Autumn Leaves (1945 song)
| "Autumn Leaves" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Yves Montand and Irène Joachim | |
| English title | Les feuilles mortes |
| Written | 1945 |
| Published | 1946 |
| Composer(s) | Joseph Kosma |
| Lyricist(s) |
Jacques Prévert (French) Johnny Mercer (English) |
"Autumn Leaves" is a popular song. Originally it was a 1945 French song, "" (literally "The Dead Leaves"), with music by Hungarian-French composer Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert. The Hungarian title is "Hulló levelek" (Falling Leaves). Yves Montand (with Irène Joachim) introduced "Les feuilles mortes" in the film Les Portes de la nuit (1946).
COMPLETE: Yves Montand w/Irene Joachim 1946 (in the film “Les Portes de la nuit”, Edith Piaf 1950, Jo Stafford 1950 (1st recording with the English lyrics), Artie Shaw 1950, Ray Anthony 1951, Bing Crosby 1951, Harry James 1954, Roger Williams 1955 #1, Four Freshmen 1955, Erroll Garner 1955, Nat King Cole 1955 #1 (also 1956 and 1957, Mitch Miller 1955, Frank Sinatra 1956, Tony Martin 1956, Doris Day 1956, Paul Whiteman 1956, Mel Tormé 1956/1957/1982/1990/1991, Duke Ellington 1957, Les Brown 1957, Perry Como 1957, Joni James 1958, Pat Boone 1958, Mills Brothers 1959, Louis Armstrong 1959, Gordon McRae 1959, Andy Williams 1959, Jimmie Rodgers 1959, Tony Bennett 1960/1991, Coasters 1960, Patti Page 1960, Johnny Hodges 1961, Everly Brothers 1962, Gene Pitney 1963, Vera Lynn 1964, Robert Goulet 1964, Al Hirt 1965, Eartha Kitt 1965, Tom Jones 1965, Barbra Streisand 1966, Benny Goodman 1967, Al Martino 1967, Joan Baez 1967, Johnny Mathis 1969, Chet Atkins 1972/1978, Frankie Laine 1974, Sarah Vaughn 1982, Willie Nelson 1983, Four Seasons 1983, Natalie Cole 1991,Eva Cassidy 1996, Lou Rawls 1998, Jerry Lee Lewis 2000, Eric Clapton 2010, Susan Boyle 2011, Bob Dylan 2015 Also recorded by: Count Basie, Johnny Mercer, and Ethel Merman
In 1955, Roger Williams made the song a number-one hit in the United States, with the only piano instrumental to reach number one.Billboard ranked this version as the No. 4 song of 1955.
The song is in AABC form. "Autumn Leaves" offers a popular way for beginning jazz musicians to become acquainted with jazz harmony as the chord progression consists almost solely of ii-V-I and ii-V sequences which are typical of jazz. It was originally, and is most commonly, performed in the key of G minor, but is also played in E minor and other keys. Eva Cassidy's version (clip on the right) is played in B-flat minor.
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