Origin:

First recorded by Hoagy Carmichael and his Pals.

Style:

Nearly always approached as a ballad.

Form:

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

Verse:

A1-A2 (16 Bars) [8-8]

A  rare instance where the verse has become entirely synonymous with the tune. It is nearly always performed by both vocalists and instrumentalists alike as an introduction to the piece.

Key:

Commonly played in Db Major, it is however taken in many different keys.

Harmony/Overview:

The harmony of this composition is very functional, although the melody is  rather angular and complex in comparison to other popular standards of its time. The harmony has remained rather consistent through generations past, although the beginning of the C section tends to see varying sets  of changes. Hoagy Carmichael himself remained on IVmi for the initial 2  bars in his 1927 instrumental rendition, but it is also common to hear IV-IVmi or IVmi7-bVII7.

Recordings:

This song has been recorded over 1,500 times to date and is one of the most recorded jazz compositions of all time. Hoagy Carmichael first recorded it as an instrumental in 1927, and Bing Crosby was the first to record  it with lyrics in 1931. Since then it has become a cornerstone of the repertoire, having been recorded by virtually every prominent jazz musician.

JGC Top Picks:

Louis Armstrong, 1931

Artie Shaw, 1940

Nat King Cole, Love is the Thing, 1956