Angel Eyes (1946 song)

Last updated

"Angel Eyes" is a 1946 popular song composed by Matt Dennis, with lyrics by Earl K. Brent. It was introduced in the 1953 film Jennifer . In the film, Matt Dennis sings the song and accompanies himself on piano, while Ida Lupino and Howard Duff among others are dancing to it. [1]

Contents

Composition

Angel Eyes (1946 song)

"Angel Eyes" is a jazz standard which has inspired many interpretations. Many singers have recorded versions of the song, including Nat King Cole (already in 1953), Frank Sinatra, June Christy with Stan Kenton, Chet Baker, Shirley Bassey, Neil Sedaka, Willie Nelson with Ray Charles, and Sting. Ella Fitzgerald, who recorded "Angel Eyes" at least four times, named it her favorite song. [2] Instrumental versions were recorded not as often as vocal takes, by the likes of Benny Carter, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Dave Brubeck, Joe Pass and Herb Ellis, Kenny Burrell, Joe Albany, and more recently by McCoy Tyner, Gary Thomas and Joe Lovano.

Selected recorded versions

PerformerAlbumYearSource
Karrin Allyson In Blue2002 [3]
Tyshawn Sorey Continuing2023
Gene Ammons Angel Eyes 1960 [4]
Ernestine Anderson Ernestine Anderson Swings the Penthouse2015 [5]
Chet Baker with Len Mercer and His Orchestra Chet Baker with Fifty Italian Strings 1960 [6]
Shirley Bassey Shirley Bassey 1961 [7]
Cheryl Bentyne and Rob Wasserman Duets1988 [8]
James Booker Classified1982 [9]
Dee Dee Bridgewater Keeping Tradition 1993
The Dave Brubeck Quartet Angel Eyes 1966 [10]
Ray Bryant Ray Bryant Trio 1957
Kenny Burrell Blues – The Common Ground 1968
Royce Campbell Trioing2002
Benny Carter Cosmopolite 1954 [3]
June Christy Impromptu 1977
Nat King Cole with Billy May and His Orchestrasingle1953 [11]
Chris Connor Chris in Person1959 [12]
Hank Crawford More Soul 1961 [13]
Sonny Criss Saturday Morning 1975 [3]
Matt Dennis Matt Dennis Plays and Sings Matt Dennis1954 [3]
Paul Desmond Glad to Be Unhappy 1965
Ray Draper with John Coltrane A Tuba Jazz 1959 [14]
Kat Edmonson Take to the Sky2009
Eliane Elias Love Stories 2019 [15]
Ella Fitzgerald Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert 1958 [3]
Roberta Flack Roberta 1994
Fonseca Sinfónico 2014
The Four Freshmen Four Freshmen and 5 Trombones 1955 [16]
Earl Grant Beyond the Reef1962
Jim Hall Jim Hall Live! 1975
Jack Jones Wives and Lovers1959 [17]
Stan Kenton and June Christy Road Show 1959
Moe Koffman Devil's Brew1996
k.d. lang We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song 2007
Yusef Lateef The Dreamer 1959
Joe Lovano Rush Hour 1994 [3]
Barry Manilow Manilow Sings Sinatra 1998
Wynton Marsalis with Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers Wynton Marsalis' First Recordings1980 [18]
Johnny Mathis Johnny Mathis 1956
Mina Mazzini Mina1964
Carmen McRae Book of Ballads 1960
Helen Merrill with Gary Peacock TrioSposin'1971 [19]
The Modern Jazz Quartet Fontessa 1956 [20]
Mark Murphy Rah! 1961
Willie Nelson American Classic 2009
Willie Nelson with Ray Charles Angel Eyes 1984 [21]
Phineas Newborn Jr. Phineas' Rainbow 1957 [22]
Anita O'Day Waiter, Make Mine Blues 1960 [23]
Duke Pearson Angel Eyes1968 [24]
Oscar Peterson Pastel Moods1956 [25]
Sue Raney Breathless!1997
Jimmy Scott All the Way1992 [26]
Neil Sedaka Circulate 1961
George Shearing Favorite Things1997 [27]
Frank Sinatra Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely 1958 [3]
Kandace Springs with Norah Jones The Women Who Raised Me2020 [28]
Sting Leaving Las Vegas 1995 [29]
Gary Thomas Till We Have Faces 1992
Bob Thompson Just for Kicks1959 [30]
Rebecka Törnqvist A Night Like This 1993
McCoy Tyner The Turning Point 1991 [3]
Nancy Wilson Welcome to My Love 1968

