It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook is the first album of American pop standards recorded by British musician Rod Stewart, and his 20th album overall. It was released on 22 October 2002, and became the first in a five-volume series.

The album was Stewart's first release for Sony Music imprint J Records. It included his second recording of "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye".

A live DVD of the same title was released on 4 February 2003, which featured performances of material from the studio album as well as Stewart's earlier material.

Track listing

Personnel

Musicians Rod Stewart – vocals Will Hollis – acoustic piano (1, 2), string synthesizers (2), synth vibraphone solo (3) Renato Neto – acoustic piano (1), string synthesizer (1), synth flute (13) Randy Kerber – acoustic piano (3, 7, 13), string synthesizer (3, 7, 13) Andy Chukerman – synthesizer pad (3, 7, 11, 13) Rob Mounsey – keyboards (4, 5, 8), acoustic piano (4, 5) Philippe Saisse – keyboards (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Doug Katsaros – acoustic piano (6) Russ Kassoff – acoustic piano (8, 10, 12, 14) Lee Musiker – acoustic piano intro (9) Don Sebesky – acoustic piano (9) Randy Waldman – acoustic piano (11) Jim Fox – guitars (1) Jimmy Rip – guitars (1, 2) Bob Mann – guitars (3, 7, 13), guitar solo (7) Jeff Mironov – guitars (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14), guitar solo (14) Dennis Budimir – guitars (11) Dave Carpenter – bass (1) Reggie McBride – bass (2) Bob Magnusson – bass (3, 7, 13) David Finck – bass (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Chuck Domanico – bass (11) Tal Bergman – drums (1), drum programming (1), percussion (7), kick drum programming (11) John Ferraro – drums (2), percussion (7) Allan Schwartzberg – drums (3, 7, 13) Shawn Pelton – drums (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Harvey Mason – drums (11) Dan Higgins – clarinet solo (1), alto saxophone solo (2) Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone solo (4) Dave Koz – tenor saxophone solo (6, 10) Arturo Sandoval – trumpet solo (5), flugelhorn solo (8) Chris Botti – trumpet solo (13)

Music arrangements Tal Bergman – arrangements (1) Renato Neto – arrangements (1) Richard Perry – arrangements (1), basic track arrangement (2) Will Hollis – string synthesizer and solo arrangements (2) Bob Mann – arrangements (3, 7, 13) Rob Mounsey – rhythm arrangements and conductor (4) Don Sebesky – orchestra arrangements and conductor (4, 8, 12), rhythm arrangements and conductor (4, 8, 12), arrangements and conductor (9) Doug Katsaros – rhythm arrangements (5), arrangements and conductor (6, 10, 14) Philippe Saisse – orchestra arrangements and conductor (5, 8, 12) Jeremy Lubbock – string arrangements and conductor (11), woodwind arrangements and conductor (11)

Production Keith Naftaly – A&R Clive Davis – producer Richard Perry – producer (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Phil Ramone – producer (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14), vocal production (11) Tal Bergman – associate producer (1) Renato Neto – associate producer (1) Ben McCarthy – production coordinator (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Daphna Kaster –music consultant (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Jill Dell'Abate – production manager and music contractor (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Alli Truch – creative director Jeri Heiden for SMOG L.A. – art direction Andrew MacPherson – photography Rod Stewart – liner notes Bill Zehme – liner notes Annie Challis – management Arnold Stiefel – management

Technical credits Stephen Marcussen – mastering (1–3, 7, 11, 13) at Marcussen Mastering (Hollywood, California) Ted Jensen – mastering (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) at Sterling Sound (New York City, New York) Lauren Wild – special production support at Tyrell Studios (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Larry Emerine and Don Tyler – additional production support at Precision Lacquer (Hollywood, California) (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Drew L. – additional production support at Quality CD Duplication (Los Angeles, California) (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Carter Humphrey – mixing (1–3, 7, 11, 13), recording (2, 3) Mark Valentine – recording (1) Jeffrey "Woody" Woodruff – recording (2, 3, 7, 11, 13), additional engineer (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Frank Filipetti – recording (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14), mixing (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) J.J. Blair – additional engineer and Pro Tools technician (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Brian Cook – additional engineer and Pro Tools technician (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Steve Deutsch – additional engineer and Pro Tools technician (1–3, 7, 11, 13), Pro Tools operator (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Alex Gibson – additional engineer and Pro Tools technician (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Bobby Ginsberg – additional engineer and Pro Tools technician (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Johnny Kubelka – additional engineer and Pro Tools technician (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Trent Slatton – additional engineer and Pro Tools technician (1–3, 7, 11, 13) Joel Moss – additional engineer (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Freddy Pinero – additional engineer (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Chris Steinmetz – additional engineer (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Wade Childers – assistant engineer (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Brian Dixon – assistant engineer (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Andrew Felluss – assistant engineer (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14), mix assistant (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14), Pro Tools operator (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Nick Howard – assistant engineer (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Timothy Olmstead – assistant engineer (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14), mix assistant (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Ryan Smith – assistant engineer (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14) Pete Karam – Pro Tools operator (4–6, 8–10, 12, 14)

Live DVD "Forever Young" (Jim Cregan, Kevin Savigar, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart) "Some Guys Have All the Luck" (Jeff Fortgang) "They Can't Take That Away from Me" (G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) "The Way You Look Tonight" (Fields, Kern) "These Foolish Things" (Link, Marvell, Strachey) "Moonglow" (DeLange, Hudson, Mills) "Every Time We Say Goodbye" (Porter) "The Very Thought of You" (Noble) "That Old Feeling" (Brown, Fain) "You Go to My Head" (Coots, Gillespie) "For All We Know" (Coots, Lewis) "The Nearness of You" (Carmichael, Washington) "That's All" (Brandt, Haymes) "We'll Be Together Again" (Fischer, Laine) "Rhythm of My Heart" (Marc Jordan, John Capek) "Downtown Train" (Tom Waits) "Maggie May" (Stewart, Martin Quittenton) "Young Turks" (Stewart, Carmine Appice, Duane Hitchings, Savigar) "Hot Legs" (Stewart, Gary Grainger) "Having a Party" (Sam Cooke) "I'll Be Seeing You" (Fain, Kahal) "It Takes Two" (William "Mickey" Stevenson, Sylvia Moy)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2002–2003)Peakposition

Year-end charts +Year-end chart performance for It Had to Be You: The Great American SongbookChart (2002)PositionCanadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan) 49UK Albums (OCC)47Worldwide Albums (IFPI)35Chart (2003)PositionAustralian Albums (ARIA)18Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)62UK Albums (OCC)135US Billboard 20034Chart (2004)PositionUS Billboard 200109

Certifications

Album

DVD

References

External links