Don't Smoke in Bed

Willard Robison, a Missouri-born composer and lyricist, occupies a unique but underappreciated position in American music history. Though largely absent from mainstream recognition, his work bridged the gap between jazz and rural American folk traditions, producing songs that captured a wistful sense of place and memory. His most renowned composition, "A Cottage for Sale," gained widespread acclaim through recordings by Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and others, establishing Robison’s touch on themes of lost domesticity and emotional vulnerability.

Robison’s career, however, was fraught with personal struggles, notably his battle with alcoholism, which impeded his productivity and obscured his legacy. Despite support from notable contemporaries like Johnny Mercer and Mildred Bailey, Robison remained a challenging figure to assist. His songwriting style was distinctive for its pastoral lyricism and emotional nuance, evoking an America caught between rural roots and urban modernity.

A lesser-known but significant piece attributed to Robison is the haunting ballad "Don’t Smoke in Bed." Although officially credited to Robison, this song was largely completed by Peggy Lee and her then-husband Dave Barbour. The song’s genesis involved Robison providing a title and an opening line, but due to his declining health and creative difficulties, Lee and Barbour finished the composition. Their collaboration resulted in a sparse yet emotionally resonant tune that explores themes of regret and farewell, underscored by an innovative echo effect that enhances its ghostly ambiance.

Peggy Lee, an acclaimed singer-songwriter herself, held a deep admiration for Robison’s poetic approach to songwriting, describing his work as miniature character studies set to music. The partnership on "Don’t Smoke in Bed" became a poignant intersection of their careers; Lee’s sensitive lyricism and Barbour’s musical arrangements complemented Robison’s initial concept to create a piece that would endure far beyond its modest commercial success.

While "Don’t Smoke in Bed" did not achieve the chart-topping status of Lee’s novelty hit "Manana," the song has since been embraced by a wide array of artists across genres. Its recordings by Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, and k.d. lang, among others, testify to its lasting appeal as a torch song that continues to resonate with audiences seeking introspective and melancholic storytelling.

The financial and personal circumstances surrounding the song’s crediting reveal a layer of generosity from Lee and Barbour. Concerned about Robison’s meager royalties and health, they chose to grant him sole authorship for copyright purposes, despite their substantial role in completing the song. Robison lived for two decades following the song’s creation, outliving Barbour, who had overcome his own struggles with alcoholism, by a few years.

Robison’s body of work, including "A Cottage for Sale" and "Don’t Smoke in Bed," reflects a nuanced vision of American life that resists simple categorization. His songs blend urban sophistication with rural sensibility, capturing the tensions of a country in cultural flux. Despite this, his name remains relatively obscure outside dedicated circles, a situation that music historians and biographers may yet rectify in the future.

Peggy Lee’s contributions to popular music as a storyteller and songwriter are well documented, but her collaboration with Robison and Barbour on "Don’t Smoke in Bed" stands out as a significant, if understated, chapter in her career. The song’s narrative of parting and reflection, wrapped in Lee’s evocative vocal style, provides a fitting epitaph to Robison’s songwriting journey.

In sum, the story of "Don’t Smoke in Bed" offers insight into the complex relationships and creative processes behind mid-20th-century American popular music. It highlights how personal adversity, artistic collaboration, and evolving musical landscapes intertwined to produce works that continue to influence artists and listeners alike. While Willard Robison may not be a household name, his legacy endures through the timeless songs that capture the bittersweet realities of human experience.