The Nearness of You
| "The Nearness of You" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Glenn Miller | |
| A-side | "The Nearness of You" |
| B-side | "Mister Meadowlark" |
| Published | 1940 by Famous Music |
| Released | 1940 |
| Recorded | April 28, 1940 |
| Genre | Jazz |
| Label | Bluebird |
| Songwriter(s) | Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington |
"The Nearness of You" is a popular song written in 1938 by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Ned Washington. The song debuted in the 1938 movie Romance in the Dark.[1]
It is also heard in the 1940 recording In the Mood by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, with vocals by Ray Eberle,[2] and by many others.
The song is on the Grammy-Award-winning album Come Away with Me by Norah Jones, at Track 14.
Lyrics[]
It's not the pale moon that excites me
That thrills and delights me, oh no
It's just the nearness of you
It isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation, oh no
It's just the nearness of you
When you're in my arms and I feel you so close to me
All my wildest dreams come true
I need no soft lights to enchant me
If you'll only grant me the right
To hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night the nearness of you
Covers[]
The first big-selling version was recorded on April 28, 1940, by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, with a vocal by Ray Eberle (Bluebird).[3][4] This recording first reached the Billboard Best Seller chart on July 20, 1940, and lasted eight weeks on the chart, peaking at No. 5.[5]
Other popular versions around that time were recorded by Kay Kyser's orchestra (vocal: Harry Babbitt, Columbia catalog number 35488),[3][6] by Dinah Shore with Paul Weston's orchestra (Bluebird),[3][4] and by Eddy Howard with 's orchestra (Columbia).[3][7]
In 1953, Bob Manning reached No. 16 on the pop charts with this song[8][9]
The 1956 Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong album of duets, Ella & Louis, included a version of this song with Fitzgerald soloing vocally while Armstrong soloed both vocally and on trumpet. Accompaniment was provided by the small combo of the Oscar Peterson Trio featuring Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Herb Ellis on guitar, joined by Buddy Rich on drums. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard magazine jazz chart and the top 10 of its pop chart.[10]
German musician Marc Secara recorded the song with the Berlin Jazz Orchestra for the album You're Everything (2008). This was arranged for big band by Steve Gray.[11]
Other versions[]
- Louis Armstrong with Ella Fitzgerald – Ella and Louis[12]
- Ella Fitzgerald on her 1989 Pablo Records release All that Jazz
- Connee Boswell with Blueberry Hill (Decca)[13]
- Barbra Streisand on her 1967 album Simply Streisand
- James Taylor on American Standard (2020)
- Al Jarreau on his 2004 album, "Accentuate The Positive"
- Pat Boone
- Seal on his 2017 album, "Seal Standards"
- Will Downing & Gerald Albright from their 1998 album, "Pleasures of the Night"
- Michael Brecker and James Taylor with Herbie Hancock – Nearness of You (2000)[12]
- Hash Brown (Philips, 1963) with I Got My Job Through The New York Times[14]
- Chick Bullock with Fools Rush In (recorded April 26, 1940, Vocalion)[15]
- Larry Clinton (Victor, 1940) [16]
- Cy Coleman with You Call It Madness (MGM) [17]
- Bing Crosby recorded in 1954[18] for his radio show[19]
- Sammy Davis Jr. with Mad Ball (Brunswick, 1957) [20]
- Bill Doggett (1970 King) with "Moon Dust"[21]
- Bill Doggett with Honey (King)[22]
- Lou Donaldson with Mack the Knife (Blue Note)[23]
- The Flamingos (1965 Philips) with Don't Cheat On Me[14]
- Johnny Hartman - For Trane (Blue Note, 1995) (rec. 1972)[24]
- Woody Herman with "Johannesburg" (recorded June 25, 1950, Capitol) [25]
- Johnny Hodges – Wings and Things (1964)[12]
- Eddy Howard with "Fools Fall in Love" (Columbia)[7]
- Etta James (album Time After Time)
- Harry James (recorded May 1940, Varsity) with "Mister Meadowlark"[26]
- Joni James (MGM, 1956) with "Let There Be Love"[17]
- Marie Knight (Diamond, 1963)[27] and Apex[28] both with "Walk Away"[27][28]
- Kay Kyser (recorded April 30, 1940, Columbia) with "Blue Lovebird"[6]
- Annie Lennox (island records) on "Nostalgia" - 2014
- Guy Lombardo (Decca) with "Blue Lovebird"[13]
- Bob Manning (Capitol),[29] Australian Capitol,[30][29] UK Capitol (1953)[31]
- Warne Marsh – A Ballad Album (1983)[12]
- Mat Mathews Quintet (released 1952 by Brunswick) with "Bag's Groove"[32]
- Leon Merian - 1957[33]
- Glenn Miller – 1940[12]
- Gerry Mulligan – Pleyel Jazz Concert Vol. 1 (1954)[12]
- Willie Nelson on his American Classic album (2009)
- Charlie Parker with the Woody Herman Orchestra – 1951[12]
- Joe Pass on Virtuoso No. 4 (1983, recorded in 1973)
- Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau on Nearness (2016)
- Della Reese on An Evening with Della Reese, 1958[34]
- The Roommates (1963, Philips) with "Don't Cheat On Me"[14]
- George Shearing and Nancy Wilson – The Swingin's Mutual (1960)[12]
- Dinah Shore (recorded June 25, 1940, Bluebird) with "Maybe"[4]
- Frank Sinatra in 1947, then during the Nice 'n' Easy (1960) sessions
- Tab Smith (Checker)[35][36] and Quality[37] both with "Because of You"[35][36][37]
- Reinhold Svensson (Discovery, 1950) with "Strike Up the Band"[38]
- Three Sounds with "One for Renee" (Blue Note)[23]
- Steve Turre with James Carter and Mulgrew Miller – TNT (2000)[12]
- Sarah Vaughan – 1949[12]
- Vic West (Planet, 1957) with "This Love of Mine"[39]
- Sheena Easton for her 1993 album No Strings and the OST for Indecent Proposal
- Norah Jones ended her 2002 album Come Away with Me with this song.
