"What More Can a Woman Do?" is the first song co-written by Peggy that she recorded, from a Capitol Records session on December 27, 1944. Later in that same session she recorded another of her songs, “You Was Right, Baby.” Both songs were written with her new husband, Dave Barbour, who quickly became her most enduring and successful songwriting partner. Peggy sang “What More...” on radio throughout the late 1940s and she filmed it in 1950 for Snader Telescriptions (see “Listen” link above).

In her autobiography Peggy wrote, “‘What More Can a Woman Do’ was inspired by my feelings for David and our life. I was washing dishes and just sang out my love for him.”

Five months after Peggy’s recording of “What More Can a Woman Do,” Sarah Vaughan recorded it with no less than Charlie Parker on alto saxophone. Other singers who have recorded it include Mildred Anderson, Big Maybelle, Georgia Carr, Ruby Johnson, Audrey Morris and Laura Theodore.