When April Comes Again

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When April Comes Again (Al J. Neiburg, Marty Symes, Jerry Livingston) — copyright, 15 October 1935 (1), (2) — The song was included in the 1936 musical revue “Hollywood Revels of 1936.”

In the 15 October 1935 copyright entry for “When April Comes Again,” Jerry Livingston’s co-songwriter credit comes under his birth name, Jerry Levinson. The lyric transcription provided at International Lyrics Playground seems to be pretty accurate. However, the line given as as “A fire will hear a bluebird sing” is obviously wrong. The line should be “Up high we’ll hear a bluebird sing.” The same trio of songwriters also co-wrote the 1933 standards “It’s the Talk of the Town” and “Under a Blanket of Blue.”

early recordings:

Joe Morrison with Orchestra under the direction of Jack Shilkret — recorded on 16 December 1935; released on the single Brunswick 7583, c/w “Little Bit Independent”
Jay Randell and his Orchestra, with vocal by Dick Dickson — recorded in NYC on 27 December 1935; issued on the 78 rpm single Columbia 3113D, c/w “This is the Kiss of Romance”
Recordings issued in 1936 include those by Abe Lyman and His Orchestra, Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra (vocal: Kenny Sargent), Leslie Hutchinson, Jack Payne and His Band (vocal: Billy Scott-Coomber), and Kitty Masters.

When April comes again
And Spring is new
And sunbeams kiss the morning dew
Each cloud will have a silver lining
When April comes again

When April showers fall
Each drop of rain
Will bring a rose to lovers’ lane
A pretty rainbow will be shining
When April comes again

Our lips will meet
Up high we’ll hear a bluebird sing
There’ll be a grand reunion
Till then, my sweet
To every memory let us cling
And when we’re blue
They’ll see us through

When April comes again
I’ll come to you
Our dreams of love will all come true
Two hearts no longer will be pining
When April comes again

lyric transcription adapted from one by David Story at International Lyrics Playground

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Joe Morrison with Orchestra under the direction of Jack Shilkret — recorded on 16 December 1935; released on the single Brunswick 7583, c/w “Little Bit Independent” — In the UK it was released on the 78 rpm single Brunswick 02156, c/w “You Hit the Spot” (Mack Gordon, Harry Revel), flip-side recorded by Frances Langford, and in Australia it was issued on Regal Zonophone G22712, c/w “Moonburn” (m. Hoagy Carmichael, w. Edward Heyman)

In this recording, the chorus is preceded by a verse which goes like this:

It was a rainy April day
The day we kissed goodbye
How often you’ve heard prophets say
That time can fly

When you’re in love the time goes slow
It seems I held you in my arms
A million years ago

audio file, VBR MP3 (6.7 MB), from the page WHEN APRIL COMES AGAIN at archive.org:

Jay Randell and his Orchestra, with vocal by Dick Dickson — recorded in NYC on 27 December 1935; issued on the 78 rpm single Columbia 3113D, c/w “This is the Kiss of Romance”

Jack Payne and His Band, vocal: Billy Scott-Coomber — from matrix F 1721 (take 1), recorded on 6 February 1936; issued on the 78 rpm single (UK) Rex 8738, as the B-side of “With All My Heart”

audio file from the page 78rpm Collection (1920s 1930s Popular Music) at archive.org: