My One and Only Love

"My One and Only Love" is a popular song with music written by Guy Wood and lyrics by Robert Mellin. Published in 1952, it is a conventional 32-bar song with four 8-bar sections, including a bridge ("Type A" or "AABA" song structure). (Almost) invariably performed as a ballad, it has an aria-like melody that is a challenge to many vocalists; in the key of C, the song's melody extends from G below middle C to the second D above middle C.

The song originated in 1947 as “Music from Beyond the Moon” with music by Guy B. Wood and lyrics by Jack Lawrence. Vocalist Vic Damone recorded this version in 1948, but it was unsuccessful.

In 1952, Robert Mellin wrote a new title and lyrics for the song, and it was republished that year as “My One and Only Love”. When Frank Sinatra recorded it in 1953 with Nelson Riddle, first released as B-side to his hit single "I've Got the World on a String" (Capitol 2505), it became known. Then popular saxophonist Charlie Ventura saw the song's "jazz potential" and recorded the first intrumental version in the very same year.

As instrumental jazz standard it remained predominantly a feature for tenor saxophonists. Ben Webster recorded the tune with Art Tatum in autumn 1956. John Coltrane recorded the probably most favoured version of the song with vocalist John Hartmann ten years after Ventura, in 1963 (John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman), followed by Sonny Rollins in 1964 and recorded it again in 1977, this time on soprano. Later interpretations came from Chico Freeman, Michael Brecker and Joshua Redman.

Vocal renditions of “My One and Only Love” were recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Mathis, Doris Day, Mark Murphy and Kurt Elling. Cassandra Wilson turned the song into an up-tempo swing number.

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