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My Funny Valentine
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Wikipedia article
"'My Funny Valentine'" is a show tune from the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart coming of age musical 'Babes in Arms' in which it was introduced by teenaged star Mitzi Green. The song became a popular jazz standard, appearing on over 1300 albums performed by over 600 artists. One of them was Chet Baker, for whom it became his signature song. In 2015, it was announced that the Gerry Mulligan quartet featuring Chet Baker's version of the song was inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry for the song's "cultural, artistic and/or historical significance to American society and the nations audio legacy". Mulligan also recorded the song with his Concert Jazz Band in 1960.
History
'Babes in Arms' opened at the Shubert Theatre on Broadway, in New York City on April 14, 1937 and ran for 289 performances. In the original play, a character named Billie Smith (played by Mitzi Green) sings the song to Valentine "Val" LaMar (played by Ray Heatherton).Playbill from 1937 'Babes in Arms' theatrical performance. The character's name was changed to match the lyric of this song.Rodgers, Richard (1975) 'Musical Stages: an autobiography'. New York: Random House, page 181
In the song, Billie describes Valentine's characteristics in unflattering and derogatory terms (at one point Billie describes Valentine's looks as "laughable", in keeping with the title), but ultimately affirms that he makes her smile and that she doesn't want him to change. The description of Valentine was consistent with Lorenz Hart's own insecurities and belief that he was too short and ugly to be loved.Holden, Stephen.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02E4D8143EF935A35752C0A96F958260&ref=lorenz_hart "Television Review: Thou Rodgers, Thou Hart, So Fizzy, So Smart"], 'The New York Times', January 6, 1999. (The lyrics are sufficiently gender-neutral to allow the song to conversely be sung about either gender, and a large proportion of cover versions of the song have been by men describing a hypothetical woman.)
Chart versions
*The song first hit the charts in 1945, performed by Hal McIntyre with vocals by Ruth Gaylor. It only appeared for one week and hit No. 16. As cited in [http://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-0/myfunnyvalentine.htm My Funny Valentine (1937)], written, compiled, and published by jazzstandards.com.See also
* List of 1930s jazz standards
References
Further reading
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Category:1937 songs
Category:1930s jazz standards
Category:Songs with music by Richard Rodgers
Category:Songs with lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Category:Ella Fitzgerald songs
Category:Frank Sinatra songs
Category:Johnny Mathis songs
Category:Ronnie Milsap songs
Category:Eartha Kitt songs
Category:Andy Williams songs
Category:Joe Dassin songs
Category:Songs from Babes in Arms
Category:Songs from Pal Joey (film)
Category:Jazz compositions in B minor
Category:Jazz compositions in C minor
Category:American songs
Category:Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
Category:United States National Recording Registry recordings
Category:Chaka Khan songs
Category:Anita Baker songs
Category:Chet Baker
Category:Chet Baker songs
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