Style:

Typically played either straight or swung, it is often approached at a variety of tempos.

Form:

A1-B-A2 (48 Bars) [16-16-16]

Arrangements:

The final four bars are often used as a tag ending.

Key:

C minor

Harmony/Overview:

A dark  sounding minor tune with many extended harmonies throughout, primarily revolving around minorMajor7 and Altered Dominant chords. The form is  slightly unconventional with 16 bar sections making up the whole of 48. The A sections are almost modal, staying on minor chords for several  bars at a time. The bridge consists of descending II-V-I's in whole  steps before returning back to the main theme one last time.

Recordings:

This  tune has been recorded over 310 times to date. The original recording was an instrumental score performed by the MGM Studio Orchestra for the 1950 film A Life Of Her Own. It was then reintroduced in the 1950 film Invitation with lyrics added by Paul Francis Webster. Some of the earliest recordings  of this tune in the 1950's come from Les Brown and George Wallington. John Coltrane’s recording from 1962 probably did more to solidify this composition as a jazz standard than any other rendition and it has since  become a staple in the repertoire.

JGC Top Picks:

Joe Henderson, Tetragon, 1968

Jaco Pastorius, The Birthday Concert, 1981

George Garzone, 3 Nights in L.A., 2019