"What'll I Do" is a song written by Irving Berlin in 1923. It was introduced by singers Grace Moore and John Steel late in the run of Berlin's third Music Box Revue and also was included in the following year's (1924) edition. In the lyrics, the singer questions how he or she will get by now that a recent romance has ended.
The song was used as a generalized theme in Nelson Riddle's Academy Award-winning period score for the 1974 film The Great Gatsby starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, sung by character actor William Atherton. It was sung by Mary Steenburgen in the 1991 movie, The Butcher's Wife, and was used as the theme tune to the British sitcom Birds of a Feather. An instrumental version of the song was used under the closing scene of "I Do, Adieu" (1987), the fifth season finale of the sitcom Cheers.
Notable recordings
"What'll I Do" is a popular standard and has been recorded by many artists. Following is a partial list of artists who have recorded versions (in alphabetical order):