My Greatest Mistake

"My Greatest Mistake" is a popular song written in 1940 by Jack Fulton and Jack "Bones" O'Brien.

Comments
The original piano and vocal score is in E♭ major. The song was Jack Fulton's first hit. Bregman, Vocco & Conn, Inc., of New York was the publisher. J. R. Lafleur & Son, Ltd. (Boosey & Hawkes), of London was the sole selling agent for the British Empire, except Canada, Newfoundland, and Australia. J. Albert & Son of Sydney was the selling agent for Australia.

ASCAP boycott
"My Greatest Mistake" was one of some 1,250,000 songs under an ASCAP license. In 1940, ASCAP attempted to double its fees to broadcasters for the airing of licensed songs. For ten months – January 1, 1941, to October 29, 1941 – radio broadcasters, namely NBC and CBS, banned all music licensed by ASCAP. Given the timing of the launch of "My Greatest Mistake," the ASCAP boycott, according to O'Brien, stunted the momentum of the song's rise in popularity for 13 recordings that were released before the boycott.

Pre-ASCAP ban
1. Larry Clinton's Bluebird Orchestra 1. Bluebird 10784-A Terry Allen (vocalist) Recorded June 24, 1940, New York Side A matrix: 051556-1

(audio at Internet Archive)

2. Orrin Tucker and His Orchestra 1. Columbia 35622 Orrin Tucker (vocalist) Matrix: WCO 28040 Recorded July 24, 1940, New York

3. Frankie Masters 1. Okeh 5658 Marion Francis (vocalist) (née Marion Francis Charlesworth; 1917–2011) Matrix: 26957 Recorded June 25, 1940

4. Duke Ellington 1. Victor 26719-A Matrix 054624-1 Also released as His Masters Voice B. 9129 Matrix OA. 054624-1 (no vocal) Recorded July 24, 1940, New York

2. Jazz Supreme (It)JS704 NBC Red broadcast (local station WMAQ) Panther Room, basement of the Hotel Sherman, Chicago September 10, 1940

5. Harry Roy 1. Regal Zonophone MR 3392 Matrix (on label): CAR 5906 Recorded November 1940, London

6. London Piano-Accordion Band 1. Regal Zonophone MR 3423 Matrix (on label): CAR 5949

7. Harry James Dick Haymes (vocalist on all three recordings) 1. Radio Broadcast, Eastwood Gardens, Detroit, June 30, 1940

2. Varsity 8389 Side A matrix 1889 Also released as Hit 7064 Side A matrix 1889 Recorded August 12, 1940, New York

3. Hep (E)88 Radio Broadcast Dancing Campus, Liberty Lake, World's Fair, New York September 6, 1940

8. Dick Todd 1. Bluebird 10822 Matrix BS 051591-1 Recorded August 6, 1940, New York

9. Dick Robertson 1. Decca 3378-A Dick Robertson (vocalist) Matrix: 68015A New York, August 27, 1940, New York 1. The Ink Spots 1. Brunswick 03081-B (catalog number) (1940) Matrix (label – Side B): 67990 Matrix (runout, stamped – Side B): 67990A 1 TT Also released as Decca 3379-A Matrix (label – Side A): 67990 Recorded August 20, 1940, New York

(audio at Internet Archive)

Post-ASCAP ban
1. The Ink Spots 1. Decca 25237 (matrix / runout) 3379 A (catalog number) Released Aug 1947 In a compilation album: Ink Spots, Volume II Decca A-594

2. Verve MGV2039 Recorded September 25, 1956, Los Angeles

2. Willard McDaniel 1. Crown 129 Matrix: JB-427 Recorded 1954, Los Angeles

3. Ben Webster  With the Ralph Burns Orchestra 1. Norgan EPN 142 Recorded September 9, 1955, New York

4. Daniel Romano From the album:  Workin' For The Music Man (2012) 1. You've Changed (label) YC-006

Copyrights
1. "My Greatest Mistake" Jack Fulton (w&m) Jack O'Brien (w&m) © 26 July 1940 Class E (published) 85979 Bregman, Vocco & Conn, Inc., New York Renewal 415380; 4 August 1967 (copyright expires 4 August 2034)

Publisher plates

 * H. 15250

Arrangements
George Manning Swing Band Collection Box 5/55; No. 353 A, page 13, year 1940 Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester
 * Arrangement by Charles E. Hathaway, Jr. (1901–1966)

Lyrics
I've done a lot of things that we're right and though they brought regret There's only one thing that I'm sorry for And that's the day we met

My greatest mistake was falling in love Falling in love with you My greatest mistake was dreaming of you And thinking my dreams would come true

It was easy to see You never loved me Though I hoped and I prayed Someday it could be

My greatest mistake My greatest heartache Was falling in love with you

Darlin', you know my greatest mistake was falling in love And I mean falling in love with a beautiful gal like you, mmm You know I made another mistake, just dreaming of you And being foolish enough to think that all my dreams was bound to come true

You know, shoulda been easy for me to see That, honey child, you never loved me Course, I hoped and I prayed That maybe someday, it could be

My greatest mistake My greatest heartache Was falling in love with you