| My One and Only Love | |
| Written: | 1952 |
| Published: | 1953 by Sherwin Music |
| Composer: | Guy Wood |
| Lyricist: | Robert Mellin |
"My One and Only Love" is a 1953 popular song with music written by Guy Wood and lyrics by Robert Mellin.[1] Notable renditions by Frank Sinatra (1953), and later by John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (1963), have made the song part of the jazz standard musical repertoire.
Published in 1953, it is a conventional 32-bar song with four 8-bar sections, including a bridge ("Type A" or "AABA" song structure).[2] Typically performed as a ballad, it has an aria-like melody that is a challenge to many vocalists;[3] in the key of C, the song's melody extends from G below middle C to the second D above middle C.
The song originated in 1947 under the title "Music from Beyond the Moon", with music by Guy B. Wood and lyrics by Jack Lawrence.[1] Vocalist Vic Damone recorded this version in the same year and released it as a B-side to "I'll Always Be In Love With You" (Mercury 5072),[4] but it was unsuccessful. In 1952, Robert Mellin wrote a new title and lyrics for the song, and it was republished the next year as “My One and Only Love”.[5]
When Frank Sinatra recorded it in 1953 with Nelson Riddle, first released as B-side to his hit single "I've Got the World on a String" (Capitol 2505),[6] it became known as a jazz standard.[5] Then popular saxophonist Charlie Ventura saw the song's "jazz potential" and recorded the first instrumental version in the very same year.[1]
As an instrumental jazz standard, it remained predominantly a song for tenor saxophonists. Ben Webster recorded the tune with Art Tatum in autumn 1956. John Coltrane recorded his version with vocalist Johnny Hartman ten years after Ventura in 1963 (John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman). This was followed by Sonny Rollins in 1964. He re-recorded it in 1977, this time on soprano saxophone. Later interpretations came from Chico Freeman, Michael Brecker, and Joshua Redman.
Vocal renditions of "My One and Only Love" were recorded by Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 29746), Johnny Mathis, Doris Day, Mark Murphy, Chet Baker and Kurt Elling. Cassandra Wilson turned the song into an up-tempo swing number.
| Date | Performer | Type | Album, notes | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | vocal | single, B-side, as "Music from Beyond the Moon" | |||
| 1948 | vocal | single, as "Music from Beyond the Moon" | |||
| 1953 | Frank Sinatra | vocal | single, B-side; appears on later compilation This Is Sinatra! | ||
| 1953 | instrumental | Charlie Ventura's Open House | |||
| 1954 | Art Tatum and Ben Webster | The Tatum Group Masterpieces, Volume Eight | |||
| 1955 | vocal | single | |||
| 1955 | vocal | The Divine Sarah[7] | |||
| 1957 | instrumental | Pepper Adams Quintet | |||
| 1957 | vocal | By Special Request | |||
| 1957 | instrumental | The Stylings of Silver | |||
| 1958 | vocal | Warm | |||
| 1959 | instrumental | The Mancini Touch | |||
| 1960 | vocal | single | |||
| 1960 | instrumental | Plain Talk | |||
| 1961 | vocal | Alone with Dion | |||
| 1962 | vocal | Cha Cha de Amor | |||
| 1962 | instrumental | Ella Swings Gently with Nelson | |||
| 1962 | vocal | Duet | [8] | ||
| 1962 | vocal | Warm and Willing | |||
| 1962 | instrumental | Born to Be Blue | |||
| 1963 | vocal | John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman | |||
| 1964 | instrumental | We Get Requests | |||
| 1965 | instrumental | The Complete RCA Victor Recordings | |||
| 1965 | Nancy Wilson | vocal | Gentle Is My Love | ||
| 1965 | Wes Montgomery | instrumental | Bumpin' | ||
| 1966 | instrumental | Money in the Pocket | |||
| 1968 | instrumental | Now He Sings, Now He Sobs | |||
| 1970 | vocal | Louis Armstrong and His Friends | |||
| 1973 | instrumental | Love Is the Message | |||
| 1974 | instrumental | Atlantis | |||
| 1977 | instrumental | Easy Living | |||
| 1977 | vocal | Butterfly | |||
| 1978 | instrumental | Beyond the Rain | |||
| 1981 | instrumental | Relaxin' At Camarillo | |||
| 1983 | instrumental | Rich and Famous | |||
| 1987 | instrumental | Michael Brecker | |||
| 1988 | vocal | Blue Skies | |||
| 1989 | vocal | Chet Baker Sings and Plays from the Film Let's Get Lost | |||
| 1989 | instrumental | Chick Corea Akoustic Band | |||
| 1990 | vocal | Like Now | |||
| 1991 | vocal | Pop Pop | |||
| 1991 | vocal | Leaving Las Vegas (soundtrack) | |||
| 1992 | instrumental | Ray Bryant "Plays Blues and Ballads" | |||
| 1993 | instrumental | Invitation | |||
| 1993 | vocal | Love Songs | [9] [10] | ||
| 1995 | instrumental | Spirit of the Moment - Live at the Village Vanguard | |||
| 1998 | instrumental | Songs We Know | |||
| 2001 | vocal | Once to Every Heart | |||
| 2005 | vocal | ||||
| 2005 | vocal | ||||
| 2008 | instrumental | Songs of Joy & Peace | |||
| 2008 | instrumental | Love Song, Ballads, and Standards | |||
| 2009 | vocal | Bittersweet | |||
| 2009 | vocal | ||||
| 2011 | vocal | Guitar Man | |||
| 2011 | vocal | My Heart | |||
| 2012 | vocal | Kisses on the Bottom | |||
| 2014 | vocal | Interlude | |||
| 2017 | vocal | Triplicate |