BODY AND SOUL
Music: Johnny Green- Lyrics: Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton
Year: 1930
Origin of the song
When he was acting in London, the compositor, pianist, arranger, and orchestra conductor Johnny Green wrote ‘Body And Soul’ for the actress and singer Gertrude Lawrence. She performed the song in a radio programme but it never led her to record a disc. The first recording of this ballad was carried out by Jack Hylton’s orchestra, with the singer Pat O’Malley, in England (7 February 1930), although it was Paul Whiteman’s orchestra, with the voice of Jack Fulton, which made it popular in the US. On 11 October 1930 it entered the top charts and, a week after, reached the top, where it remained for six weeks. After a few days, on 15 October 1930, the musical Three’s a crowd was released in the Selwyn Theatre of New York, performed by Clifton Webb, Fred Allen, and Libby Holman, who sang ‘Body and Soul’ in the play.
Other John Green’s popular songs are ‘I’m Yours’ (1930), ‘Out of Nowhere’ (1931), ‘I Wanna Be Loved’ (1932), and ‘I Cover the Waterfront’ (1933).
For his part, Edward Heyman is the author of the lyrics of ‘Through the Years’ (1932), ‘You Oughta Be in Pictures’ (1934), ‘Blame It on My Youth’ (1934), ‘Love Letters’ (1945), and ‘When I Fall in Love’ (1952).
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
1930.09.10 |
1930.10.11 |
15 |
1 (six weeks) |
Jack Fulton (voc) |
|
|
Helen Morgan |
1930.09.12 |
1930.11.08 |
2 |
16 |
Helen Morgan (voc), Leonard Joy Orchestra |
|
Leo Reisman Orchestra |
1930.09.19 |
1930.12.25 |
2 |
15 |
Frank Luther (voc) |
|
1930.09.29 |
1930.10.18 |
4 |
10 |
Ruth Etting (voc) |
|
|
1930.09.?? |
1930.10.18 |
7 |
3 |
Libby Holman (voc) |
|
|
Annette Hanshaw |
1930.10.07 |
1930.11.15 |
2 |
12 |
Annette Hanshaw (voc) |
|
Louis Armstrong Sebastian Cotton Club Orchestra |
1930.10.09 |
1932.10.01 |
5 |
7 |
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc) |
|
Ozzie Nelson Orchestra |
1930.10.?? |
1930.12.20 |
1 |
18 |
Ozzie Nelson (voc) |
|
Henry 'Red' Allen Orchestra |
1935.04.29 |
1935.06.15 |
2 |
17 |
Henry 'Red' Allen (voc) |
|
Benny Goodman Trio |
1935.07.13 |
1935.09.07 |
8 |
5 |
Instrumental |
|
Art Tatum Swingsters |
1937.02.26 |
1937.05.15 |
1 |
19 |
Instrumental |
|
1939.10.11 |
1940.01.27 |
6 |
13 |
Instrumental |
|
|
Ziggy Elman Orchestra |
1947.10.?? |
1947.10.18 |
1 |
25 |
Instrumental |
|
Billy Eckstine |
1949.??.?? |
1949.09.24 |
1 |
27 |
Billy Eckstine (voc), Buddy Baker Orchestra |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSCIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1935.07.13 |
Benny Goodman (cl), Teddy Wilson (p), Gene Krupa (d) |
|
|
1937.04.22 |
Django Reinhardt (g), Stéphane Grappelli (vn), Pierre Ferret, Marcel Bianchi (g), Louis Vola (b) |
|
|
1938.01.16 |
Benny Goodman (cl), Teddy Wilson (p), Gene Krupa (d)
In Carnegie Hall, Nueva York |
|
|
1938.11.11 |
Chu Berry (ts), Roy Eldridge (tp), Clyde Hart (p), Danny Barker (g), Artie Shapiro (b), Sid Catlett (d) |
|
|
1939.10.11 |
Tommy Lindsay, Joe Guy (tp), Earl Hardy (tb), Jackie Fields, Eustis Moore (as), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Gene Rodgers (p), William Oscar Smith (b), Arthur Herbert (d) |
|
|
1944.06.06 |
Roy Eldridge (tp, dir), Gus Aiken, John Hamilton, Robert Mason, Clarence Wheeler (tp), Ted Kelly, Andrew Williams, George Wilson (tb), Joe Eldridge, Sam Lee (as), Franz Jackson, Hal Sinder (ts), Dave McRae (bars), Tony D'Amore (p), Sam Allen (g), Carl Wilson (b), Les Erkine (d) |
|
|
1950.03.?? |
Dave Brubeck (p), Ron Crotty (b), Cal Tjader (bon, cng) |
|
|
1951.04.01 |
Charlie Mingus (b), Spaulding Givens (p) |
|
|
1952.12.12 |
Stan Getz (ts), Duke Jordan (p), Jimmy Raney (g), Bill Crow (b), Frank Isola (d) |
|
|
