I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter - wikipedia I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter '' Song by Fats Waller Released 1935 Recorded May 8, 1935 ( 1935 - 05 - 08 ) Genre popular Label RCA Victor Composer ( s ) Fred E. Ahlert Lyricist ( s ) Joe Young `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter '' is a 1935 popular song with music by Fred E. Ahlert and lyrics by Joe Young. It has been recorded many times, and has become a standard of the Great American Songbook. It was popularized by Fats Waller, who recorded it in 1935 at the height of his fame. It is one of several songs from the Harlem Renaissance featured in the Broadway musical Ai n't Misbehavin '. American Public Media 's business - news program, Marketplace, uses a portion of Fats Waller 's version to open its weekly letters - from - listeners segment. Recordings The song had a major revival in 1957 in a Coral recording ( on April 3 ) by Billy Williams with orchestra directed by Dick Jacobs. It reached # 3 on the Billboard magazine charts. A reported million - seller, it was awarded a Gold record. The song was recorded by Frank Sinatra for his 1954 album Swing Easy, by Bing Crosby for his 1957 LP Bing with a Beat and again by Sinatra in 1962 for his collaborative album with Count Basie, Sinatra -- Basie : An Historic Musical First. Among other versions are recordings by The Boswell Sisters, Connee Boswell, Nat `` King '' Cole, Scatman Crothers, Gregory Isaacs, Barry Manilow, Dean Martin, Anne Murray, Willie Nelson, Linda Scott, Shakin ' Stevens and Sarah Vaughan. Charlie Gracie ( mostly known for his 1957 # 1 hit `` Butterfly '' on Cameo Record label # 105 -- 45rpm ) recorded `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter '' ( Cadillac Record label # 141 -- 45 rpm ). The flip side of the record was a song written by Gracie, `` Boogie Woogie Blues ''. Gracie 's version was released in 1953. Bill Haley & His Comets recorded a rock and roll version of the song in 1957. Fabian recorded his version of the song in 1960 on Chancellor Records. In 1973 Cleo Laine included the song as her opening song on the album I Am a Song and sang on stage during her subsequent tour. New Jersey entertainer Uncle Floyd ( aka Floyd Vivino ) has covered this song in his live performances as well as recording it. Madeleine Peyroux also covered this song on her debut album Dreamland ( 1996 ). Tony Danza released a version in 2002. In 2012 Paul McCartney covered it on his album of standards, Kisses on the Bottom and chose one of its lines as the title. References Jump up ^ `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter Lyrics ''. MetroLyrics > Paul McCartney Lyrics. MetroLyrics. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016. Songwriters AHLERT, FRED E. / YOUNG, JOE Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1986 ). Joel Whitburn 's Pop Memories 1890 - 1954. Wisconsin, USA : Record Research Inc. p. 436. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 083 - 0. Jump up ^ `` Discogs.com ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits ( 8th ed. ). New York : Billboard Books. p. 679. ISBN 0 - 8230 - 7499 - 4. Jump up ^ Murrells, Joseph ( 1978 ). The Book of Golden Discs. London : Barrie and Jenkins. p. 97. ISBN 0214205126. Jump up ^ `` Golden Wax : Awards Go to 4 Coral Top Artists ''. Billboard. October 28, 1957. p. 22. Jump up ^ `` 45cat.com ''. 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017. Jump up ^ `` 45cat.com ''. 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017. Jump up ^ `` 45cat.com ''. 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Discogs.com ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017. Jump up ^ `` 45cat.com ''. 45cat.