BUT BEAUTIFUL
Music: Jimmy Van Heusen- Lyrics: Johnny Burke
Year: 1947
Origin of the song
On 25 December 1947, the film Road to Rio was released in New York, produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by Norman Z. McLeod, and its main roles played by Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Dorothy Lamour. Crosby sang ‘But Beautiful’ in one of its scenes.
Robert Emmett Dolan, author of the soundtrack, was nominated to the Oscars in his category, won by Alfred Newman for Mother Wore Tights’ score.
Other noteworthy Van Heusen and Burke’s collaborations, apart from ‘But Beautiful’, are ‘Oh! You Crazy Moon’ (1939), ‘Imagination’ (1939), ‘Polka Dots and Moonbeams’ (1940), ‘Moonlight Becomes You’ (1942), ‘It Could Happen to You’ (1944), ‘Like Someone in Love’ (1944), and ‘Here's That Rainy Day’ (1953).
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE
WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION
REACHED |
|
|
1947.08.17 |
1948.01.31 |
4 |
14 |
Frank Sinatra (voc), Axel Stordahl Orchestra |
|
|
Bing Crosby |
1947.11.13 |
1948.02.07 |
3 |
20 |
Bing Crosby (voc), John Scott Trotter Orchestra |
|
Margaret Whiting |
1947.11.25 |
1948.01.24 |
2 |
21 |
Margaret Whiting (voc), Frank DeVol Orchestra |
|
Art Lund |
1947.11.?? |
1948.01.24 |
1 |
25 |
Art Lund (voc), Johnny Thompson Orchestra |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis His Tenor Sax and Rhythm |
1947.04.12 |
Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis (ts), Al Haig (p), Gene Ramey (b), Denzil Best (d) |
|
1957.05.21 |
Kenny Dorham (tp), Sonny Rollins (ts), Hank Jones (p), Betty Glamman (arp), Oscar Pettiford (b), Max Roach (d) |
|
|
1958.06.20 |
Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis (ts), Jerome Richardson (ts, fl), Shirley Scott (org), George Duvivier (b), Arthur Edgehill (d) |
|
|
1959.12.10 |
Grant Green (g), Harold Mabern (p), Gene Ramey (b), Elvin Jones (d) |
|
|
1960.06.19 |
Freddie Hubbard (tp), Tina Brooks (ts), McCoy Tyner (p), Sam Jones (b), Clifford Jarvis (d) |
|
|
1960.09.01 |
Ray Brown (b, vc), Don Fagerquist (tp), Harry Betts (tb), Jack Cave (tpa), Med Flory (as), Bob Cooper (ts), Bill Hood (bars), Paul Horn (fl), Jimmy Rowles (p), Joe Mondragon (b), Dick Shanahan (d), Russell Garcia (dir) |
|
|
1964.05.06 |
Stan Getz (ts), Bill Evans (p), Ron Carter (b), Elvin Jones (d) |
|
|
Yusef Lateef |
1974.07.06 |
Yusef Lateef (ts, fl, ob, p, per), Kenny Barron (p), Bob Cunningham (b, camp), Albert Heath (d, per) |
|
Clark Terry- Max Roach Quartet |
2002.03.10 |
Clark Terry (tp, fis) Don Friedman (p), Marcus McLaurine (b), Max Roach (d) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
Frank Sinatra |
1947.08.17 |
Frank Sinatra (voc), Manny Klein, Ray Linn, Zeke Zarchy (tp), Dave Hallett, George Jenkins, Pullman Pederson (tb), Vincent DeRosa (tpa), Heine Beau, Fred Dornbach, Herbert Haymer, Jules Kinsler, Fred Stulce (sax), Mark McIntyre (p), Allan Reuss (g), Philip Stephens (b), Ray Hagan (d), string section, Axel Stordahl (dir) |
|
1947.11.25 |
Margaret Whiting (voc), Frank DeVol Orchestra |
|
|
Peggy Lee |
1949.04.08 |
Peggy Lee (voc), Dave Barbour, George Van Eps (g), Phil Stephens (b), Hal Schaefer (p, cel), Nick Fatool (d) |
|
1958.02.19 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Billy Butterfield, Mel Davis, Jimmy Ochner (tp), Jack Green, Urbie Green, Tommy Mitchell (tb), Philip Bodner, Tom Parshley, Romeo Penque, Ed Powell (r), Mal Waldron (p), Barry Galbraith (g), Milton Hinton (b), Osie Johnson (d), Robert Rosengarten (xil), string section, Ray Ellis (dir) |
|
|
1958.05.08 |
Nat Cole (voc), Rene Faure (p), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), string section, Gordon Jenkins (dir) |
|
|
1969.??.?? |
Nancy Wilson (voc), Hank Jones (p), Gene Bertoncini (g), Ron Carter (b), Grady Tate (d) |
|
|
1975.06.13 |
Tony Bennett (voc), Bill Evans (p) |
|
|
Shirley Horn |
1988.11.16 |
Shirley Horn (p, voc), Charles Ables (b), Steve Williams (d, per) |
|
2004.06.?? |
Claire Martin (voc), Nigel Hitchcock (ss), Gareth Williams (p, org), Richard Cottle (org), Jim Mullen (g), Lawrence Cottle (b), Clark Tracey (d), Miles Bould (per) |
On cinemas
The song 'But Beautiful' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL TITLE |
TITLE IN SPAIN |
DATE OF PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
Road to Rio |
Camino de Río |
1947 |
Bing Crosby |
|
Munich |
Munich |
2005 |
Stan Getz- Bill Evans Quartet |