[2] Berlin had published 130 songs by this point, none of which previously had revealed his ability to write with moving sentiment about his own personal pain.

[1] After accepting an invitation to visit Europe with Dorothy's brother Ray Goetz, Berlin composed "When I Lost You".

[1] Following the trip, Berlin successfully returned to songwriting by writing about his wife's death, rather than attempting to avoid it.

[4] Berlin did not make promotional appearances for the song during its first year of release, but the circumstances of his brief and tragic marriage were already common knowledge.

[1] Early popular recordings of the song in 1913 were by Henry Burr and by Manuel Romain.