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017. The Boswell Sisters Martha Boswell Connee Boswell Helvetia Boswell Singles `` I Found a Million Dollar Baby '' `` Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea '' `` Dinah '' `` Alexander 's Ragtime Band '' `` St. Louis Blues '' `` Cheek to Cheek '' `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter '' Book : The Boswell Sisters Connee Boswell Singles `` Say It Is n't So '' `` Moon Over Miami '' `` Basin Street Blues '' `` I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart '' `` Alexander 's Ragtime Band '' `` Let It Snow ! Let It Snow ! Let It Snow ! '' `` You Were Meant for Me '' `` Singin ' the Blues '' `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter '' `` If I Give My Heart to You '' Related topics The Boswell Sisters Book : Connee Boswell Willie Nelson singles discography 1950s and 1960s 1957 `` No Place For Me '' / `` Lumberjack '' 1959 `` Man With the Blues '' / `` The Storm Has Just Begun '' 1960 `` What a Way to Live '' / `` Misery Mansion '' `` Nite Life '' / `` Rainy Day Blues '' 1961 `` The Part Where I Cry '' / `` Mr. Record Man '' 1962 `` Willingly '' / `` Chain of Love '' `` Touch Me '' / `` Where My House Lives '' `` Wake Me When It 's Over '' / `` There 's Gonna Be Love In My House '' `` You Dream About Me '' / `` Is This My Destiny '' 1963 `` Half a Man '' / `` The Last Letter '' `` Take My Word '' / `` Feed it a Memory '' 1964 `` How Long is Forever '' / `` You Took My Happy Away '' `` Am I Blue '' / `` There 'll Be No Teardrops Tonight '' `` River Boy '' / `` Opportunity to Cry '' `` I Never Cared For You '' / `` You Left Me ( A Long Time Ago ) '' `` Pretty Paper '' / `` What A Merry Christmas This Could Be '' 1965 `` She 's Not For You '' / `` Permanently Lonely '' `` Healing Hands of Time '' / `` One Day at the Time '' `` I Just Ca n't Let You Say Goodbye '' / `` And So Will You, My Love '' 1966 `` One In A Row '' / `` San Antonio Rose '' `` Colombus Stockade Blues '' / `` He Sits at my Table '' `` I 'm Still Not Over You '' / `` I Love You Because '' 1967 `` The Party 's Over '' / `` Make Way for a Better Man '' `` Blackjack County Chain '' / `` Some Other World '' `` San Antonio '' / `` To Make a Long Story Short '' 1968 `` Little Things '' / `` Sweet Memories '' `` Good Times '' / `` Where Do You Stand '' `` Johnny One Time '' / `` She 's Still Gone '' 1969 `` Bring Me Sunshine '' / `` Do n't Say Love or Nothing '' `` I Hope So '' / `` Right or Wrong '' 1970s 1970 `` Once More With Feeling '' / `` Who Do I Know in Dallas '' `` Laying My Burdens Down '' / `` Truth Number One '' 1971 `` I 'm a Memory '' / `` Fire and Rain '' `` Yesterday 's Wine '' / `` Me and Paul '' 1972 `` Words Do n't Fit the Picture '' / `` A Moment '' 1973 `` Shotgun Willie '' ( mono ) / `` Sad Songs and Waltzes '' `` Stay All Night ( Stay a Little Longer ) '' / `` Devil in a Sleepin ' Bag '' `` I Still Ca n't Believe You 're Gone '' / `` Heaven and Hell '' `` Bloody Mary Morning '' / `` After the Fire is Gone '' ( with Tracy Nelson ) `` Sister 's Comin ' Home '' ( mono ) / `` Pick Up The Tempo '' `` Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain '' / `` Bandera '' 1976 `` Remember Me ( When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming ) '' / `` Time of the Preacher '' `` I 'd Have to Be Crazy '' ( mono ) / `` Amazing Grace '' `` If You 've Got the Money I 've Got the Time '' / `` The Sound in Your Mind '' 1977 `` Uncloudy Day '' / `` Precious Memories '' `` I Love You A Thousand Ways '' / `` Mom and Dad 's Waltz '' 1978 `` Georgia on My Mind '' / `` On The Sunny Side Of The Street '' `` Blue Skies '' / `` Moonlight in Vermont '' `` All of Me '' / `` Unchained Melody '' 1979 `` Whiskey River '' / `` Under the Double Eagle '' `` September Song '' / `` Do n't Get Around Much Anymore '' `` White Christmas '' / `` Blue Christmas '' 1980s 1980 `` Help Me Make It Through the Night '' / `` The Pilgrim, Chapter 33 '' `` My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys '' / `` Rising Stars '' `` Midnight Rider '' / `` So You Think You 're A Cowboy '' `` On the Road Again '' / `` Jumpin ' Cotton Eyed Joe '' ( performed by Johnny Gimble ) 1981 `` Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground '' / `` I Guess I 've Come to Live Here in Your Eyes '' `` Mona Lisa '' / `` Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star '' `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter '' / `` Over the Rainbow '' `` Heartaches of a Fool '' / `` Uncloudy Day '' 1982 `` Always on My Mind '' / `` The Party 's Over '' `` Let It Be Me '' / `` Permanently Lonely '' `` Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning '' / `` Old Fords and a Natural Stone '' `` Little Old Fashioned Karma '' / `` Beer Barrel Polka '' `` Why Do I Have to Choose '' / `` Would You Lay with Me ( In a Field of Stone ) '' `` Take It to the Limit '' / `` Till I Gain Control Again '' `` Without a Song '' 1984 `` City of New Orleans ( Unedited version ) '' / `` Why