“What’s New?” was composed in 1939 by Bob Haggart (music) with lyrics by Johnny Burke. The song was first introduced as an instrumental titled I’m Free before Burke added words, and it soon became a pop and jazz standard. Early recordings by Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, and Bob Crosby’s orchestra helped establish it as a classic, and later versions by Frank Sinatra and Linda Ronstadt kept it alive for new generations. Here, Jason Paul performs “What’s New?” with just acoustic guitar and voice, offering a stripped-down take on one of the most bittersweet ballads in the Great American Songbook. 👉 Quiz: Who first sang “What’s New?” – Bing or Billie? 👇 Subscribe → https://www.youtube.com/@JasonMusicPortal More music → http://jasonpaul.net
What’s New? was composed in 1939 by Bob Haggart, with lyrics later added by Johnny Burke. Originally written as an instrumental under the title I’m Free, the song quickly became one of the defining torch ballads of the American standard repertoire. Over time it has been recorded by artists including Linda Ronstadt, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, and Chet Baker, reflecting its long life across jazz and vocal pop traditions. This performance is presented with voice and acoustic guitar. Song: What’s New? Written by: Bob Haggart & Johnny Burke (1939) Performance: Jason Paul, voice & guitar