If You Could See Me Now (1946 song)

"If You Could See Me Now" is a 1946 jazz standard, composed by Tadd Dameron. He wrote it especially for vocalist Sarah Vaughan, a frequent collaborator. Lyrics were written by Carl Sigman and it became one of Vaughan's signature songs, inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. Dameron himself included a version, sung by Barbara Winfield, on his 1962 album The Magic Touch.

Notable recordings

 * Sarah Vaughan's 1946 original recording was released through Musicraft Records. It also appeared on her 1981 album Send in the Clowns with the Count Basie Orchestra.
 * Randy Weston recorded the composition in 1956/57 for his album Trio and Solo
 * Gil Evans recorded a version for his 1957 album Gil Evans & Ten
 * Chet Baker recorded it for his 1959 album Chet.
 * Yusef Lateef recorded it on his 1959 album Cry! - Tender
 * Bobby Timmons from his album Easy Does It (1961)
 * Milt Jackson recorded it on his 1962 Big Bags album
 * Bill Evans recorded his version of the song for his 1962 album Moon Beams and also on his Trio '65 album
 * Sheila Jordan recorded it on her 1963 debut album Portrait of Sheila
 * Junior Cook recorded it on the 1963 Roy Brooks album Beat
 * Red Garland recorded a quintet version that appeared on his Soul Burnin' album, released in 1964
 * Wynton Kelly recorded a trio version that appeared on his 1965 album Undiluted
 * Wes Montgomery on the live album Smokin' at the Half Note (1965)
 * Dexter Gordon recorded it on his 1970 album The Jumpin' Blues
 * Kenny Drew recorded a version on his 1974 album If You Could See Me Now
 * Barry Harris recorded it on his 1975 Barry Harris Plays Tadd Dameron album
 * Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on Life (1976)
 * Oscar Peterson – The Oscar Peterson Four with Joe Pass recorded it in 1983 on the album If You Could See Me Now
 * Etta Jones recorded the song for her 1978 album If You Could See Me Now
 * John Abercrombie and John Scofield included the song in their 1984 album Solar.
 * Jaco Pastorius covered the song in 1985 during a televised concert in Belgium.
 * Jacky Terrasson and Tom Harrell included the song in their 1991 Moon and Sand album.
 * Mel Tormé recorded a notable version in 1995 with Canadian trombonist and bandleader Rob McConnell.
 * Buddy DeFranco from his 1992 album Chip off the Old Bop and 1997 Dave McKenna album You Must Believe in Swing
 * Joe Lovano included it in his 2000 album 52nd Street Themes.
 * Eliane Elias included the song in her 2010 album Eliane Elias Plays Live.