MY FUNNY VALENTINE

Music: Richard Rodgers- Lyrics: Lorenz Hart

Year: 1937

 

My funny valentine-clasicos del jazz-standards jazz

Origin of the song

On 14 April 1937 Babes in Arms was released in the Shubert Theatre of New York, which obtained a significant success and had two hundred and eighty nine performances. In the first act of the play, Mitzi Green sang ‘My Funny Valentine’ to Ray Heatherton.

It was the first time that Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart wrote the whole script of a musical, with the dialogues, the music and the lyrics of the songs. Its plot combined a series of musical acts with a swift and uncomplicated storyline. He is also remembered for the brilliant ballet the choreographer George Balanchine created for the scene of the ‘dream’. The original production of Babes in Arms included as well the songs ‘Babes In Arms’, ‘I Wish I Were In Love Again’, ‘Where Or When’, ‘Lady Is A Tramp’ and ‘Johnny One Note’.

In 1939, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer adapted the musical for the big screen. Babes in arms was directed by Busby Berkeley and starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney; he only kept three songs from the original show, ‘Babes in Arms’, ‘I Wish I Were In Love Again’ and ‘Where Or When’.


Versions in the top charts

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

DATE OF ENTRANCE

PERMANENCE WEEKS

HIGH POSITION REACHED

 

Hal McIntyre Orchestra

1944.12.29

1945.02.24

1

16

Ruth Gaylor (voc)

Jazz. Outstanding performances

  Instrumental

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Gerry Mulligan Quartet

1952.09.02

Chet Baker (tp), Gerry Mulligan (bars), Carson Smith (b), Chico Hamilton (d)

Gerry Mulligan Quartet

1953.05.20

Chet Baker (tp), Gerry Mulligan (bars), Carson Smith (b), Larry Bunker (d)

Charlie Parker with Stan Kenton Orchestra

1954.02.25

Charlie Parker (as), Stan Kenton (p, dir), Sam Noto, Vince Minichelli, Buddy Childers, Don Smith, Stu Williamson (tp), Milt Gold, Joe Ciavardone, Frank Rosolino, George Roberts (tb), Charlie Mariano, Dave Schildkraut, Mike Cicchetti, Bill Perkins, Tony Ferina (r), Bob Lesher (g), Don Bagley (b), Stan Levey (d)

Ruby Braff & Ellis Larkins

1955.10.14

Ruby Braff (cnt), Ellis Larkins (p)

Miles Davis Quintet

1956.10.26

Miles Davis (tp), John Coltrane (ts), Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (b), Philly Joe Jones (d)

Gerry Mulligan Quartet

1959.02.??

Art Farmer (tp), Gerry Mulligan (bars), Bill Crow (b), Dave Bailey (d)

Bobby Timmons Trio

1960.01.13

Bobby Timmons (p), Sam Jones (b), Jimmy Cobb (d)

Bill Evans & Jim Hall

1962.05.14

Bill Evans (p), Jim Hall (g)

Miles Davis Quintet

1964.02.12

Miles Davis (tp), George Coleman (ts), Herbie Hancock (p), Ron Carter (b), Tony Williams (d)

Paul Desmond Quartet

1975.10.25

Paul Desmond (as), Ed Bickert (g), Don Thompson (b), Jerry Fuller (d)

Art Blakey Jazz Messengers

1980.10.11

Wynton Marsalis (tp), Bill Pierce (ts), Robert Watson (as), James Williams (p), Charles Fambrough (b), Art Blakey (d)

Jim Hall Trio

1988.02.??

Jim Hall (g), Steve La Spina (b), Joey Baron (d)

Enrico Pieranunzi Trio

1989.05.03

Enrico Pieranunzi (p), Marc Johnson (b), Steve Houghton (d)

Fred Hersch Trio

1992.12.??

Fred Hersch (p), Drew Gress (b), Tom Rainey (d)

Jacky Terrasson Trio

2002.06.21

Jacky Terrasson (p), Sean Smith (b), Eric Harland (d)

  Vocal

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Frank Sinatra

1953.11.05

Frank Sinatra (voc), Nelson Riddle Orchestra

Chet Baker Quartet

1954.02.15

Chet Baker (tp, voc), Russ Freeman (p), Carson Smith (b), Bob Neal (d)

Ella Fitzgerald

1956.08.30

Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Buddy Bregman Orchestra

Carmen McRae

1957.03.06

Carmen McRae (voc), Ray Bryant (p), Ike Isaacs (b), Charles 'Specs' Wright (d)

Anita O’Day

1958.04.02

Anita O’Day (voc), Bill Catalano, Jules Chaiken, Phil Gilbert, Lee Katzman, Sam Noto (tp), Jim Amlotte, Bob Enevoldsen, Kent Larsen, Archie LeCoque, Ken Shroyer (tb), Lennie Niehaus, Bud Shank (as), Richie Kamuca, Bill Perkins (ts), Jack Dulong (bars), Marty Paich (p), Red Kelly (b), Mel Lewis (d), Russ Garcia (dir)

Sarah Vaughan

1973.09.24

Sarah Vaughan (voc), Carl Schroeder (p)

Shirley Horn Trio

1997.12.02

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

Chucho Valdés

1999.04.09

Chucho Valdés (p), Francisco Rubio Pampín (b), Raúl Pineda Roque (d), Roberto Vizcaíno Guillot (cng, d), Mayra Caridad Valdés (voc)

On cinemas

 The song 'My Funny Valentine' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:

 

ORIGINAL TITLE

TITLE IN SPAIN

YEAR OF PRODUCTION

PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM

Gentlemen Marry Brunettes

Los caballeros se casan con las morenas

1955

Jeanne Crain (dubbed by Anita Ellis)

Pal Joey

Pal Joey

1957

Kim Novak (dubbed by Trudy Erwin)

Sharky’s Machine

La brigada de Sharky

1981

Chet Baker Quartet; Julie London

Click, Click

Click, Click

1984

 

The Fabulous Baker Boys

Los fabulosos Baker Boys

1989

Michelle Pfeiffer

Malice

Malicia

1993

Gene Harris

When a Man Loves a Woman

Cuando un hombre ama a una mujer

1994

 

Waiting To Exhale

Esperando un respiro

1995

Chaka Khan

The Talented Mr. Ripley

El talento de Mr. Ripley

1999

Chet Baker Quartet

The Cooler

The Cooler

2003

Tierney Sutton

The Company

The Company

2003

 

Perfect Stranger

Seduciendo a un extraño

2007

James 'D-Train' Williams

Bikur Ha-Tizmoret

La banda nos visita

2007

 

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