THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT
Music: Jerome Kern- Lyrics: Dorothy Fields
Year: 1936
Origin of the song
Fred Astaire performed 'The Way You Look Tonight' in the film Swing Time, produced by RKO Radio Pictures and directed by George Stevens, which premiered on 27 August 1936 in New York. The song won that year's Oscar award, beating 'I've Got You Under My Skin', 'Pennies From Heaven', 'Did I Remember?' and 'A Melody From The Skies'. Swing Time was a gold mine for Astaire, which recorded five of the seven songs included in the soundtrack, and all of them became hits. In addition to 'The Way You Look Tonight' (number one for six weeks), 'A Fine Romance' was number one for five weeks, 'Pick Yourself Up' came in number seven, 'Never Gonna Dance' in number five and 'Bojangles Of Harlem' in number seventeen.
After collaborating with McHugh and Kern, Dorothy Fields returned to New York, where she participated as a librettist in three Cole Porter musicals: Let's Face It! (1941), Something for the Boys (1943) and Mexican Hayride (1944). He also worked with Irving Berlin on Annie Get Your Gun (1946) and wrote the lyrics of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1951). In later years, he successfully participated in the musicals Redhead (1959), Sweet Charity (1966), and Seesaw (1973).
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
1936.07.24 |
1936.09.12 |
10 |
3 |
Carmen Lombardo (voc) |
|
|
1936.07.26 |
1936.08.29 |
17 |
1 (six weeks) |
Fred Astaire (voc), Johnny Green Orchestra |
|
|
Billie Holiday |
1936.10.21 |
1936.11.14 |
5 |
3 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Teddy Wilson Orchestra |
|
Benny Goodman Sextet |
1942.03.10 |
1942.06.27 |
1 |
21 |
Peggy Lee (voc) |
|
The Lettermen |
1961.??.?? |
1961.09.04 |
13 |
13 |
Tony Butala, Jim Pike, Bob
Engemann (voc), Jimmie Haskell Orchestra |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1950.07.?? |
Dave Brubeck (p), Dick Collins (tp), Bob Collins (tb), Bill Smith (cl, bars), Paul Desmond (as), David Van Kreidt (ts), Jack Weeks (b), Cal Tjader (d) |
|
|
1951.01.11 |
Erroll Garner (p), John Simmons (b), Shadow Wilson (d) |
|
|
1952.12.12 |
Stan Getz (ts), Jimmy Raney (g), Duke Jordan (p), Bill Crow (b), Frank Isola (d) |
|
|
1954.02.21 |
Art Blakey (d), Clifford Brown (tp), Lou Donaldson (as), Horace Silver (p), Curley Russell (b) |
|
|
1954.04.13 |
Lionel Hampton (vib), Buddy De Franco (cl), Oscar Peterson (p), Ray Brown (b), Buddy Rich (d) |
|
|
1955.06.15 |
Dave Pell (ts), Don Fagerquist (tp), Ray Sims (tb), Bob Gordon (bars), Paul Smith (p), Tony Rizzi (g), Joe Mondragon (b), Jack Sperling (d) |
|
|
1956.02.18 |
Jimmy Smith (org), Thornel Schwartz (g), Bay Perry (d) |
|
|
1956.04.17 |
Johnny Griffin (ts), Wynton Kelly (p), Curly Russell (b), Max Roach (d) |
|
|
1957.04.06 |
Johnny Griffin, John Coltrane, Hank Mobley (ts), Lee Morgan (tp), Wynton Kelly (p), Paul Chambers (b), Art Blakey (d) |
|
|
1958.03.16 |
Tina Brooks (ts), Lee Morgan (tp), Sonny Clark (p), Doug Watkins (b), Art Blakey (d) |
|
|
Ramsey Lewis Trio |
1959.04.22 |
Ramsey Lewis (p), Eldee Young (b), Red Holt (d) |
|
1960.11.30 |
Arnett Cobb (ts), Red Garland (p), George Tucker (b), J.C. Heard (d) |
