Welcome to Week 9 of The Definitive Version, a new weekly feature of my website. You can read more about the project here.
Song: “My Romance”
Composer: Richard Rodgers
Lyricist: Lorenz Hart
Form: A B A C
Standard Key: B-flat Major
“My Romance” was premiered in 1935 as part of the Rodgers & Hart musical Jumbo, starring Jimmy Durante. It has been interpreted hundreds of times by jazz artists ever since, and remains a vital part of the repertoire. It is unique in not being in the standards AABA form, instead having an entirely new third section to end the form. The C section reflects some of the harmonic material of the B section (starting by tonicizing the IV) but uses the rhythm and melodic shape of the A section. The song is infinitely variable – it can be effectively interpreted as a ballad, a swing tune (at various tempos), a Latin jazz number, a waltz, an odd-meter tune, and more. Of course, this malleability means there have been more forgettable pop versions of this song than perhaps any other with great pop singers expanding their repertoire into standards (Carly Simon, The Supremes, Kenny Rogers, James Taylor, Seal, etc.).
Definitive Version: Ella Fitzgerald (1956 from Ella Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook
Form: Intro | Chorus | Orchestral Bridge | Half-Chorus
Feel: Swung ballad
Key: G Major
Instrumentation: Full orchestra and rhythm section
Ella’s Songbook series eventually comprised some 16 albums covering eight songwriters. Her Rodgers & Hart Songbook was two LPs, interpreting 34 songs by the great songwriting team with orchestral accompaniment arranged by Buddy Bregman. Ella’s interpretation doesn’t include any displays of virtuosity, or even dramatic displays of emotion – she simply and honestly interprets the song, with only slight variations on the final half-chorus after the interlude. Nevertheless, the song is displayed in its best light with this interpretation, and it’s the perfect place to start in interpreting this song. I’m surprised that Ella didn’t ever record it on any of her many live albums – it’s a song that doesn’t seem to have made it into her touring book.
Also Recommended:
- Sarah Vaughan (1956) Lush orchestra and Sarah’s joy and freedom with melody.
- Carmen McRae (1958, from Book of Ballads) – Carmen is in beautiful form here.
- Tony Bennett (1977 from Sings more great Rodgers & Hart) – Tony accompanied by guitar in this lovely interpretation from the 1970’s, at the peak of his interpretive powers.
- Leslie Odom Jr. (2017, from The Soul of Richard Rodgers) – see, look how malleable “My Romance” can be!