IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU
Music: Jimmy Van Heusen- Lyrics: Johnny Burke
Year: 1944
Origin of the song
Dorothy Lamour performed ‘It Could Happen to You’ in the musical film And the Angels Sing produced by Paramount Pictures and directed by George Marshall. The film, released in New York on 25 April 1944, told the story of four sisters, singers and dancers (Lamour, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn, and Mimi Chandler) and their relationship with and orchestra conductor (Fred MacMurray).
Jimmy Van Heusen was one of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra’s favourite compositors, who recorded more than 70 of his melodies. He was nominated to the Oscar for best song fourteen times in twelve different years (in 1945 and 1964 he was nominated for two songs), and won it four times, with ‘Swinging on a Star’ (1944), ‘All the Way’ (1957), ‘High Hopes’ (1959), and ‘Call Me Irresponsible’ (1963). Johnny Burke wrote the lyrics of more than four hundred songs and collaborated in forty two films. He is the author of ‘Pennies from Heaven’ (1936), ‘What’s New’ (1939), ‘Imagination’ (1939), ‘Polka Dots and Moonbeams’ (1940), ‘Moonlight Becomes You’ (1942), ‘Like Someone In Love’ (1944), ‘Swinging on a Star’ (1944), -which won the Oscar- ‘But Beautiful’ (1947), ‘Here’s That Rainy Day’ (1953), and ‘Misty’ (1954).
Jo Stafford recorded ‘It Could Happen To Your’ for the first time accompanied by Paul Whiteman’s orchestra (December 3, 1943) for the Capitol label.
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
1943.12.03 |
1944.07.29 |
10 |
10 |
Jo Stafford (voc), Paul Weston Orchestra |
|
|
Bing Crosby |
1943.12.29 |
1944.09.30 |
2 |
18 |
Bing Crosby (voc), John Scott Trotter Orchestra |
|
Dinah Washington |
1959.04.07 |
1960.03.28 |
6 |
53 |
Dinah Washington (voc), Belford Hendricks Orchestra |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1950.06.28 |
Erroll Garner (p), John Simmons (b), Shadow Wilson (d) |
|
|
1951.05.01 |
Bud Powell (p), Curley Russell (b), Max Roach (d) |
|
|
1952.05.03 |
Miles Davis (tp), Jackie McLean (as), Don Elliot (vib, mel), Gil Coggins (p), Connie Henry (b), Connie Kay (d) |
|
|
1953.06.22 |
J.J. Johnson (tb), John Lewis (p), Percy Heath (b), Kenny Clarke (d) |
|
|
1955.07.14 |
Nat Cole (p), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d) |
|
|
1956.05.11 |
Miles Davis (tp), John Coltrane (ts), Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (b), Philly Joe Jones (d) |
|
|
1957.06.11 |
Sonny Rollins (ts) |
|
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1958.09.06 |
Ahmad Jamal (p), Israel Crosby (b), Vernell Fournier (d) |
|
|
1959.03.12 |
Bill Evans, Bob Brookmeyer (p), Percy Heath (b), Connie Kay (d) |
|
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1961.11.13 |
Kenny Dorham (tp), Walter Bishop Jr. (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Art Taylor (d) |
|
|
1994.09.11 |
Nicholas Payton (tp), Monte Croft (vib), Mulgrew Miller (p), Mark Whitfield (g), Reginald Veal (b), Lewis Nash (d) |
|
|
Jessica Williams Trio |
1996.10.25 |
Jessica Williams (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Mel Brown (d) |
|
Chick Corea & Origin |
1997.12.?? |
Steve Davis (tb), Bob Sheppard (fl, cl, bars, ss, ts), Steve Wilson (fl, cl, as), Chick Corea (p), Avishai Cohen (b), Adam Cruz (d) |
|
Bucky & John Pizzarelli |
2010.??.?? |
Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli (g), Larry Fuller (p), Martin Pizzarelli (b), Tony Tedesco (d) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1954.01.18 |
June Christy (voc), Maynard Ferguson, Conrad Gozzo, Shorty Rogers (tp), Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts, Tommy Pederson (tb), John Graas (tpa), Paul Sarmento (tu), Harry Klee, Bud Shank (as), Bob Cooper, Ted Nash (ts), Chuck Gentry (bars), Russ Freeman (p), Howard Roberts (g), Joe Mondragon (b), Shelly Manne (d), Pete Rugolo (dir) |
|
|
1956.04.05 |
Frank Sinatra (voc), Harry 'Sweets' Edison (tp), Vincent DeRosa (tpa), Warren Webb (ob), Bill Miller (p), Robert Bain (g), Sam R. Cheifetz (b), Alvin Stoller (d), string section, unidentified chorus, Nelson Riddle (dir) |
|
|
1958.08.01 |
Chet Baker (tp, voc), Kenny Drew (p), Sam Jones (b), Dannie Richmond (d) |
|
|
1959.04.07 |
Dinah Washington (voc), Belford Hendricks Orchestra |
|
|
1960.08.23 |
Anita O'Day (voc), Bill Holman Orchestra |
|
|
Carmen McRae |
1986.06.23 |
Carmen McRae (voc), Cliford Jordan (ts), Eric Gunnison (p), John Collins (g), Scott Coolly (b), Mark Pulice (d) |
|
Shirley Horn |
1988.11.16 |
Shirley Horn (p, voc), Buck Hill (ts), Charles Ables (b), Steve Williams (d) |
On cinemas
The song 'It Could Happen to You' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL TITLE |
TITLE IN SPAIN |
YEAR OF PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
And the Angels Sing |
Diablillos con faldas |
1944 |
Dorothy Lamour |
|
The Rat Race |
Perdidos en la gran ciudad |
1960 |
|
|
Hannah and Her Sisters |
Hannah y sus hermanas |
1986 |
Dick Hyman |
|
Eight Men Out |
Ocho hombres |
1988 |
|
|
New York Stories |
Historias de Nueva York |
1989 |
|
|
Michael |
Michael |
1996 |
|
|
The Hurricane |
Huracán Carter |
1999 |
Dinah Washington |
|
Anything Else |
Todo lo demás |
2003 |
Diana Krall |
|
How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days |
Cómo perder a un chico en diez días |
2003 |
|
|
The Prince & Me |
El príncipe y yo |
2004 |
|
|
And So It Goes |
Así nos va |
2014 |
Diane Keaton |