Related Research Articles

<i>The Best of Bond... James Bond</i> 1992 soundtrack album from the James Bond films by various artists

The Best of Bond... James Bond is the title of various compilation albums of music used in the James Bond films made by Eon Productions up to that time. The album was originally released in 1992 as The Best of James Bond, as a one-disc compilation and a two-disc 30th Anniversary Limited Edition compilation with songs that had, at that point, never been released to the public. The single disc compilation was later updated five times in 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, and 2021. The 2008 version was augmented with the addition of a DVD featuring music videos and a documentary. Another two-disc edition, this time containing 50 tracks for the 50th anniversary of the franchise, was released in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cal Tjader</span> American vibraphonist (1925–1982)

Callen Radcliffe Tjader Jr. was an American Latin Jazz musician, often described as the most successful non-Latino Latin musician. He explored other jazz idioms, especially small group modern jazz, even as he continued to perform music of Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.

John Alfred Mandel was an American composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz. The musicians he worked with include Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Diane Schuur and Shirley Horn. He won five Grammy Awards, from 17 nominations; his first nomination was for his debut film score for the multi-nominated 1958 film I Want to Live!

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Dennis</span> American musician

Matthew Loveland Dennis was an American singer, pianist, band leader, arranger, and writer of music for popular songs.

"'Round Midnight" is a 1943 composition by American jazz pianist Thelonious Monk that quickly became a jazz standard and has been recorded by a wide variety of artists. A version recorded by Monk's quintet was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1993. It is one of the most recorded jazz standards composed by a jazz musician.

"Imagination" is a popular song with music written by Jimmy Van Heusen and the lyrics by Johnny Burke. The song was first published in 1940. The two best-selling versions were recorded by the orchestras of Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey in 1940.

"I'll Remember April" is a popular song and jazz standard with music written in 1941 by Gene de Paul, and lyrics by Patricia Johnston and Don Raye. It made its debut in the 1942 Abbott and Costello comedy Ride 'Em Cowboy, being sung by Dick Foran. The lyric uses the seasons of the year metaphorically to illustrate the growth and death of a romance. The lyric also uses the ideas of the hours in a day and the flames of a fire to illustrate a relationship growing stronger and subsequently losing strength. Another interpretation is the use of spring to express the loves that were had in youth and remember them when the autumn of life arrives with affection and nostalgia, smiling: "I'll remember April and I smile". The song has been described as one which makes use of nostalgia.

"Just One of Those Things" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for the 1935 musical Jubilee.

"My Heart Stood Still" is a 1927 popular song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart. It was written for the Charles Cochran revue One Dam' Thing after Another, which opened at the London Pavilion on May 19, 1927. The show starred Jessie Matthews, Douglas Byng, Lance Lister, and Richard Dolman, running for 237 performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History Repeating (song)</span> 1997 single by Propellerheads

"History Repeating" is a 1997 song written by Alex Gifford and originally performed by English electronic music duo Propellerheads featuring Welsh singer Shirley Bassey. It was released shortly before their only album, Decksandrumsandrockandroll, released in 1998 by Wall of Sound in Europe and DreamWorks in the US and Japan. The single was a #1 hit on the UK Indie Chart, and was also Bassey's first top ten appearance on any US chart since 1973's "Never Never Never", making #10 on the US Dance Club Chart. According to Bassey, Gifford wrote the song especially for her. The sleeve cover, an illustration by Duke D. Jukes, takes its inspiration from classic album sleeve from the Capitol 1957 release Just One Of Those Things by Nat King Cole.

<i>Keep the Music Playing</i> 1991 studio album by Shirley Bassey

Keep the Music Playing is a 1991 album by Shirley Bassey. The album was recorded in the UK at the Westgreen Studios and in the Netherlands at Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum. The album is a mixture of contemporary pop ballads, such as "I Want to Know What Love Is" from Foreigner, the Jennifer Rush power ballad "The Power of Love", and the more gentle "Still" from Lionel Richie, combined with standards from the field of jazz and pop, such as "He Was Beautiful", the sweet jazz ballad from Cleo Laine. Several of the song arrangements reflect an operatic pop style influence, which may have roots in her 1984 album I Am What I Am, which she recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra, and the fact that in the latter mid-1980s she started working with a vocal coach, a former opera singer. Bassey returned to the Beatles with "Yesterday", as she had previously covered "Something" and "Fool on the Hill" successfully in the 1970s, and had performed "Hey Jude" frequently live. Another previously successful formula was used for the closing track "Dio, Come Ti Amo " an Italian original in the tradition of "This is My Life" and "Natalie"..