|
|
1962.06.26 |
Paul Desmond (as), Gerry Mulligan (bars), John Beal (b), Connie Kay (d) |
|
|
Barry Harris Trio |
1962.08.23 |
Barry Harris (p), Bob Cranshaw (b), Clifford Jarvis (d) |
|
Tete Montoliu |
1990.01.28 |
Tete Montoliu (p) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1936.10.21 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Teddy Wilson (p, dir), Irving Randolph (tp), Ben Webster (ts), Vido Musso (cl), Allan Reuss (g), Milton Hinton (b), Gene Krupa (d) |
|
|
1942.03.10 |
Benny Goodman (cl), Lou McGarity (tb), Tom Morgan (g), Sid Weiss (b), Mel Powell (p), Ralph Collier (d), Peggy Lee (voc) |
|
|
1952.12.?? |
Fred Astaire (voc), Charlie Shavers (tp), Flip Phillips (ts), Oscar Peterson (p), Barney Kessel (g), Ray Brown (b), Alvin Stoller (d) |
|
|
1956.11.10 |
Mel Tormé (voc), Marty Paich (p, dir), Pete Candoli, Don Fagerquist (tp), Bob Enevoldsen (vtb), Vince DeRosa (tpa), Herb Geller (as), Jack Montrose (ts), Jack Dulong (bars), Albert Pollan (tu), Max Bennett (b), Alvin Stoller (d) |
|
|
1958.12.29 |
Johnny Pace (voc), Chet Baker (tp), Herbie Mann (fl), Joe Berle (p), Vinnie Burke (b), Ed Thigpen (d) |
|
|
1959.04.08 |
Anita O’Day (voc), Jimmy Giuffre Orchestra |
|
|
1964.01.27 |
Frank Sinatra (voc), Nelson Riddle Orchestra |
On cinemas
The song 'The Way You Look Tonight' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL TITLE |
TITLE IN SPAIN |
YEAR OF PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
Swing Time |
En alas de la danza |
1936 |
Fred Astaire; George Metaxa; instrumental |
|
Chinatown |
Chinatown |
1974 |
|
|
Hannah And Her Sisters |
Hannah y sus hermanas |
1986 |
Carrie Fisher |
|
Alice |
Alice |
1990 |
Erroll Garner Trio |
|
Father Of The Bride |
El padre de la novia |
1991 |
Steve Tyrell |
|
Peter’s Friends |
Los amigos de Peter |
1992 |
Kenneth Branagh, Alphonsia Emmanuel, Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton and Emma Thompson |
|
Son in Law |
Menudo yerno |
1993 |
Joey Scarburi & The Ribbs Pickers |
|
Father Of The Bride, Part 2 |
Vuelve el padre de la novia |
1995 |
Steve Tyrell |
|
The Leading Man |
Un hombre de éxito |
1996 |
Peter Skellern |
|
Mrs. Winterbourne |
Con cariño desde el cielo |
1996 |
|
|
Deconstructing Harry |
Desmontando a Harry |
1997 |
Erroll Garner Trio |
|
My Best Friend’s Wedding |
La boda de mi mejor amigo |
1997 |
Tony Bennett |
|
Vegas Vacation |
Vacaciones en Las Vegas |
1997 |
Gary LeMel |
|
Black and White |
Black and White |
1999 |
The Jaguars |
|
Love’s Labour’s Lost |
Trabajos de amor perdidos |
2000 |
Geraldine McEwan and Richard Briers |
|
The Family Man |
The Family Man |
2000 |
Mr. Big |
|
Catch Me If You Can |
Atrápame si puedes |
2002 |
The Lettermen |
|
Anything Else |
Todo lo demás |
2003 |
Billie Holiday |
|
What A Girl Wants |
Un sueño para ella |
2003 |
Oliver James |
|
First Daughter |
Una hija diferente |
2004 |
Matt Dusk |
|
Ice Age 2 |
Edad de hielo 2. El deshielo |
2006 |
|
|
New York I Love You |
New York I Love You |
2008 |
Michael Rose Orchestra |
|
Valentine’s Day |
Historias de San Valentín |
2010 |
Maroon 5 |
|
Barney’s Version |
El mundo según Barney |
2010 |
The Directors |
|
Edwin Boyd |
El gánster |
2011 |
Scott Speedman |