CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS - Free Jazz Leadsheet

“can't we be friends” was written in 1929 by Kay Swift with lyrics by Paul James. One of the earliest recognized recordings appeared the same year by the Colonial Club Orchestra, establishing the tune in the dance-band era.

The song later became widely known through recordings by Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and numerous jazz singers. Its lyrics express disappointment and emotional miscommunication at the end of a relationship, while its 32-bar form and graceful melodic contour make it a natural vehicle for both ballad phrasing and medium-tempo swing.