SONNY BOY
(Lew Brown / Buddy De Sylva / Ray Henderson / Al Jolson)

Al Jolson

Also recorded by: The Andrews Sisters; John Arpin; Eden Atwood; 
Chet Baker; Josephine Baker; Ruth Brown; Henri Crolla; 
Sammy Davis Jr.; Thore Ehrling; Gracie Fields; Eddie Fisher; 
Jimmy Forrest; Slim Gaillard; Jan Garber; Red Garland; 
Erroll Garner; Ned Goold; Bob Gordon; Stephane Grappelli; 
Marty Grosz; Annette Hanshaw; The Harper Brothers; 
Ondrej Havelka; Ted Heath; Woody Herman; Bob Hope; Dick Hyman;
Al Jolson; Barney Kessel; Max Kortlander; Rolf Kuhn;
M `N' M Trio; Gordon MacRae; Jimmy Mazzy; John McCormack; 
Murray McEachern; Charles Mingus; Wes Montgomery; 
Mandy Patinkin; Piccadilly Players; Rodolphe Raffalli; 
Paul Robeson; Sonny Rollins; Jimmy Roselli; Hank Snow; 
Sonny Stitt; Toots Thielemans; Cal Tjader; Mel Tormé; 
Allan Vaché; Leo Watson; Lawrence Welk; Bob Wilber; 
Rich Wiley Quintet; Jackie Wilson.


Climb upon my knee, Sonny Boy,
Though you're only three, Sonny Boy,
You've no way of knowing,
There's no way of showing,
What you mean to me, Sonny Boy.
When there are grey skies,
I don't mind the grey skies,
You make them blue, Sonny Boy.
Friends may forsake me,
Let them all forsake me,
I still have you, Sonny Boy.

You're sent from Heaven
And I know your worth,
You've made a Heaven
For me, right here on Earth
When I'm old and grey, dear,
Promise you won't stray, dear
For I love you so, Sonny Boy.

When there are grey skies,
I don't mind the grey skies,
You make them blue, Sonny Boy.
Friends may forsake me,
Let `em, let `em all forsake me,
I still have you, Sonny Boy.

You're sent from Heaven
And I know your worth,
Why, you made a Heaven
For me, right here on Earth.

And the Angels, they grew lonely,
And they took you because they were lonely,
Now I'm lonely too, Sonny Boy.


(Contributed/Transcribed by Bill Huntley - January 2005)



*********************
SONNY BOY (Al Jolson & The Andrews Sister)


as recorded by Al Jolson & The Andrews Sisters 
1949
(radio transcription)





[as]
When there are grey skies,
[aj]
What don't you mind in the least?
[as]
I don't mind the grey skies,
[aj]
What will I do to them?
[as]
You'll make them blue,
[aj]
what's my name?
[as]
Sonny Boy.

[aj]
What will friends do to you?
[as]
Friends may forsake me,
[aj]
What will you let 'em do?
[as]
Let them all forsake me,
[aj]
Who will you still have in the end?
[as]
I'll still have you, 
[aj]
What's my name?
[as]
Sonny Boy.

[aj]
Where am I sent from?
[as]
You're sent from heaven,
[aj]
Where were you sent from?
No, wait a minute, have I any special valuation?
[as]
And I know your worth,
[aj]
What did I make?
[as]
You've made a heaven
[aj]
For who right where on what?
[as]
For me, right here on earth
[aj]
God bless me!

[as]
When I'm old and grey, dear,
[aj]
D'you want me, d'you want me to promise something?
[as]
Promise you won't stray, dear,
{aj}
Gimme a good reason!
[as]
I need you so,
[aj]
what's my name?
[as]
Sonny Boy.



(Transcribed by Peter Akers - November 2012)