Our Love Is Here to Stay
Encyclopedia
"Our Love Is Here to Stay" is a popular
song
and a jazz
standard. The music was written by George Gershwin
, the lyrics by Ira Gershwin
, for the movie The Goldwyn Follies
(1938) which was released shortly after George Gershwin's death. It is performed in the film by Kenny Baker. "Our Love Is Here to Stay" also appeared, perhaps most memorably, in the 1951 MGM picture An American in Paris
, for which it served as the main theme. It also appeared in 1995's Forget Paris
in which it is actually a reference to An American In Paris. The song was the last composition George Gershwin completed. Ira Gershwin wrote the words after his brother's death, giving the song a special poignancy.
Originally titled "It's Here to Stay" and then "Our Love Is Here to Stay", the song was finally published as "Love Is Here to Stay". Ira Gershwin has said that he wanted to change the song's name back to "Our Love Is Here to Stay" for years, but felt that it wouldn't be right since the song had already become a standard. The song is emblematic of the Great American Songbook
, with both an introductory verse and a chorus.
The song is also used in the musical, The 1940's Radio Hour
.
An instrumental version of the song is heard in some episodes of The Honeymooners
when Ralph apologizes to Alice.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
and a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
standard. The music was written by George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
, the lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
, for the movie The Goldwyn Follies
The Goldwyn Follies
The Goldwyn Follies is a 1938 Technicolor film written by Ben Hecht, Sid Kuller, Sam Perrin and Arthur Phillips, with music by George Gershwin, Vernon Duke, and Ray Golden, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. Some sources credit Kurt Weill as one of the composers, but this is apparently incorrect...
(1938) which was released shortly after George Gershwin's death. It is performed in the film by Kenny Baker. "Our Love Is Here to Stay" also appeared, perhaps most memorably, in the 1951 MGM picture An American in Paris
An American in Paris (film)
An American in Paris is a 1951 MGM musical film inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition by George Gershwin. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guetary, and Nina Foch, the film is set in Paris, and was directed by Vincente Minnelli from a script by Alan Jay Lerner...
, for which it served as the main theme. It also appeared in 1995's Forget Paris
Forget Paris
Forget Paris is a 1995 film produced, directed, co-written by and starring Billy Crystal as an NBA referee and Debra Winger as an independent working woman whose lives are interrupted by love and marriage....
in which it is actually a reference to An American In Paris. The song was the last composition George Gershwin completed. Ira Gershwin wrote the words after his brother's death, giving the song a special poignancy.
Originally titled "It's Here to Stay" and then "Our Love Is Here to Stay", the song was finally published as "Love Is Here to Stay". Ira Gershwin has said that he wanted to change the song's name back to "Our Love Is Here to Stay" for years, but felt that it wouldn't be right since the song had already become a standard. The song is emblematic of the Great American Songbook
Great American Songbook
The Great American Songbook is a hypothetical construct that seeks to represent the best American songs of the 20th century principally from Broadway theatre, musical theatre, and Hollywood musicals, from the 1920s to 1960, including dozens of songs of enduring popularity...
, with both an introductory verse and a chorus.
The song is also used in the musical, The 1940's Radio Hour
The 1940's Radio Hour
The 1940s Radio Hour is a Play with Music by Walton Jones. Full of 1940s music, dancing and old-time sound effects the play portrays the final holiday broadcast of the Mutual Manhattan Variety Cavalcade on the New York radio station WOV in December 1942....
.
An instrumental version of the song is heard in some episodes of The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners is an American situation comedy television show, based on a recurring 1951–'55 sketch of the same name. It originally aired on the DuMont network's Cavalcade of Stars and subsequently on the CBS network's The Jackie Gleason Show hosted by Jackie Gleason, and filmed before a live...
when Ralph apologizes to Alice.
Notable recordings
- Gene KellyGene KellyEugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
- An American in Paris (soundtrack) (1951) - Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
- Songs for Swingin' Lovers! (1956) - Joni JamesJoni JamesJoni James is an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards.-Biography:...
- Let There Be LoveLet There Be Love (Joni James 1956 album)Let There Be Love was Joni James's first album, recorded in 1953 and released by MGM Records at the end of the year. It was released in a four-disc 10-inch 78-rpm record box, in both a two-disc 7-inch 45-rpm extended-play foldout album and a four-disc 45-rpm regular-play box and on a 10-inch...
(1956) - Dinah WashingtonDinah WashingtonDinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones , was an American blues, R&B and jazz singer. She has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s", and called "The Queen of the Blues"...
- In the Land of Hi-FiIn the Land of Hi-FiIn the Land of Hi-Fi was a series of albums released by EmArcy Records circa 1955.* In the Land of Hi-Fi by Patti Page* In the Land of Hi-Fi by Sarah Vaughan* In the Land of Hi-Fi by Dinah Washington...
