BUT BEAUTIFUL

Music: Jimmy Van Heusen- Lyrics: Johnny Burke

Year: 1947

 

Origin of the song

On 25 December 1947, the film Road to Rio was released in New York, produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by Norman Z. McLeod, and its main roles played by Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Dorothy Lamour. Crosby sang ‘But Beautiful’ in one of its scenes.

Robert Emmett Dolan, author of the soundtrack, was nominated to the Oscars in his category, won by Alfred Newman for Mother Wore Tights’ score.

Other noteworthy Van Heusen and Burke’s collaborations, apart from ‘But Beautiful’, are ‘Oh! You Crazy Moon’ (1939), ‘Imagination’ (1939), ‘Polka Dots and Moonbeams’ (1940), ‘Moonlight Becomes You’ (1942), ‘It Could Happen to You’ (1944), ‘Like Someone in Love’ (1944), and ‘Here's That Rainy Day’ (1953).


Versions in the top charts

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

DAY OF

ENTRANCE

PERMANENCE WEEKS

HIGH POSITION REACHED

 

Frank Sinatra

1947.08.17

1948.01.31

4

14

Frank Sinatra (voc), Axel Stordahl Orchestra

Bing Crosby

1947.11.13

1948.02.07

3

20

Bing Crosby (voc), John Scott Trotter Orchestra

Margaret Whiting

1947.11.25

1948.01.24

2

21

Margaret Whiting (voc), Frank DeVol Orchestra

Art Lund

1947.11.??

1948.01.24

1

25

Art Lund (voc), Johnny Thompson Orchestra

Jazz. Outstanding performances

  Instrumental

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis His Tenor Sax and Rhythm

1947.04.12

Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis (ts), Al Haig (p), Gene Ramey (b), Denzil Best (d)

Kenny Dorham Quintet

1957.05.21

Kenny Dorham (tp), Sonny Rollins (ts), Hank Jones (p), Betty Glamman (arp),

Oscar Pettiford (b), Max Roach (d)

Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis Quintet

1958.06.20

Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis (ts), Jerome Richardson (ts, fl), Shirley Scott (org), George Duvivier (b), Arthur Edgehill (d)

Grant Green Quartet

1959.12.10

Grant Green (g), Harold Mabern (p), Gene Ramey (b), Elvin Jones (d)

Freddie Hubbard Quintet

1960.06.19

Freddie Hubbard (tp), Tina Brooks (ts), McCoy Tyner (p), Sam Jones (b), Clifford Jarvis (d)

Ray Brown

1960.09.01

Ray Brown (b, vc), Don Fagerquist (tp), Harry Betts (tb), Jack Cave (tpa), Med Flory (as), Bob Cooper (ts), Bill Hood (bars), Paul Horn (fl), Jimmy Rowles (p), Joe Mondragon (b), Dick Shanahan (d), Russell Garcia (dir)

Stan Getz- Bill Evans Quartet

1964.05.06

Stan Getz (ts), Bill Evans (p), Ron Carter (b), Elvin Jones (d)

Yusef Lateef

1974.07.06

Yusef Lateef (ts, fl, ob, p, per), Kenny Barron (p), Bob Cunningham (b, camp), Albert

Heath (d, per)

Clark Terry- Max Roach Quartet

2002.03.10

Clark Terry (tp, fis) Don Friedman (p), Marcus McLaurine (b), Max Roach (d)

  Vocal

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Frank Sinatra

1947.08.17

Frank Sinatra (voc), Manny Klein, Ray Linn, Zeke Zarchy (tp), Dave Hallett, George Jenkins, Pullman Pederson (tb), Vincent DeRosa (tpa), Heine Beau, Fred Dornbach, Herbert Haymer, Jules Kinsler, Fred Stulce (sax), Mark McIntyre (p), Allan Reuss (g), Philip Stephens (b), Ray Hagan (d), string section, Axel Stordahl (dir)

Margaret Whiting

1947.11.25

Margaret Whiting (voc), Frank DeVol Orchestra

Peggy Lee

1949.04.08

Peggy Lee (voc), Dave Barbour, George Van Eps (g), Phil Stephens (b), Hal Schaefer (p, cel), Nick Fatool (d)

Billie Holiday with Ray Ellis Orchestra

1958.02.19

Billie Holiday (voc), Billy Butterfield, Mel Davis, Jimmy Ochner (tp), Jack Green, Urbie Green, Tommy Mitchell (tb), Philip Bodner, Tom Parshley, Romeo Penque, Ed Powell (r), Mal Waldron (p), Barry Galbraith (g), Milton Hinton (b), Osie Johnson (d), Robert Rosengarten (xil), string section, Ray Ellis (dir)

Nat King Cole

1958.05.08

Nat Cole (voc), Rene Faure (p), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), string section, Gordon Jenkins (dir)

Nancy Wilson

1969.??.??

Nancy Wilson (voc), Hank Jones (p), Gene Bertoncini (g), Ron Carter (b), Grady Tate (d)

Tony Bennett

1975.06.13

Tony Bennett (voc), Bill Evans (p)

Shirley Horn

1988.11.16

Shirley Horn (p, voc), Charles Ables (b), Steve Williams (d, per)

Claire Martin

2004.06.??

Claire Martin (voc), Nigel Hitchcock (ss), Gareth Williams (p, org), Richard Cottle (org), Jim Mullen (g), Lawrence Cottle (b), Clark Tracey (d), Miles Bould (per)

On cinemas

  The song 'But Beautiful' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:

 

ORIGINAL TITLE

TITLE IN SPAIN

DATE OF PRODUCTION

PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM

Road to Rio

Camino de Río

1947

Bing Crosby

Munich

Munich

2005

Stan Getz- Bill Evans Quartet

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