EASY TO LOVE
Musica and lyrics: Cole Porter
Year: 1936
Origin of the song
The actor James Stewart sang ‘Easy to Love’ in the film Born to Dance. In the film, released on 27 November 1936, it was also performed by Frances Langford and Eleanor Powell, dubbed by Marjorie Lane, and an instrumental version played during the credits. Porter recommended Stewart for the film, although he was worried about Stewart’s limited singing skills. However, the actor came out on top of the test and the song became a big hit.
Porter had originally written the song for the Broadway musical Anything Goes but, as it was out of William Gaxton’s vocal range, the cast’s star, he replaced it for another composition of his own, ‘All Through the night’. When the play revived in 1988, ‘Easy to Love’ was included in the show’s score.
Easy to Love was the title of a musical film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Charles Walters, and starring Esther Williams, Van Johnson, and Tony Martin. It was released on 25 December 1953 in the US. In the film, Tony Martin sang ‘Easy to Love’, which was also played many times in the film’s soundtrack.
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
Frances Langford |
1936.08.03 |
1936.11.14 |
1 |
20 |
Frances Langford (voc), Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra |
|
Shep Fields Rippling Rhythm Orchestra |
1936.09.01 |
1936.10.31 |
2 |
13 |
Dick Robertson (voc) |
|
1936.09.25 |
1936.12.19 |
9 |
7 |
Al Bowlly (voc) |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1950.07.05 |
Charlie Parker (as), Bernie Leighton (p), Ray Brown (b), Buddy Rich (d), Joe Lippman Orchestra |
|
|
1951.04.19 |
Don Byas (ts), Maurice Vander (p), Jean-Pierre Sasson (g), Popoff Medvedko (b), Benny Bennett (d) |
|
|
1953.03.30 |
Erroll Garner (p), Wyatt Ruther (b), Eugene Heard (d) |
|
|
1953.07.30 |
Chet Baker (tp), Russ Freeman (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Shelly Manne (d) |
|
|
1959.09.25 |
Roland Hanna (p), Ben Tucker (b), Roy Burness (d) |
|
|
Don Wilkerson Quartet |
1960.05.20 |
Don Wilkerson (ts), Barry Harris (p), Sam Jones (b), Billy Higgins (d) |
|
1963.07.14 |
Nat Adderley (cnt), Cannonball Adderley (as), Yusef Lateef (ts, fl, ob), Joe Zawinul (p), Sam Jones (b), Louis Hayes (d) |
|
|
Teddy Wilson |
1972.05.?? |
Teddy Wilson (p) |
|
Lee Konitz |
1974.07.30 |
Lee Konitz (as), Red Mitchell (b) |
|
1985.05.?? |
George Shearing (p) |
|
|
Adam Makowicz |
1992.07.19 |
Adam Makowicz (p) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1936.10.21 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Teddy Wilson (p, dir), Irving Randolph (tp), Ben Webster (ts), Vido Musso (cl), Allan Reuss (g), Milton Hinton (b), Gene Krupa (d) |
|
|
1937.10.22 |
Maxine Sullivan (voc), Claude Thornhill Orchestra |
|
|
1940.04.15 |
Lee Wiley (voc), Paul Weston Orchestra |
|
|
1952.03.26 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Charlie Shavers (tp), Flip Phillips (ts), Oscar Peterson (p), Barney Kessel (g), Ray Brown (b), Alvin Stoller (d) |
|
|
1954.10.06 |
Carmen McRae (voc), Herbie Mann (fl, ts), Mat Mathews (aco), Mundell Lowe (g), Wendell Marshall (b), Kenny Clarke (d) |
|
|
1956.02.07 |
Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Paul Smith (p), Joe Mondragon (b), Alvin Stoller (d) |
|
|
1990.??.?? |
Curtis Fowlkes (tb, voc), Roy Nathanson (as, ts, cl), Bill Ware (vib), Marc Ribot (tpa, g), Jim Nolet (vn), Brad Jones (b), E.J. Rodriguez (d, per) |
|
|
Susannah McCorkle |
1995.09.07 |
Susannah McCorkle (voc), Allen Farnham (p, dir), Randy Sandke (tp), Robert Trowers (tb), Ken Peplowski (ts, cl), Chris Potter (as), Howard Alden (g), Steve Gilmore (b), Rich DeRosa (d) |
|
2007.12.?? |
Patricia Barber (voc, p), Neal Alger (g), Michael Arnopol (b), Mark Walker (d) |
On cinemas
The song 'Easy to Love' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL
TITLE |
TITLE IN
SPAIN |
YEAR OF
PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
Born to Dance |
Nacida para la danza |
1936 |
Background music; Eleanor Powell (dubbed by Marjorie Lane); James Stewart, Frances Langford; danced by Powell and Buddy Ebsen |
|
Without Love |
Sin amor |
1945 |
A orchestra |
|
Night and Day |
Noche y día |
1946 |
A trio |
|
This Time for Keeps |
El recuerdo de tus labios |
1947 |
|
|
Mystery Street |
La calle del misterio |
1950 |
A band |
|
Easy to Love |
Fácil de amar |
1953 |
Tony Martin; background music |
|
The Reluctant Debutante |
Mamá nos complica la vida |
1958 |
|
|
Slither |
Deslices |
1973 |
|
|
That’s Entertainment! |
Érase una vez en Hollywood |
1974 |
Secuence of 'Born to Dance' |
|
Stardust Memories |
Recuerdos |
1980 |
Dick Hyman |
|
Rocketeer |
Rocketeer |
1991 |
|
|
Life Stinks |
¡Qué asco de vida! |
1991 |
|
|
Scenes from A Mall |
Escenas en una galería |
1991 |
|
|
That’s Entertainment! III |
That’s Entertainment! III |
1994 |
Secuence of 'Easy to Love' |
|
Anything Else |
Todo lo demás |
2003 |
Billie Holiday with Teddy Wilson Orchestra |
|
De-Lovely |
De-Lovely |
2004 |
Kevin Kline |
|
Black Mass |
Estrictamente criminal |
2015 |
Oscar Peterson |