- Kandace Springs on her 2020 album The Women Who Raised Me.
- Kuh Ledesma
- RJ Jacinto on his 2017 album, "Songs I Grew Up With"
- Jo Stafford for her 1956 album Ski Trails
- Keely Smith on her 1959 album Swingin' Pretty
- Rick Nelson on his 1963 album
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "Romance in the Dark". IMDb. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ Maycock, Ben. "Jazz Standards Songs and Instrumentals (The Nearness of You)". jazzstandards.com. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ^ a b c d Gardner, Edward Foote (2000). Popular Songs of the 20th Century: Chart Detail & Encyclopedia, 1900-1949. St. Paul, Minnesota: Paragon House. ISBN 1-55778-789-1.
- ^ a b c "Bluebird Records in the 10500 to 10999 series". 78discography.com.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top Pop Records 1940-1955. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research.
- ^ a b "Columbia Records in the 35200 to 35499 series". 78discography.com.
- ^ a b "Columbia Records in the 35500 to 35999 series". 78discography.com.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890–1954. Record Research. p. 293. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- ^ Abrams, Steven & Settlemier, Tyrone (November 1, 2011). "Capitol 2000 - 2500, numerical listing discography". Online Discographical Project. Retrieved December 7, 2011.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
- ^ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media. 24 November 1956.
- ^ Secara, Marc & Berlin Jazz Orchestra & Gray, Steve (arr.). You're Everything (CD).CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link) Track #2.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gioia, Ted (2012). The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire. New York City: Oxford University Press. pp. 292–295. ISBN 978-0-19-993739-4.
- ^ a b "DECCA (USA) 78rpm numerical listing discography: 3000 - 3500". 78discography.com.
- ^ a b c Productions, Global Dog. "45 discography for Philips Records". www.globaldogproductions.info.
- ^ "Vocalion 78rpm numerical listing discography 5500 - 5600". 78discography.com.
- ^ "VICTOR numerical listing discography". 78discography.com.
- ^ a b "MGM Records - 78rpm numerical listing discography: 30500 - end of series". 78discography.com.
- ^ "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
- ^ "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
- ^ Productions, Global Dog. "Singles Discography for Brunswick Records - UK - 05000 series". www.globaldogproductions.info.
- ^ Productions, Global Dog. "45 Discography for King Records - 6000 series". www.globaldogproductions.info.
- ^ "KING 78rpm numerical listing discography: 4000 - 4500". 78discography.com.
- ^ a b Productions, Global Dog. "45 Discography for Blue Note Records". www.globaldogproductions.info.
- ^ Akkerman, Gregg (2012). The Last Balladeer: The Johnny Hartman Story. Studies in Jazz, No. 68. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810882812.
- ^ "Capitol 1000 - 1500, 78rpm numerical listing discography". 78discography.com.
- ^ "Varsity 78rpm numerical listing discography: 5000 series". 78discography.com.
- ^ a b Productions, Global Dog. "45 Discography for Diamond Records". www.globaldogproductions.info.
- ^ a b "Singles Discography for Apex Records - 76000 series - CA". www.globaldogproductions.info.
- ^ a b "Capitol 2000 - 2500, 78rpm numerical listing discography". 78discography.com.
- ^ Productions, Global Dog. "78 Discography for Capitol Records - OZ". www.globaldogproductions.info.
- ^ "78 Discography for Capitol Records - UK CL 13000 series". www.globaldogproductions.info.
- ^ Productions, Global Dog. "45 Discography for Brunswick Records - US". www.globaldogproductions.info.
- ^ The Decca Labels: A Discography. Compiled by Michel Ruppli. Westport: Greenwood Press. 1996.CS1 maint: others (link)
- ^ "Original versions of The Nearness of You written by Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington - SecondHandSongs". www.secondhandsongs.com.
- ^ a b "Checker Records 78rpm numerical listing discography". 78discography.com.
- ^ a b Productions, Global Dog. "45 discography for Checker Records". www.globaldogproductions.info.
- ^ a b Productions, Global Dog. "Singles Discography for Quality Records - CA - K series". www.globaldogproductions.info.
- ^ "DISCOVERY 78rpm numerical listing discography". 78discography.com.
- ^ Productions, Global Dog. "45 Discography for Planet Records - OZ". www.globaldogproductions.info.
Authority control  |
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- Songs with music by Hoagy Carmichael
- Songs with lyrics by Ned Washington
- 1938 songs
- Pop standards
- Glenn Miller songs
- Jo Stafford songs
- Shirley Bassey songs
- 1930s jazz standards
- Jazz compositions in F major
- Bluebird Records singles