Origin:

From the 1962 film The Days of Wine and Roses.

Style:

Taken in a wide variety of styles and tempos.

Form:

A-B-A-C (32 Bars) [8-8-8-8]

Key:

Most often played in F Major.

Harmony/Overview:

The  harmony of this composition is functional and remains mostly diatonic.  The A sections begin with IMaj7 and continue with either bVII7 or  bVIIMaj7. They then proceed with a IIImi7 - VI7 which resolves to IImi7  in the 5th bar and arrives at bVII7 in the 7th bar. The B section  continues in a predictable fashion before a III - VI - II - V of V  deceptively resolves with a II - V back to the tonic. The C section  begins similarly to B, although it reaches the climax of the piece with a  minor II - V of III before a final III - VI - II - V finishes the form.  One common arrangement is to play the final two sections up a minor  third 3rd the original key, as heard on Bill Evans' recording from Affinity.

Recordings:

This  song has been recorded over 450 times to date. Henry Mancini and his  Orchestra were the first to record it in 1962 for the film The Days of Wine and Roses. Wes Montgomery was one of the first jazz musicians to record it in 1963  and he helped to legitimize the tune in jazz circles. Many notable  musicians have recorded the tune since and it continues to be a mainstay in the repertoire.

JGC Top Picks:

Bill Evans, Affinity, 1979

Lenny Breau, Cabin Fever, 1997

Mark Turner, In This World, 1998