The Delta Rhythm Boys was an American vocal group active from 1934 to 1987. The group was formed at Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma, in 1934 by Carl Jones, Traverse Crawford, Otha Lee Gaines, and Kelsey Pharr. They moved to Dillard U ...

' version reached the No. 8 spot in the charts in 1947. * Art Kassel and His "Kassels-in-the-air" (vocal by Jimmy Featherstone) - their recording was also a chart hit peaking at No. 15 in 1947. *

Sam Cooke Samuel Cook (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964), known professionally as Sam Cooke, was an American singer and songwriter. Considered to be a pioneer and one of the most influential soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred ...

recorded an early soul version. Released in 1957, it peaked at 17 on the pop charts, and 15 on the R&B charts. (

Sam Cooke discography The discography of Sam Cooke, an American singer and songwriter, consists of fourteen studio albums (including one collaborative album and two notable posthumous releases), two live albums, 49 singles, 13 compilations and 2 box sets. Over the co ...

) *

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

version in 1976 charted at No. 70 R&B.

Other recordings

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

- for his album ''

Cha Cha de Amor ''Cha Cha de Amor'' is an album consisting of the last tracks recorded by Dean Martin for Capitol Records, released in 1962. After recording these sessions, Martin joined Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records label. This album's songs were recorded ...

'' (1962) *

Five Star Five Star (also styled as 5 Star) are a British pop group, formed in 1983 and comprising siblings Stedman, Lorraine, Denise, Doris and Delroy Pearson. Between 1985 and 1988, Five Star had four top 20 albums and 15 top 40 singles in the UK ...

- on their album ''

Heart and Soul (Five Star album) ''Heart and Soul'' is a 1994 album by the British pop group Five Star. It was the group's first album for three years, released independently on their own label, Tent Records. It was first released in the US in 1994, and released in the UK in 1 ...

'' (1994) *

Glenn Frey Glenn Lewis Frey (; November 6, 1948 – January 18, 2016) was an American singer, guitarist and a founding member of the rock band Eagles. Frey was the co-lead singer and frontman for the Eagles, roles he came to share with fellow member Don ...

- '' After Hours'' (2012) *

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...

- '' For Sentimental Reasons'' (1986) *

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...

- ''

The Nat King Cole Story ''The Nat King Cole Story'' is a 1961 album by Nat King Cole. The album was a retrospective of Cole's recording career, designed to present many of his earlier hits in new recordings featuring stereo sound. Cole is accompanied on the re-recording ...

'' (1961) *

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...

- '' Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III'' (2004) *

Sammy Davis Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director. At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the ...

- ''

The Nat King Cole Songbook ''The Nat King Cole Songbook'' is a 1965 studio album by Sammy Davis Jr., recorded in tribute to singer and pianist Nat King Cole, who had recently died. Track listing # " Rambling Rose" ( Joe Sherman, Noel Sherman) – 2:27 # "Unforgettable" ...

'' (1965) *

Vera Lynn Dame Vera Margaret Lynn (; 20 March 191718 June 2020) was an English singer and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were very popular during World War II. She is honorifically known as the " Forces' Sweetheart", having giv ...

- for her album ''Yours'' (1961). *

- " Gettin' Down to It" (1969). *The Cleftones -1962. (Gee label, then Roulette label. The Cleftones Presenting Heart and Soul)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:I Love You For Sentimental Reasons 1945 songs 1946 singles Nat King Cole songs Sam Cooke songs Dean Martin songs Dinah Shore songs James Brown songs Five Star songs Eddy Howard songs

Hit versions

Other recordings

See also

References