I Should Care

“I Should Care” is a jazz standard co-written by Sammy Cahn, Axel Stordahl, and Paul Weston. It was first released in 1944 and introduced in the MGM movie “Thrill of a Romance.” Since then, the song has been performed by numerous jazz musicians, establishing itself as a classic.

The song follows a 32-bar AABA structure. The essential melody of the song is simple yet elegant, characterized by a sweet and soothing line. The bridge section features a more complex harmonic development, offering significant opportunities for expressive variation and interpretation. As a ballad, the piece demands lyrical and emotionally rich performances.

The key to performing this song lies in capturing its emotional depth and subtlety. Given its ballad nature, it is best played at a slow and cautious tempo, allowing the performer to convey delicate emotional nuances. The bridge section should be emphasized to highlight the harmonic changes and diversify the song’s flow, while the rhythm section should maintain the overall mood and enhance the depth of the performance through close communication with the soloist. In this piece, it is crucial to focus on faithfully conveying the song’s original theme and emotion rather than prioritizing free interpretation in the solo section.