Are You Pickin ' On Me '' 1985 `` Forgiving You Was Easy '' / `` You Would n't Cross the Street '' `` Me and Paul '' / `` I Let My Mind Wander '' 1986 `` Living in the Promiseland '' / `` Bach Minuet in G '' `` I 'm Not Trying to Forget You '' / `` I 've Got the Craziest Feeling '' `` Partners After All '' / `` Home Away From Home '' `` Heart of Gold '' / `` So Much Like My Dad '' `` Island in the Sea '' / `` There Is No Easy Way '' `` Nobody There But Me '' / `` Wake Me When It 's Over '' `` Spanish Eyes '' ( with Julio Iglesias ) / `` Ole Buttermilk Sky '' `` Twilight Time '' / `` Ac - Cent - Tchu - Ate the Positive '' `` Nothing I Can Do About It Now '' / `` If I Were a Painting '' `` There You Are '' / `` Spirit '' `` Is The Better Part Over '' / `` Mr. Record Man '' 1990s `` The Highway '' / `` Spirit '' `` Ai n't Necessarily So '' / `` I Never Cared For You '' ( `` Ai n't Necessarily So '' also on CD Single ) 1991 `` The Piper Came Today '' / `` ( I Do n't Have a Reason ) To Go To California Anymore '' ( `` The Piper Came Today '' also on CD Single ) `` Ten With a Two '' / `` You Decide '' `` Graceland '' `` Still is Still Moving to Me '' / `` Valentine '' 1995 `` Turn Me Loose and Let Me Swing '' 1998 `` I Never Cared for You '' 2000s and 2010s 2002 `` Mendocino County Line '' ( with Lee Ann Womack ) / `` Maria ( Shut Up and Kiss Me ) '' ( Both single tracks released on CD and 7 '' record ) 2003 `` Wurlitzer Prize '' ( with Norah Jones ) `` Beer for My Horses '' ( with Toby Keith ) 2005 `` I 'm a Worried Man '' ( with Toots Hibbert ) `` The Harder They Come '' 2006 `` You Do n't Know Me '' `` Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other '' 2008 `` Gravedigger '' `` You Do n't Think I 'm Funny Anymore '' 2011 `` The Scientist '' 2012 `` Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die '' `` Just Breathe '' `` Come On Back Jesus '' 2013 `` From Here to the Moon and Back '' ( with Dolly Parton ) `` Grandma 's Hands '' ( with Mavis Staples ) `` It Wo n't Be Long '' ( with The Secret Sisters ) `` Somewhere Between '' ( with Loretta Lynn ) 2014 `` The Wall '' `` Bring It On '' `` Laws of Nature '' `` Who 'll Buy My Memories '' `` Summer of Roses '' / `` December Day '' 2015 `` It 's All Going to Pot '' `` Alice in Hulaland '' 2016 `` Lay Me Down '' 2017 `` Still Not Dead '' 2018 `` Last Man Standing '' Book : Willie Nelson Category : Willie Nelson Barry Manilow singles 1970s `` Mandy '' ( 1974 ) `` Sandra '' ( 1974 ) `` It 's a Miracle '' ( 1975 ) `` Could It Be Magic '' ( 1975 ) `` I Write the Songs '' ( 1975 ) `` Tryin ' to Get the Feeling Again '' ( 1976 ) `` This One 's for You '' ( 1976 ) `` Weekend in New England '' ( 1976 ) `` Looks Like We Made It '' ( 1977 ) `` Daybreak '' ( 1977 ) `` It 's Just Another New Year 's Eve '' ( 1977 ) `` Ca n't Smile Without You '' ( 1978 ) `` Even Now '' ( 1978 ) `` Copacabana '' ( 1978 ) `` Ready to Take a Chance Again '' ( 1978 ) `` Somewhere in the Night '' ( 1978 ) `` Ships '' ( 1979 ) `` When I Wanted You '' ( 1979 ) 1980s `` I Do n't Want to Walk Without You '' ( 1980 ) `` Bermuda Triangle '' ( 1980 ) `` I Made It Through the Rain '' ( 1980 ) `` Lonely Together '' ( 1981 ) `` The Old Songs '' ( 1981 ) `` Somewhere Down the Road '' ( 1981 ) `` Let 's Hang On ! '' ( 1982 ) `` Oh Julie '' ( 1982 ) `` Memory '' ( 1982 ) `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter '' ( 1982 ) `` Read ' Em and Weep '' ( 1983 ) `` When October Goes '' ( 1984 ) `` Run to Me '' ( 1985 ) `` I 'm Your Man '' ( 1986 ) `` Keep Each Other Warm '' ( 1989 ) 1990s `` If I Can Dream '' ( 1990 ) `` I 'd Really Love to See You Tonight '' ( 1997 ) 2000s `` River '' ( 2003 ) `` Unchained Melody '' ( 2006 ) `` Love Is a Many - Splendored Thing '' ( 2006 ) 2010s `` Santa Claus Is Coming to Town '' ( 2012 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I%27m_Gonna_Sit_Right_Down_and_Write_Myself_a_Letter&oldid=826780142 '' Categories : 1935 songs 1957 singles Songs with lyrics by Joe Young ( lyricist ) Songs with music by Fred E. Ahlert Bill Haley songs Charlie Gracie songs Willie Nelson songs Linda Scott songs Paul McCartney songs Talk About Wikipedia 日本 語 Norsk Edit links This page was last edited on 20 February 2018, at 23 : 40. 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Question: who wrote i'm going to sit right down and write myself a letter
Answer: Fred E. Ahlert