A Fine Romance (song)
| "A Fine Romance" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Billie Holiday | ||||
| Format | 45 RPM single | |||
| Recorded | 1936 | |||
| Genre | Jazz blues | |||
| Writer(s) | Dorothy Fields | |||
| Billie Holiday singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"A Fine Romance" is a popular song composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields, published in 1936.
The song was written for the musical film, Swing Time, where it was co-introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Astaire had a major record hit on Brunswick records. However, it was made most famous by Billie Holiday's recording, also done in 1936.
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.
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 (1936)
- Henry King and his Orchestra with vocals by Joe Sudy (1936)[1]
- 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[2] – 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)
References
- ↑ 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)