(1956) - Ella FitzgeraldElla FitzgeraldElla Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
and Louis ArmstrongLouis ArmstrongLouis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
- Ella and Louis AgainElla and Louis AgainElla and Louis Again is a 1957 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. It is the "sequel" to their 1956 album, Ella and Louis, in contrast to their previous collaboration Ella and Louis, this album does not only feature duets...
(1957) - Doris DayDoris DayDoris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
- Hooray for HollywoodHooray for Hollywood (album)Hooray for Hollywood was the name of a two-album set recorded by Doris Day, released by Columbia Records. The two-album set was released by Columbia under the catalog number AC2L-5, but each individual LP was also released in both monaural and stereophonic versions as indicated below.-Volume...
(1958) - Carmen McRaeCarmen McRaeCarmen Mercedes McRae was an American jazz singer, composer, pianist, and actress. Considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century, it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and her ironic interpretations of song lyrics that made her memorable...
- Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at NewportElla Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at NewportElla Fitzgerald & Billie Holiday at Newport is a 1958 live album by Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, recorded at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival....
(1958) - Billie HolidayBillie HolidayBillie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
- All or Nothing at AllAll or Nothing at All (album)All or Nothing at All is a studio album by Billie Holiday, recorded in 1956 and 1957 and released by Verve Records in 1958.A later 2 CD re-issue combined all of the tracks from this and two other Holiday albums recorded at the same time, Body and Soul and Songs for Distingué Lovers, with two...
(1959) - Blossom DearieBlossom DearieBlossom Dearie was an American jazz singer and pianist, often performing in the bebop genre and remembered for her girlish voice.-Early career:...
- Once Upon a SummertimeOnce Upon a SummertimeOnce Upon a Summertime is a 1959 album by Blossom Dearie.This is the third in a series of six albums recorded by Dearie for the Verve label. The liner notes quote Dearie as saying "Norman Granz called and asked me to make another album with Tom Nola. He had Ray Brown playing bass, Mundell Lowe...
(1959) - Ella FitzgeraldElla FitzgeraldElla Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
- Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin SongbookElla Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin SongbookElla Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook is a 1959 five album set by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, focusing on the songs of George and Ira Gershwin. It was recorded with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, marking the first time that Ella and Riddle had worked together...
(1959) - Oscar PetersonOscar PetersonOscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...
- Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin SongbookOscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin SongbookOscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Songbook is a 1959 album by pianist Oscar Peterson of compositions written by George Gershwin. Peterson had recorded many of the pieces for his 1952 album Oscar Peterson Plays George Gershwin.-Track listing:...
(1959) - Jack JonesJack Jones (singer)John Allan "Jack" Jones is an American jazz and pop singer. He was one of the most popular vocalists of the 1960s.-Overview:...
- Dear Heart (1965) - Ray CharlesRay CharlesRay Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
- I'm All Yours Baby! (1968) - John PizzarelliJohn PizzarelliJohn Paul Pizzarelli, Jr. is an American jazz guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and bandleader. He has had a lengthy career as a recording artist, performing for a variety of labels that include Telarc Records, RCA Records and Chesky Records, among others...
- Our Love is Here to StayOur Love is Here to Stay (Pizzarelli)Our Love is Here to Stay is a 1997 studio album by jazz guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli. Pizzarelli is joined by his regular trio members consisting of brother Martin Pizzarelli on double-bass and Ray Kennedy, as well as trombonist Don Sebesky and his big band.The title track received a 1998...
, counterpoint with Neal HeftiNeal HeftiNeal Hefti was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, tune writer, and arranger. He was perhaps best known for composing the theme music for the Batman television series of the 1960s, and for scoring the 1968 film The Odd Couple and the subsequent TV series of the same name.He began arranging...
's "Li'l Darlin'", arranged by Don SebeskyDon SebeskyDon Sebesky is an American jazz trombonist and arranger.-Biography:Sebesky trained in trombone at the Manhattan School of Music; in his early career, he played with Kai Winding, Claude Thornhill, Tommy Dorsey, Warren Covington, Maynard Ferguson and Stan Kenton...
(1997) - Dexter GordonDexter GordonDexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and an Academy Award-nominated actor . He is regarded as one of the first and most important musicians to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the tenor saxophone...
- Our Man in ParisOur Man in ParisOur Man in Paris is a 1963 jazz album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon. The album's title refers to where the recording was made, Gordon teaming up with fellow expatriates Bud Powell and Kenny Clarke, both Parisian residents, and native Parisian Pierre Michelot...
(1963) - Harry Connick Jr - When Harry Met Sally (1989)
- Barry ManilowBarry ManilowBarry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
- The Greatest Love Songs of All Time (2010) - Lisa StansfieldLisa StansfieldLisa Stansfield is an English singer and songwriter.-Early years:Stansfield was born to Marion and Keith Stansfield in Heywood, Lancashire, in England, where she attended Redbrook School, Rochdale. Her first television appearance was on a talent programme in the Granada TV area in 1982...
- Swing original motion picture soundtrack (album)- (1999) - Brian WilsonBrian WilsonBrian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
- Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin (2010)