Everything Happens to Me

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Everything Happens to Me (m. Matt Dennis, w. Thomas Adair) – 1941

Biographical sketch of Matt Dennis by Joslyn Lane for AllMusic.com:

Songwriter, pianist, and singer Matt Dennis composed hit pop songs for Tommy Dorsey’s band and Frank Sinatra during the 1940s and 1950s. Born into a vaudeville family in Seattle, in 1914, Dennis learned how to play the piano at a young age, leading to a job with Horace Heidt while Dennis was still in his teens. He eventually moved to Hollywood, where he worked in clubs accompanying singers such as Martha Tilton, Merry Macs, and the Pied Pipers. Dennis was still with the Pipers when they joined up with Tommy Dorsey, and served as arranger, composer, and coach for Dorsey. During his service in WWII, Dennis did radio work and arranged music for Glenn Miller’s AAF Orchestra, among others. Dennis’ chief collaborator was lyricist Tom Adair, and his best-known tunes include “Will You Still Be Mine?,” “Let’s Get Away from It All,” “Everything Happens to Me” (1941), and “Angel Eyes” (1953), but he also penned “We Belong Together,” “We’ve Reached the Point of No Return,” and “You Can Believe Me.” Dennis also did a series of recordings for the Glendale, RCA, Jubilee, and Kapp labels. He later worked on television, radio, and as a nightclub entertainer into the 1960s.

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Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra, vocal: Frank Sinatra – recorded on 7 February 1941; arranged by Axel Stordahl

Charlie Parker with Strings — recorded at Reeves Sound Studios, 30 November 1949; released in 1950 on the album Charlie Parker with Strings, Mercury MG-35010

session personnel, adapted from the Jazz Discography Project:
Charlie Parker – alto sax; Mitch Miller – oboe, English horn; Bronislaw Gimpel, Max Hollander, Milton Lomask – violin; Frank Brieff – viola; Frank Miller – cello; Meyer Rosen – harp; Stan Freeman – piano; Ray Brown – bass; Buddy Rich – drums; Jimmy Carroll – arranger, conductor

Art Pepper Quartet – recorded in Los Angeles, CA, 29 March 1953 — Art Pepper (alto saxophone), Russ Freeman (piano), Bob Whitelock (bass), Bobby White (drums)

Shelly Manne and Russ Freeman — recorded in Hollywood, CA on 14 September 1954; originally released in 1955 on the album Shelly Manne and Russ Freeman, Contemporary Records C 2518; later included in the 1960 compilation album “The Three” & “The Two”, Contemporary Records M 3584, M3584

Chet Baker – from the 1958 album It Could Happen to You (Chet Baker Sings)

Chet Baker – trumpet, vocals
Kenny Drew – piano
Sam Jones – bass
George Morrow – bass
Phillie Joe Jones – drums
Dannie Richmond – drums

Harold “Tina” Brooks — recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ on 16 March 1958; originally released in 1980 on the album Minor Move, (Japan) Blue Note GFX 3072

Tina Brooks – tenor sax
Lee Morgan – trumpet
Sonny Clark – piano
Doug Watkins – bass
Art Blakey – drums