You're Driving Me Crazy, often published with the parenthetical subtitle What Did I Do, was composed by Walter Donaldson in 1930, with Donaldson writing both the music and lyrics himself rather than collaborating with his frequent partner Gus Kahn. The song emerged during one of Donaldson's most fertile creative periods, which also produced Little White Lies the same year. It debuted in live performance by Adele Astaire and Eddie Foy Jr. on November 18, 1930, and was quickly recorded by multiple artists including Lee Morse, Rudy Vallee, and Guy Lombardo, all competing for chart success in late 1930. The composition follows a standard AABA form but distinguishes itself through an unusually inventive bridge that is harmonically busier and more adventurous than the A sections, a hallmark of craftsmanship rare among popular songs of the era. Even the verse, often an afterthought in Tin Pan Alley writing, shows careful melodic design. The chord changes proved fertile ground for jazz improvisation, and Bennie Moten's 1932 recording Moten Swing is recognized as a thematic paraphrase of the melody, linking the song to the Kansas City jazz tradition. Louis Armstrong recorded a notable version in 1930 with Les Hite's orchestra in Los Angeles, featuring scat vocals and comedy alongside trumpet improvisation. McKinney's Cotton Pickers produced a striking arrangement that same year, recasting the second chorus in a reharmonized minor key. The song entered the public domain on January 1, 2026, having endured as a respected deep-cut favorite in jazz repertoires.
