I'm Beginning to See the Light

"I'm Beginning to See the Light" is a popular song and jazz standard, with music written by Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, and Harry James and lyrics by Don George and published in 1944.

1945 recordings
Ella Fitzgerald and the Ink Spots featuring Bill Kenny recorded a version in 1945, that was on the pop song hits list for six weeks in 1945 and reached #5.

A competing recording by Harry James and his Orchestra, with lead vocals by Kitty Kallen, reached No. 1 for two weeks in January of that year. James' version of the song reached No. 7 on the Billboard magazine Second Annual High School Survey in 1945. Duke Ellington released a version, with vocal by Joya Sherrill, which reached the top ten. The Delta Rhythm Boys recorded a version of the song in 1945.

Other notable recordings

 * Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra. Vocal: Joya Sherrill Recorded in New York City on December 1, 1944. It was released by RCA Victor Records as catalogue number 20-1618 This recording went to number four on the Harlem Hit Parade chart and number six on the pop chart.
 * Oscar Alemán (1946)
 * Gerry Mulligan, Gerry Mulligan with Chet Baker (1955)
 * Count Basie, Joe Williams - Track 8 of The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards (1956)
 * The Hi-Lo's Under Glass (1956)
 * Connie Francis (1958)
 * Peggy Lee, Things Are Swingin' (Capitol, 1958)
 * Johnnie Ray (1958)
 * Joanie Sommers on Positively the Most! (1960)
 * Mary Stallings and Cal Tjader - Cal Tjader Plays, Mary Stallings Sings (Fantasy, 1961)
 * Bobby Darin - Oh! Look at Me Now (1962).
 * Frank Sinatra (1962) - "Sinatra And Swingin' Brass"
 * Ella and Basie!, a 1963 Verve release with arrangements by Quincy Jones.
 * Clare Fischer – Songs for Rainy Day Lovers (1967)
 * Bob Dorough with Bill Takas; Beginning to See the Light (1976)
 * In 1986 Australian recording artist Kate Ceberano recorded a version for her album Kate Ceberano and her Septet
 * Natalie Cole (1993)
 * Peggy Lee – Spotlight on Peggy Lee (1995)
 * Dee Dee Bridgewater – Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album (1996)
 * Rosemary Clooney – Out of This World (2000)
 * The Hi-Lo's – A Musical Thrill (2006)
 * Royce Campbell – Get Happy (2007)
 * Joe Jackson recorded a cover of the song for his Duke Ellington tribute album, The Duke (2012)
 * Karen Souza - Velvet Vault (2017)
 * Seal (2017) - "Standards"
 * Billy Eckstine recorded the song many times: with Billy May, with Quincy Jones, with Bobby Tucker and with Gil Askey.
 * Sutton Foster recorded a version for her album Wish
 * The Ink Spots featuring Bill Kenny & Ella Fitzgerald
 * Chelsea Krombach performed the song for her debut album Look for the Silver Lining
 * The SuperJazz Big Band of Birmingham, Alabama, recorded the song on the CD UAB SuperJazz, Featuring Ellis Marsalis
 * Michael Bublé
 * Al Jarreau in his album "Accentuate the Positive"
 * Kelly Rowland
 * Mel Tormé – "At the Crescendo"

Popular culture

 * The Bobby Darin recording was featured in the 1996 feature film Swingers.