WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE?
Music and lyrics: Cole Porter
Year: 1929
Origin of the song
The English singer Elsie Carlisle, very popular for his radio performances, released 'What Is This Thing Called Love?' on 27 March 1929 in the British capital's London Pavilion theatre. The song was part of Wake Up and Dream, a musical revue with a score by John Hastings Turner and songs composed by Cole Porter, performed by Jessie Matthews, Sonnie Hale, Tillie Losch, and George Metaxa. The director was Frank Collins, Charles B. Cochran the producer, and Jack Buchanan, Tilly Losch, and Max Rivers, the choreographers. Before its release and as a rehearsal, the play had been performed in the Palace Theatre of Manchester, named Charles B. Cochran's 1929 Revue.
In Broadway, the musical was released on 30 December 1929 in the Selwyn Theatre, and Frances Shelley sang ‘What Is This Thing Called Love?’ at the beginning of the second act. The play was performed a hundred and thirty-six times.
Ginny Simms sang ‘What Is This Thing Called Love?’ in the film Night and Day, a fictitious Cole Porter’s biography (who was interpreted by Cary Grant), produced by Warner Bros. and directed by Michael Curtiz, which was released on 2 July 1946 in the US.
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
Fred Rich Orchestra |
1930.01.08 |
1930.03.08 |
1 |
19 |
The Rollickers (voc) |
|
1930.01.20 |
1930.02.15 |
9 |
5 |
Lew Conrad (voc) |
|
|
1930.02.?? |
1930.02.22 |
3 |
10 |
Pat Kennedy (voc) |
|
|
Artie Shaw Orchestra |
1938.09.27 |
1939.02.11 |
1 |
15 |
Helen Forrest (voc) |
|
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra |
1941.12.27 |
1942.03.28 |
1 |
13 |
Connie Haines (voc) |
|
Les Paul |
1947.??.?? |
1948.05.15 |
1 |
11 |
Instrumental |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1930.01.21 |
James P. Johnson (p) |
|
|
1941.10.24 |
Sidney Bechet (cl, ss), Charlie Shavers (tp), Willie 'The Lion' Smith (p), Everett Barksdale (g), Wellman Braud (b), Sid Catlett (d) |
|
|
1944.01.17 |
Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b) |
|
|
1950.09.16 |
Charlie Parker (as), Al Haig (p), Tommy Potter (b), Roy
Haynes (d), Tommy Mace (ob), string section In Carnegie Hall, New York |
|
|
1952.03.25 |
Charlie Parker (as), Jimmy Maxwell, Carl Pool, Al Porcino, Bernie Privin (tp), Bill Harris, Lou McGarity, Bart Varsalona (tb), Harry Terrill, Murray Williams (as), Flip Phillips, Hank Ross (ts), Danny Bank (bars), Oscar Peterson (p), Freddie Green (g), Ray Brown (b), Don Lamond (d), Joe Lippman (dir) |
|
|
1953.04.27 |
Marian McPartland (p), Bob Carter (b), Joe Morello (d) |
|
|
1954.08.14 |
Clifford Brown, Maynard Ferguson, Clark Terry (tp), Herb Geller (as), Harold Land (ts), Junior Mance (p), Keter Betts (b), Max Roach (d) |
|
|
1955.08.01 |
Art Tatum (p), Lionel Hampton (vib), Buddy Rich (d) |
|
|
1956.02.16 |
Clifford Brown (tp), Max Roach (d), Sonny Rollins (ts), Richie Powell (p), George Morrow (b) |
|
|
1957.11.03 |
Sonny Rollins (ts), Don Bailey (b), Pete LaRoca (d) |
