Let Me Call You Sweetheart

"Let Me Call You Sweetheart" is a popular song, with music by Leo Friedman and lyrics by Beth Slater Whitson. The song was published in 1910 and was a huge hit for the Peerless Quartet in 1911. A recording by Arthur Clough was very popular the same year too. A 1924 recording identifies a Spanish title, "Déjame llamarte mía".

The song's recording was selected by the Library of Congress as a 2015 addition to the National Recording Registry, which selects recordings annually that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". David Sager acknowledged that the song became a standard only after a convoluted history.

Lyrics

The complete lyrics of the 1911 recording:

Other notable recordings

• Bing Crosby – recorded August 8, 1934 and on July 17, 1944.
• Denny Dennis (1941) – later included in the compilation LP Yours for a Song issued in 1969.
• Joni James – for her album Among My Souvenirs (1958).
• The Mills Brothers – included in their album Greatest Barbershop Hits (1959).
• Pat Boone and Shirley Boone – included in the album Side by Side (1959).
• Patti Page – for her album I've Heard That Song Before (1958).
• Timi Yuro - The title track from the "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" (Liberty Records 7234, 1962) - This recording went to #66 on the US Hot 100, and #15 on the Easy Listening chart.
• Fats Domino - recorded February 15, 1965.
• Slim Whitman – included in his album Red River Valley (1977).
• Valerie Carter and Linda Ronstadt – Barney Reprise
• George Holliday and Kristina Nichol (2023)

Film and TV appearances

• 1932 Let Me Call You Sweetheart – Ethel Merman sings the song accompanied by a bouncing ball in a Screen Song produced by Fleischer Studios, featuring Betty Boop and Bimbo
• 1936 Mickey's Rival – Minnie Mouse hums it and Mickey whistles it while setting up their picnic, then part of the melody plays in the background at the end of the short
• 1937 Hearts Are Thumps – Alfalfa (Carl Switzer) sings the song to Darla Hood in this episode of The Little Rascals
• 1937 Make Way for Tomorrow – Victor Moore sings the song with Beulah Bondi, and the film ends with an instrumental rendition plays into the credits
• 1938 Swiss Miss – sung by Oliver Hardy
• 1940 Waterloo Bridge
• 1943 Thousands Cheer – sung by Gene Kelly whilst dancing with a mop
• 1945 Diamond Horseshoe – performed by Beatrice Kay
• 1948 For the Love of Mary
• 1952 "Million Dollar Mermaid" - song featured prominently throughout film
• 1966 Follow Me, Boys! – sung by a group of Boy Scouts
• 1975 The Waltons S03E20 – The Shivaree – sung to the Newlyweds by a group headed by Ike
• 1979 The Rose – sung by Bette Midler
• 1979 General Hospital Scotty and Laura Wedding – sung by attendees
• 1982 The Waltons - A Day of Thanks on Walton's Mountain - sung just before the closing credits
• 1984 Hart to Hart – sung to each other by Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart at the end of the fifth-season episode entitled "Max's Waltz"
• 1990 The Company of Strangers - sung by the cast during a bus ride in the opening credits sequence
• 1995 America's Funniest Home Videos - sung in a first-place winning video, "Sweetheart Singing Proposal"
• 1998 Barney's Great Adventure – performed by George Hearn
• 2000 ' - the song is played at the wedding of Anne Shirley (Megan Follows) and Gilbert Blythe (Jonathan Crombie); in the latter half of the miniseries, Anne later sings the song with two performers, leading to Anne's reunion with Gilbert
• 2005 The Greatest Game Ever Played – an instrumental version by a band is heard on the soundtrack
• 2012 Downton Abbey – sung by Shirley MacLaine in her role as Martha Levinson
• 2014 52 Tuesdays – used over the end credits in this Australian film about a transgender father and his daughter Billie
• 2014 When Calls the Heart – sung by Pascale Hutton in Season 2 Episode 4
• 2016 The Witness for the Prosecution (TV series) - recurring song performed by Andrea Riseborough
• 2017 Adventure Time – used in Season 9 Elements episode sung by Candy Kingdom characters
• 2019 Gameface - used in Series 2 Episode 1 (Prank), sung by the character Tania (Tiff Stevenson) and then played over the end credits
• 2020 Murdoch Mysteries - used in Season 13 Episode 17 "Things Left Behind", sung by the character Dr. Andrew Dixon
• 2023 - used in the opening and closing credits of the 3 part series 'Loving Elvis' - performed by George Holliday and Kristina Nichol