"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]
"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.
| 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 Wasserman | Duets | 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 |