Love Is the Sweetest Thing
"Love Is the Sweetest Thing" is a popular song written in 1932 by British band leader and singer Ray Noble. Using guest vocalist Al Bowlly, Noble's recording was a big hit on both sides of the Atlantic, bringing Noble his first American success.[1] It was published by Redwood Music. Like most compositions published in the period (commonly called Tin Pan Alley songs), its main refrain (in thirty-two bar A-A-B-A form) is preceded with what were then called "sectional verses" or "introductory verses" which are usually omitted from early recordings and modern performances.
Notable recordings
The following artists, among others, have made recordings :-
- Ray Noble and His New Mayfair Orchestra (8 September 1932) - vocal by Al Bowlly.
- Jack Hylton and His Orchestra (4 October 1932) - vocal by J. Pat O'Malley.
- Jack Payne and His Orchestra (14 November 1932) - vocal by Jack Payne. Recorded for inclusion in the British musical drama film Say It with Music.
- Hal Kemp and His Orchestra – vocal by Skinnay Ennis. This was also popular in 1933.[2]
- Perry Como - recorded circa mid-February, 1945 from a "Chesterfield Supper Club" radio broadcast and issued as a V-Disc Record Number A-444-B (Navy N-224-B).[3]
- Mel Tormé (1946).
- Artie Shaw and His Orchestra (1950).
- Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1954[4] for use on his radio show and it was subsequently included in the box set The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954–56) issued by Mosaic Records (catalog MD7-245) in 2009.[5]
- Mario Lanza – recorded for his Coca-Cola Radio Show in 1952 and included in the album The Touch of Your Hand (1955).[6]
- Gogi Grant – included in her album Suddenly There's Gogi Grant (1956).[7]
- Ferlin Husky – included in his album Sittin' on a Rainbow (1958).[8]
- Frankie Vaughan – a single release in 1959.[9]
- Dinah Washington – for her album Dinah Washington – In Love (1962).[10]
- Mary Hopkin – included in her album Postcard (1969).
- Peter Skellern – for the album Skellern (1978).[11]
Film appearances
- 1932 Say It with Music - performed by Jack Payne.
- 1945 Confidential Agent – performed by Lynn Baggett at the road house.
- 1956 Reach for the Sky
- 1959 The Lady Is a Square – sung by Frankie Vaughan.
- 1959 The Captain's Table
- 1970 Country Dance – sung by Al Bowlly.
- 1980 Rising Damp
- 1990 Come See the Paradise – performed by Mark Earley
- 2004 Spider-Man 2 – performed by Peter Cincotti and The Peter Cincotti Trio
Lyrics extracts
First introductory verse:
- Whether you're 20 and starting in life
- Whether to 30 you've grown
- Whether to 40, a husband or wife,
- Whether you're 50, a Darby and Joan
- There's one thing certain that you'll have to own...
Start of main refrain (nowadays "Verse One"):
- Love is the sweetest thing
- What else on earth could ever bring
- Such happiness to ev'rything
- As Love's old story.
End of main refrain (nowadays "Verse Three"):
- Love is the greatest thing
- The oldest yet, the latest thing
- I only hope that fate may bring
- Love's story to you.
References
- ""A CENTURY OF SONG: PART ONE"". www.m-magazine.co.uk. PRS for Music. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
Love is the Sweetest Thing was a massive hit for Ray on both sides of the Atlantic, earning him his first US number one. Its success brought him a few Hollywood acting roles, where he played alongside Fred Astaire and Joan Fontain in the 1937 film A Damsel in Distress.
- Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 252. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- "Perry Como Discography". kokomo.ca. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
- "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
- "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
- "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
- "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
- "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
- "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
- "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
- Peter Skellern-Love is the sweetest thing.avi on YouTube
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