A Fine Romance

Billie Holiday

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:
2011
3:33
109 
#1

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer

A fine romance, with no kisses
A fine romance, my friend this is
We should be like
A couple of hot tomatoes
But you're as cold as
Yesterday's mashed potatoes

A fine romance, you won't nestle
A fine romance, you won't wrestle
I might as well play bridge
With my old maid aunt
I haven't got 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 with no quarrels
With no insults and all morals
I've never mussed the crease
In your blue serge pants
I never get the chance
This is a fine romance

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Harris April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. more »

6 fans

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.

Discuss the A Fine Romance Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "A Fine Romance Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/25651611/Billie+Holiday/A+Fine+Romance>.

    Missing lyrics by Billie Holiday?

    Know any other songs by Billie Holiday? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    A Fine Romance

    196.1K
    602     13

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    What song was Kelsea Ballerini famous for?
    A Kiss Me More
    B The Way It Used to Be
    C Homecoming Queen?
    D Love Me like You Do

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Billie Holiday tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!

    Movies soundtrack

    A Fine Romance

    »
    • Priscilla: Queen of the Desert