I'm Beginning to See the Light is a 1944 jazz standard with music by Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, and Harry James and lyrics by Don George. Published in 1944, it was first recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra in New York on December 1, 1944, with Joya Sherrill on vocals and released in early 1945. Ellington's version reached No 6 on the pop chart and No 4 on the Harlem Hit Parade, while Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen climbed to No 1 for two weeks in January 1945. The tune has been widely covered by Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Count Basie, Mel Tormé, Frank Sinatra, and many others, making it a lasting jazz standard. It features a swinging vamp-like A section and light, romantic imagery in the lyrics, and has appeared in Broadway shows like Sophisticated Ladies and in the film My Dog Skip.