|
|
1958.02.19 |
J.J. Johnson (tb), Nat Adderley (cnt), Tommy Flanagan (p), Wilbur Little (b), Albert Heath (d) |
|
|
1959.11.03 |
Ben Webster (ts), Gerry Mulligan (bars), Jimmy Rowles (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Mel Lewis (d) |
|
|
1959.12.28 |
Bill Evans (p), Scott LaFaro (b), Paul Motian (d) |
|
|
1961.07.?? |
Ahmad Jamal (p), Israel Crosby (b), Vernell Fournier (d) |
|
|
1996.11.22 |
Lee Konitz (as), Brad Mehldau (p), Charlie Haden (b) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1938.09.27 |
Artie Shaw (cl, dir), Bernie Previn, John Best, Chuck Peterson (tp), George Arus, Les Jenkins (tb), George Auld, Les Robinson, Tony Pastor (ts), Bob Kitsis (p), Al Avola (g), Sid Weiss (b), Buddy Rich (d), Helen Forrest (voc) |
|
|
1941.12.27 |
Tommy Dorsey (tb, dir), Charlie Peterson, Al Steams, Ziggy Elman, Jimmy Blake (tp), George Arus, Dave Jacobs, Jimmy Skiles (tb), Fred Stulce, Manny Gershman (as, bars), Heinie Beau, Don Lodice, Bruce Snyder (ts), Joe Bushkin (p), Clark Yocum (g), George Boehm (b), Buddy Rich (d), Connie Haines (voc) |
|
|
1947.09.01 |
Anita O'Day (voc), Will Bradley Ochestra |
|
|
1955.02.16 |
Frank Sinatra (voc), Nelson Riddle Orchestra |
|
|
1958.07.?? |
Julie London (voc), Howard Roberts (g), Red Mitchell (b) |
|
|
1959.04.09 |
Anita O'Day (voc), Billy May Orchestra |
|
|
1959.04.23 |
Mel Tormé, Ginny O'Connor, Bernie Parker, Sue Allen, Tom Kenny (voc), Marty Paich Orchestra |
|
|
1959.??.?? |
Keely Smith (voc), Nelson Riddle Orchestra |
|
|
1963.07.18 |
Sarah Vaughan (voc), Kirk Stuart (p), Buster Williams (b), George Hughes (d) |
|
|
Dee Dee Bridgewater |
1992.12.09 |
Dee Dee Bridgewater (voc), Thierry Eliez (p), Hein van de Geyn (b), André Ceccarelli (d) |
|
Ann Hampton Callaway |
2008.03.04 |
Ann Hampton Callaway (voc), Ted Rosenthal (p), Jay Leonhart (b), Victor Lewis (d) |
On cinemas
The song 'What Is This Thing Called 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 |
|
The More And The Merrier |
El amor llamó dos veces |
1943 |
Background music |
|
Night And Day |
Noche y día |
1946 |
Ginny Simms |
|
Humoresque |
De amor también se muere |
1946 |
Peg LaCentra |
|
The Time Of Your Life |
El tiempo de su vida |
1948 |
Jeanne Cagney; Reginald Beane (piano) |
|
Young Man With A Horn |
El trompetista |
1950 |
Unidentified band |
|
Sex And The Single Girl |
La pícara soltera |
1964 |
Fran Jeffries with Count Basie Orchestra; Lauren Bacall |
|
Two On A Guillotine |
Dos en la guillotina |
1965 |
Connie Stevens |
|
Autour de minuit |
Alrededor de la medianoche |
1986 |
Bobby McFerrin |
|
New York Stories |
Historias de Nueva York |
1989 |
Quintette du Hot Club de France |
|
The Russia House |
La casa Rusia |
1990 |
|
|
Husbands And Wives |
Maridos y mujeres |
1992 |
Leo Reisman Orchestra |
|
De-Lovely |
De-Lovely |
2004 |
Kevin Kline |
|
Infamous |
Historia de un crimen |
2006 |
Gwyneth Paltrow |
|
Take The Lead |
Déjate llevar |
2006 |
Keely Smith |
|
La señal |
La señal |
2007 |
Frank Sinatra |
|
Siete minutos |
Siete minutos |
2009 |
|