<i>Brubeck Time</i> 1955 studio album by The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Brubeck Time is a jazz album by The Dave Brubeck Quartet, a rare studio recording from that period of the band, when it was recording mostly live albums. It was recorded in the fall of 1954, and originally released in 1955 under the Columbia label as CL 622. In 1968, Columbia re-channeled the album for stereo and re-released it as Instant Brubeck under the Harmony label as HS 11253. It was later re-released again on CD in 1991 under the title Interchanges '54 as CK 47032, with the addition of four tracks from Jazz: Red Hot and Cool.

"Violets for Your Furs" is a 1941 song written by Matt Dennis with words by Tom Adair, and first recorded in that year by Tommy Dorsey's orchestra with vocals by Frank Sinatra.

<i>Angel Eyes</i> (Dave Brubeck album) 1965 studio album by Dave Brubeck

Angel Eyes is a 1965 studio album by Dave Brubeck and his quartet of music by Matt Dennis. The album peaked at 122 on the Billboard 200. The cover features a photo of model Terry Reno, who also appeared on the cover of My Favorite Things.

<i>Brubeck in Amsterdam</i> 1969 live album by Dave Brubeck

Brubeck in Amsterdam is a 1962 live album by Dave Brubeck and his quartet recorded on 3 December at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, though unreleased until 1969. Six of the tracks are from Brubeck's musical The Real Ambassadors.

<i>Bravo! Brubeck!</i> 1967 live album by Dave Brubeck

Bravo! Brubeck! is a 1967 live album by Dave Brubeck and his quartet, recorded during their tour of Mexico. The quartet were augmented by Chamin Correa on guitar, and the bongo and conga player Salvatore Agueros. It was released in 1967.

<i>Buried Treasures</i> (Dave Brubeck album) 1998 live album by Dave Brubeck

Buried Treasures is a 1967 live album by Dave Brubeck and his quartet, recorded during their tour of Mexico. It was released in 1998. A second live album recorded on their tour, Bravo! Brubeck!, was released in July 1967.

"There's No Place Like London" is a song co-written by Lynsey de Paul and Gerard Kenny, and held by the British Library. The song was published by Lynsey de Paul Music/Chelsea Publishing Co Ltd/Arlon Music/Chappell Music.

<i>Quincy Jones Plays Hip Hits</i> 1963 studio album by Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones Plays Hip Hits is an album by Quincy Jones consisting of songs that were hits for other musicians. It was released by Mercury in 1963. Featured soloists include Joe Newman, Zoot Sims, and Phil Woods.

References

  1. Jennifer (1953) on YouTube, the song fades in during the previous sequence, before the actual ballroom scene.
  2. "Angel Eyes" – Steyn's Song of the Week, February 9, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gioia, Ted (2012). The Jazz Standards. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 20–21. ISBN   978-0-19-993739-4.
  4. Yanow, Scott. "Angel Eyes – Gene Ammons". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  5. Anderson, Ernestine (primary artist, vocals) (2015) [Recorded 7 February 1962]. Ernestine Anderson Swings the Penthouse (CD). United States: HighNote Records. HCD 7273.
  6. Chet Baker with Fifty Italian Strings at Discogs (list of releases)
  7. Eder, Bruce. "Shirley Bassey – Shirley Bassey". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  8. Wynn, Ron. "Duets – Rob Wasserman". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  9. Classified at Discogs
  10. Yanow, Scott. "Angel Eyes – Dave Brubeck". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  11. " Angel Eyes " at Discogs
  12. Chris in Person at Discogs (list of releases)
  13. More Soul at Discogs (list of releases)
  14. A Tuba Jazz at Discogs
  15. Collar, Matt. "Love Stories – Eliane Elias | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  16. Unterberger, Richie. "Four Freshmen and Five Trombones". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  17. Wives and Lovers at Discogs (list of releases)
  18. Wynton Marsalis' First Recordings at Discogs. One of the several unofficial releases in 1983.
  19. Sposin' at Discogs (list of releases)
  20. Fontessa at Discogs (list of releases)
  21. Chrispell, James. "Angel Eyes – Willie Nelson". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  22. Phineas' Rainbow at Discogs (list of releases)
  23. Ankeny, Jason. "Waiter, Make Mine Blues – Anita O'Day". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  24. Angel Eyes at Discogs (list of releases)
  25. Pastel Moods at Discogs
  26. All the Way at Discogs (list of releases)
  27. Favorite Things at Discogs (list of releases)
  28. The Women Who Raised Me at Discogs (list of releases)
  29. Ruhlmann, William. "Leaving Las Vegas". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  30. Just for Kicks at Discogs (list of releases)