A Fine Romance

J. Lawrence Cook, Jerome Kern

About A Fine Romance

"A Fine Romance" is a popular song composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields, published in 1936. The song was written for the musical film, Swing Time, where it was co-introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Astaire recorded a solo version of the song on July 28, 1936 for Brunswick records (catalog 7716) and it topped the charts of the day for five weeks. Billie Holiday recorded the song for Vocalion Records on September 29, 1936 and this too reached the charts of the day as did versions by Henry King and Guy Lombardo. In Hollywood, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald recorded their version of the song in the summer of 1957. In 1963, Fitzgerald included a solo rendition on her Verve Records album, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Songbook, produced by Norman Granz. In a version sung by Judi Dench it also became the theme song of A Fine Romance, a British television series starring Dench and her husband Michael Williams. In the film Till the Clouds Roll By (1946), the song is performed by Virginia O'Brien. 


Year:
1996
3:06
344 
#1

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A fine romance with no kisses
A fine romance, my friend, this is
We should be like a couple of hot tomatoes (to-mah-toes, dear)
But you're as cold as yesterday's mashed po-tah-toes (potatoes)

A fine romance, you won't nestle
A fine romance, you won't even wrestle
You've never mussed the crease in my blue serge pants
You never take a chance, this is a fine romance

A fine romance, my good fellow
You take romance, I'll take Jello
You're calmer than the seals in the Arctic Ocean
At least they flap their fins to express emotion

A fine romance, my dear Duchess
Two old fogies, we really need crutches
You're just as hard to land as the Ile de France! (Fronce)
I haven't got a chonce (chance), this is a fine romance

A fine romance, my good woman
My strong, aged-in-the-wood woman
You never give those orchids I send a glance
They're just like cactus plants, (oh boy)
This is a fine romance!

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Jerome Kern

Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A Fine Romance", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "All the Things You Are", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Long Ago (and Far Away)" and "Who?". He collaborated with many of the leading librettists and lyricists of his era, including George Grossmith Jr., Guy Bolton, P. G. Wodehouse, Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, Dorothy Fields, Johnny Mercer, Ira Gershwin and E. Y. Harburg. more »

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Written by: JEROME KERN, DOROTHY FIELDS

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Composition and Origin
"A Fine Romance" is a popular song composed by Jerome Kern, with lyrics written by Dorothy Fields. It was first introduced in the 1936 musical film "Swing Time".
First Performance
It was initially performed by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the film "Swing Time". Ginger Rogers also performed the song in blackface during a sequence set in a nightclub.
Billie Holiday's Version
Billie Holiday, one of the most influential and iconic jazz vocalists of all time, also recorded a version of "A Fine Romance". It was released in the late 1930s.
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong Collaboration
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong have also covered "A Fine Romance". Their version is considered one of the most famous renditions of the song. It was included in their collaborative album "Ella and Louis Again", which was released in 1957.
Lena Horne's Performance
Lena Horne, a notable African-American singer, actress, and civil rights activist, included a version of "A Fine Romance" in her album "Lena Horne Sings: The MGM Singles Verge", released in 2010, which consolidates her performances from 1946 to 1958.
Grammy Hall of Fame
In 2002, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong's version of "A Fine Romance" was granted the status of Grammy Hall of Fame Award, an award established by The Recording Academy in 1973 to honor recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance.
Song's Impact
Over the years, "A Fine Romance" has become one of the standards in the Great American Songbook, a showcase of most important and influential American popular songs of the 20th century.
Universal Popularity
The song has been covered by a wide range of artists beyond jazz, proving its universal appeal across various genres and generations.
Song Theme
The song describes a couple's flirtation and romance in terms of their shared enjoyment of nature's everyday phenomenon, such as watching the sun rise and set.
Oscar-Winning Film
The film "Swing Time", where the song "A Fine Romance" was first introduced, won an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song awarded to Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields.

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