Undecided
song performed by John Kirby
"Undecided" is a popular song written by Sid Robin with music by Charlie Shavers and published in 1938.
Recordings
The first recording was made by John Kirby and The Onyx Club Boys on October 28, 1938, and released by Decca Records as catalog number 2216, with the B-side, "From A Flat to C".
It was also recorded by Chick Webb and his Orchestra with vocal by Ella Fitzgerald on February 17, 1939, and released by Decca Records as catalog number 2323, with the B-side, "In the Groove at the Grove".
The Dandridge Sisters recorded a cover in July 1939, and Django Reinhardt recorded a version with Quintette du Hot Club de France, and Beryl Davis on vocals, in August of the same year.
The biggest hit version was recorded by The Ames Brothers with Les Brown's orchestra on June 25, 1951, and released by Coral Records as catalog number 60566, with the B-side, "Sentimental Journey". It first reached the Billboard chart on September 28, 1951, and lasted 20 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 6.
Also in 1951, a bebop treatment of the song was released by Gene Ammons. Billy May recorded the song as part of his 1955 album Arthur Murray Cha Cha Mambos.
In 1960, Harry James released a version on his album, Harry James...Today. (MGM E-3848)
Al Hirt released a version on his 1961 album, The Greatest Horn in the World.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Undecided” is song performed by John Kirby. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Undecided, song and performed, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “song performed by John Kirby” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Attribution, date and provenance are strongest when supported by the original work, a catalogue record and documented transmission. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 14, 2024. The linked authority identifier is Q9366614. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1938, 1939, 1951 and 1955.
Later fame can flatten the distinction between original context, subsequent adaptation and institutional collecting history. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Separate the work, its editions or performances, and its later reception. Catalogue records, publication histories and object files often preserve different parts of that story.
- Identifying works and editions
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The original object or edition, catalogue raisonné, performance record, rights file and holding institution.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Undecided”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Undecided primary sources, Undecided archive and Undecided research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Undecided”?
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- Which edition, object, performance or recording is being described?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Undecided” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.