Angel Eyes (1946 song) explained

"Angel Eyes" is a 1946 popular song composed by Matt Dennis, with lyrics by Earl K. Brent. It was introduced in the 1953 film Jennifer. In the film, Matt Dennis sings the song and accompanies himself on piano, while Ida Lupino and Howard Duff among others are dancing to it.[1]

Composition

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"Angel Eyes" is a jazz standard which has inspired many interpretations. Many singers have recorded versions of the song, including Nat King Cole (already in 1953), Frank Sinatra, June Christy with Stan Kenton, Chet Baker, Shirley Bassey, Neil Sedaka, Willie Nelson with Ray Charles, and Sting. Ella Fitzgerald, who recorded "Angel Eyes" at least four times, named it her favorite song.[2] Instrumental versions were recorded not as often as vocal takes, by the likes of Benny Carter, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Dave Brubeck, Kenny Burrell, McCoy Tyner, Joe Lovano, Gary Thomas, and more recently by Tyshawn Sorey, and Pat Metheny.

Selected recorded versions

Performer Album Year Source
In Blue 2002 [3]
Angel Eyes 1960 [4]
Ernestine Anderson Swings the Penthouse 2015 [5]
Chet Baker with Len Mercer and His Orchestra Chet Baker with Fifty Italian Strings 1960
Shirley Bassey 1961 [6]
Cheryl Bentyne and Rob WassermanDuets 1988 [7]
Classified 1982
Keeping Tradition 1993
The Dave Brubeck Quartet Angel Eyes 1966 [8]
Ray Bryant Trio 1957
Blues – The Common Ground 1968
Trioing 2002
Cosmopolite 1954
Impromptu 1977
Nat King Cole with Billy May and His Orchestra single 1953
Chris in Person 1959
More Soul 1961
Saturday Morning 1975
Matt Dennis Plays and Sings Matt Dennis 1954
Glad to Be Unhappy 1965
A Tuba Jazz 1959
Take to the Sky 2009
Love Stories 2019 [9]
1958
Roberta 1994
Sinfónico 2014
Four Freshmen and 5 Trombones 1955 [10]
Beyond the Reef 1962
Jim Hall Live! 1975
Wives and Lovers 1959
Road Show 1959
Devil's Brew 1996
2007
The Dreamer 1959
Rush Hour 1994
Manilow Sings Sinatra 1998
Wynton Marsalis' First Recordings 1980 [11]
Johnny Mathis 1956
MoonDial 2024
Mina 1964
Book of Ballads 1960
Helen Merrill with Gary Peacock Trio Sposin 1971
Fontessa 1956
Rah! 1961
Angel Eyes 1984 [12]
American Classic 2009
Phineas' Rainbow 1957
Waiter, Make Mine Blues 1960 [13]
Angel Eyes 1968
Pastel Moods 1956
Breathless! 1997
All the Way 1992
Circulate 1961
Favorite Things 1997
Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely 1958
1996
Continuing 2023 [14]
The Women Who Raised Me 2020
Leaving Las Vegas 1995 [15]
Till We Have Faces 1992
Just for Kicks 1959
A Night Like This 1993
The Turning Point 1991
Welcome to My Love 1968

Notes and References

  1. , the song fades in during the previous sequence, before the actual ballroom scene.
  2. https://archive.today/20140210175745/http://www.steynonline.com/6083/angel-eyes "Angel Eyes"
  3. Book: Gioia, Ted. Ted Gioia. The Jazz Standards. 2012. Oxford University Press. Oxford. 978-0-19-993739-4. 20–21.
  4. Web site: Yanow . Scott. Angel Eyes – Gene Ammons. AllMusic . 5 May 2018.
  5. Anderson, Ernestine (primary artist, vocals) . 2015 . Ernestine Anderson Swings the Penthouse . CD . United States . . HCD 7273 . Track 11 . Recorded 7 February 1962.
  6. Web site: Eder. Bruce. Shirley Bassey – Shirley Bassey. AllMusic. 5 May 2018.
  7. Web site: Wynn. Ron. Duets – Rob Wasserman. AllMusic. 5 May 2018.
  8. Web site: Yanow. Scott. Angel Eyes – Dave Brubeck. AllMusic . 5 May 2018.
  9. Web site: Collar . Matt . Love Stories – Eliane Elias Songs, Reviews, Credits . AllMusic . 17 October 2019 . en-us.
  10. Web site: Unterberger. Richie. Four Freshmen and Five Trombones. AllMusic. 5 May 2018.
  11. . One of the several unofficial releases in 1983.
  12. Web site: Chrispell. James. Angel Eyes – Willie Nelson. AllMusic. 5 May 2018.
  13. Web site: Ankeny. Jason. Waiter, Make Mine Blues – Anita O'Day. AllMusic. 5 May 2018.
  14. Web site: Fordham . John . 11 August 2023 . Tyshawn Sorey Trio: Continuing Review – Genre-Hopping Triumph from Award-Winning Drummer . 8 September 2023 . The Guardian.
  15. Web site: Ruhlmann. William. Leaving Las Vegas. AllMusic. 5 May 2018.