1953.03.12 |
George Shearing (p), Toots Thielemans (g, arm), Cal Tjader (vib), Al McKibbon (b), Bill Clark (d) |
|
|
1953.12.28 |
Art Tatum (p) |
|
|
1956.01.25 |
Hampton Hawes (p), Red Mitchell (b), Chuck Thompson (d) |
|
|
1956.04.10 |
Stéphane Grappelli (vn), Maurice Vander (p), Pierre Michelot (b), Baptiste 'Mac Kac' Reilles (d) |
|
|
John Lewis All Stars |
1960.09.08 |
Herb Pomeroy (tp), Paul Gonsalves (ts), John Lewis (p), Jim Hall (g), George Duvivier (b), Connie Kay (d) |
|
1960.10.24 |
John Coltrane (ss, ts), McCoy Tyner (p), Steve Davis (b), Elvin Jones (d) |
|
|
1968.04.?? |
Oscar Peterson (p) |
|
|
Lee Konitz Quintet |
1969.03.21 |
Lee Konitz (as, ts), Marshall Brown (vtb), Dick Katz (p), Eddie Gómez (b), Jack DeJohnette (d) |
|
1970.07.07 |
Dexter Gordon (ts), Tommy Flanagan (p), Larry Ridley (b), Alan Dawson (d) |
|
|
1990.04.01 |
Walter Norris (p) |
|
|
Stefon Harris & Jacky Terrasson |
2000.??.?? |
Stefon Harris (vib, mrb), Jacky Terrasson (p), Tarus Mateen (b), Terreon Gully, Idris Muhammad (d) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1930.10.09 |
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), George Orendorff, Harold Scott (tp), Luther Graven (tb), Les Hite (as, bars), Marvin Johnson (as), Charlie Jones (cl, ts), Henry Prince (p), Bill Perkins (bjo, g), Joe Balley (b), Lionel Hampton (d, vib) |
|
|
1935.04.29 |
Henry 'Red' Allen (tp, voc), Dickie Wells (tb), Cecil Scott (cl), Chu Berry (ts), Horace Henderson (p), Bernard Addison (g), John Kirby (b), George Stafford (d) |
|
|
1940.02.29 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Roy Eldrigde (tp), Kermit Scott (ts), Carl Frye, Jimmy Powell (as), Sonny White (p), Lawrence Lucie (g), John Williams (b), Harold 'Doc' West (d) |
|
|
1946.12.06 |
Lee Wiley (voc), Eric Siday (vn, dir), Stan Freeman (p), Dan Perri (g), Bob Haggart (b), Morey Feld (d) |
|
|
1954.04.02 |
Sarah Vaughan (voc), John Malachi (p), Joe Benjamin (b), Roy Haynes (d) |
|
|
Billie Holiday |
1957.01.07 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Harry 'Sweets' Edison (tp), Ben Webster (ts), Jimmy Rowles (p), Barney Kessel (g), Red Mitchell (b), Alvin Stoller (d) |
|
1968.09.27 |
Eddie Jefferson (voc), Dave Burns (tp), James Moody (ts, fl), Barry Harris (p), Steve Davis (b), Bill English (d) |
|
|
George Shearing & Ernestine Anderson |
1988.05.?? |
George Shearing (p), Neil Swainson (b), Jeff Hamilton (d), Ernestine Anderson (voc) |
|
Cassandra Wilson |
1990.??.?? |
Cassandra Wilson (voc), Rod Williams (p), Reggie Washington (b), Mark Johnson (d) |
On cinemas
The song 'Body And Soul' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL TITLE |
TIITLE IN SPAIN |
YEAR OF PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
Body And Soul |
Cuerpo y alma |
1947 |
Background
music |
|
The Eddy Duchin Story |
Eddy Duchin |
1956 |
Carmen Cavallaro |
|
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? |
Danzad, danzad, malditos |
1969 |
Background music |
|
Stardust Memories |
Recuerdos |
1980 |
Django Reinhardt- Quintette du Hot Club de France |
|
Private Benjamin |
La recluta Benjamín |
1980 |
|
|
The Color Purple |
El color púrpura |
1985 |
Coleman Hawkins Orchestra |
|
After Hours |
¡Jo, qué noche! |
1985 |
|
|
Autour de minuit |
Alrededor de la medianoche |
1986 |
|
|
Radio Days |
Días de radio |
1987 |
Benny Goodman Trio |
|
Shy People |
Gente reservada |
1987 |
Ruth Etting |
|
Torch Song Trilogy |
Trilogía de Nueva York |
1988 |
Charlie Haden Quartet; Benny Goodman Orchestra |
|
I Hired a Contract Killer |
Contraté un asesino a sueldo |
1990 |
|
|
One True Thing |
Cosas que importan |
1998 |
Charles Mingus |
|
Catch Me If You Can |
Atrápame si puedes |
2002 |
Erroll Garner |
|
Ginger & Rosa |
Ginger y Rosa |
2012 |
Django Reinhardt |