Almost Like Being in Love

"Almost Like Being in Love"
"Almost Like Being in Love"
Single by Michael Johnson
from the album The Michael Johnson album
B-side	"Ridin' in the Sky"
Released	August 1978
Genre	Pop
Label	EMI
Michael Johnson singles chronology

"Almost Like Being in Love"
"Almost Like Being in Love"
Song
Published	1947
Composer(s)	Frederick Loewe
Lyricist(s)	Alan Jay Lerner

"Almost Like Being in Love" is a show tune with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. It was written for the score of their 1947 musical Brigadoon.^[1] The song was first sung by David Brooks in the Broadway production. It was later performed in the 1954 film version by Gene Kelly.^[2]

Michael Johnson version[]

"Almost Like Being in Love" was revived in a downbeat ballad version by singer Michael Johnson (U.S. no. 32, 1978).^[3] His rendition became a Top 10 Adult Contemporary hit in both the U.S. (no. 4) and Canada (no. 10).

Chart (1978)	Peak position
Canadian RPM Top Singles	40
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary	10
US Billboard Hot 100^[4]	32
US Billboard Adult Contemporary	4
US Billboard R&B	91
US Cash Box Top 100	37

Other versions[]

There were three hit versions of the song in the United States in 1947: Frank Sinatra's version^[5] was the highest charting at no. 20. Mildred Bailey and Mary Martin both charted with the song at no. 21 that year.^[6]
Nat King Cole recorded more than one version of the song, including a later version that was used as the closing song in the 1993 movie Groundhog Day which starred Bill Murray. Cole's version, in the key of G major like the original, features a ii–V–I turnaround (2-5-1) in G, a pair of similar 2-5-1 sequences in E major and D major for the bridge, after which it raises the refrain a half-step with a 2-5-1 in A flat major.
Frank Sinatra rerecorded the song for his 1961 album Come Swing with Me!
The song was also made popular by Shirley Bassey. Like Judy Garland, Bassey performed this song as a medley with the song, "This Can't Be Love".
Bradley Walsh recorded his version of the song for his 2016 debut album Chasing Dreams.
Red Garland recorded his version with Paul Chambers and Art Taylor on his 1957 album "Red Garland's Piano."
Ella Fitzgerald recorded a version with Dizzy Gillespie and his orchestra, released on her 1962 album, Ella Sings Broadway

Popular culture[]

The song was used in the 1993 movie Groundhog Day (film).
It was sung by the ant Z (voiced by Woody Allen) in the 1998 Dreamworks animated film Antz.^[7]^[8]
The song was used in the 2003 movie The Cooler.
It was performed in an episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel by Darius de Haas.^[9]

References[]

^ Hischak, Thomas S. (2008). The Oxford Companion to the American Musical: Theatre, Film, and Television. Oxford University Press. p. 93. ISBN 978-0195335330.
^ "Jazz Standards: Almost Like Being in Love". Jazz Standards.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Jasen, David A. (2013). A Century of American Popular Music. Taylor & Francis. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-135-35271-4.
^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
^ Gilliland, John. (2020-03-23). "Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #19 - All Tracks UNT Digital Library". Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
^ Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890–1954. Record Research Inc. p. 470. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
^ Brigham, William (2019). Historical Dictionary of Woody Allen. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 23. ISBN 9781538120200. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
^ Neupert, Richard (2016). John Lasseter. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. p. 141. ISBN 9780252098352. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
^ "All The Songs In 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Season 3". Bustle. Retrieved 2 January 2020.

[1] Hischak, Thomas S. (2008). The Oxford Companion to the American Musical: Theatre, Film, and Television. Oxford University Press. p. 93. ISBN 978-0195335330.

[2] "Jazz Standards: Almost Like Being in Love". Jazz Standards.^{[permanent dead link]}

[Jasen2013-3] Jasen, David A. (2013). A Century of American Popular Music. Taylor & Francis. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-135-35271-4.

[4] Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X

[5] Gilliland, John. (2020-03-23). "Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #19 - All Tracks UNT Digital Library". Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved 2021-01-21.

[popmem-6] Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890–1954. Record Research Inc. p. 470. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.

[7] Brigham, William (2019). Historical Dictionary of Woody Allen. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 23. ISBN 9781538120200. Retrieved October 18, 2021.

[8] Neupert, Richard (2016). John Lasseter. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. p. 141. ISBN 9780252098352. Retrieved October 18, 2021.

[9] "All The Songs In 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Season 3". Bustle. Retrieved 2 January 2020.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

v Judy Garland songs
1930s	"Good Morning" "Over the Rainbow" "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)"
1940s	"Among My Souvenirs" "Be a Clown" "The Boy Next Door" "A Couple of Swells" "Easter Parade" "F.D.R. Jones" "For Me and My Gal" "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" "How About You?" "I Wish I Were in Love Again" "It's a Great Day for the Irish" "Johnny One Note" "Journey to a Star" "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" "On the Sunny Side of the Street" "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" "The Wearing of the Green" "The Trolley Song"
1950s	"April Showers" "Carolina in the Morning" "Confessin'" "Day In, Day Out" "Get Happy" "How About Me?" "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" "I Concentrate on You" "I Hadn't Anyone Till You" "Just You, Just Me" "Last Night When We Were Young" "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries" "More Than You Know" "The Man That Got Away" "Swanee" "Stormy Weather" "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" "Theme from San Francisco" "What'll I Do"
1960s	"After You've Gone" "Almost Like Being in Love" "Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)" "Down with Love" "Do It Again" "Fly Me to the Moon" "A Foggy Day" "Hey, Look Me Over" "I Happen to Like New York" "If Love Were All" "Moon River" "Oh Shenandoah" "This Can't Be Love" "You Go to My Head"