A Fine Romance (song)
"A Fine Romance" is a popular song composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields, published in 1936.
| "A Fine Romance" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Billie Holiday | ||||
| A-side | "A Fine Romance" | |||
| B-side | "I Can't Pretend" | |||
| Released | 1936 | |||
| Recorded | September 29, 1936 | |||
| Genre | Jazz blues | |||
| Length | 2.53 | |||
| Label | Vocalion | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern | |||
| Billie Holiday singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The song was written for the musical film, Swing Time, where it was co-introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Astaire recorded a solo version of the song on July 28, 1936 for Brunswick records (catalog 7716)[1] and it topped the charts of the day for five weeks.[2] Billie Holiday recorded the song for Vocalion Records on September 29, 1936[3] and this too reached the charts of the day as did versions by Henry King and Guy Lombardo.[4]
In Hollywood, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald recorded their version of the song in the summer of 1957. In 1963, Fitzgerald included a solo rendition on her Verve Records album, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Songbook, produced by Norman Granz.
In a version sung by Judi Dench it also became the theme song of A Fine Romance, a British television series starring Dench and her husband Michael Williams.
In the film Till the Clouds Roll By (1946), the song is performed by Virginia O'Brien.
A recording by Lena Horne features in the film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1993). The song also features in the stage musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert – the Musical.
Notable recordings
- Bing Crosby and Dixie Lee Crosby with Victor Young & His Orchestra (recorded August 19, 1936)[5]
- Henry King and his Orchestra with vocals by Joe Sudy (1936)[6]
- Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald – Ella and Louis Again (1957)
- Fred Astaire – The Astaire Story (1953)
- Count Basie and Joe Williams – The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards (1956)
- Ann Hampton Callaway – To Ella with Love (1996)
- Sammy Davis, Jr. and Carmen McRae – Boy Meets Girl (1957)
- Ella Fitzgerald – Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Songbook (1963)
- Billie Holiday – 1936 single, The Quintessential Billie Holiday: Vol. II (1987)
- Lena Horne – Lena in Hollywood (1966)
- Stacey Kent – Let Yourself Go: Celebrating Fred Astaire (2000)
- Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé – Cozy (1961)
- Susannah McCorkle – How Do You Keep the Music Playing (1985)
- Sylvia McNair – Sure Thing: The Jerome Kern Songbook (1994)
- Marian McPartland – Lullaby of Birdland (1952)
- Johnny Mercer and Martha Tilton – 1946 single, The Song Is You: Capitol Sings Jerome Kern (1992)
- Marilyn Monroe[7] – Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend (2006)
- Frank Sinatra – Ring-a-Ding-Ding! (1961)
- Mel Tormé – Mel Tormé Sings Fred Astaire (1956)
- Margaret Whiting – Margaret Whiting Sings the Jerome Kern Songbook (1960)
- Jerry Hadley and Frederica Von Stade - Puttin' on the Ritz with Erich Kunzel / Cincinnati Pops (1995)
- Kiri Te Kanawa - Kiri Sings Kern (1993)
References
- "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 37. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 498. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research, Inc. p. 257. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- RCA Records Recording date: September 3, 1954 Label: RCA Records, Italy 1974 LP: Marilyn Monroe – La Voce, Le Musiche E I Films Number: TPL1 of 7025 (e)