Love Is the Sweetest Thing
1932 song by Ray Noble
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Love Is the Sweetest Thing" is a popular song written in 1932 by British band leader and singer Ray Noble. Using guest vocalist Al Bowlly, Noble's recording was a big hit on both sides of the Atlantic, bringing Noble his first American success.[4] It was published by Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd.[2] Like most compositions published in the period (commonly called Tin Pan Alley songs), its main refrain (in thirty-two bar A-A-B-A form) is preceded with what were then called "sectional verses" or "introductory verses" which are usually omitted from early recordings and modern performances.
| "Love Is the Sweetest Thing" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Ray Noble and His New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, vocal Al Bowlly | |
| B-side | I'll Do My Best to Make You Happy[1] |
| Published | November 9, 1932 by Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd., London, UK[2] |
| Released | June 30, 1933[1] |
| Recorded | September 8, 1932[3] |
| Studio | Abbey Road Studios 2, London, England[3] |
| Genre | Popular music, British dance band |
| Length | 3:18 |
| Label | Victor 24333[1] |
| Songwriter | Ray Noble[2] |
| Official Audio | |
| "Love Is the Sweetest Thing" on YouTube | |
Notable recordings
The following artists, among others, have made recordings :-
- Ray Noble and His New Mayfair Orchestra (8 September 1932) – vocal by Al Bowlly.
- Jack Hylton and His Orchestra (4 October 1932) – vocal by J. Pat O'Malley.
- Jack Payne and His Orchestra (14 November 1932) – vocal by Jack Payne. Recorded for inclusion in the British musical drama film Say It with Music.
- Hal Kemp and His Orchestra (14 August 1933) – vocal by Skinnay Ennis.[5][6]
- Perry Como – recorded circa mid-February, 1945 from a "Chesterfield Supper Club" radio broadcast and issued as a V-Disc Record Number A-444-B (Navy N-224-B).[7]
- Mel Tormé (1946).
- Artie Shaw and His Orchestra (1950).
- Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1954[8] for use on his radio show and it was subsequently included in the box set The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954–56) issued by Mosaic Records (catalog MD7-245) in 2009.[9]
- Mario Lanza – recorded for his Coca-Cola Radio Show in 1952 and included in the album The Touch of Your Hand (1955).
- Gogi Grant – included in her album Suddenly There's Gogi Grant (1956).
- Ferlin Husky – included in his album Sittin' on a Rainbow (1958).
- Frankie Vaughan – a single release in 1959.[10]
- Dinah Washington – for her album Dinah Washington – In Love (1962).
- Operatic tenor, Saverio Saridis (The Singing Cop),[11] went to number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with his recording in 1962.[12]
- Mary Hopkin – included in her album Post Card (1969).
- Peter Skellern – for the album Skellern (1978).[13]
Film appearances
- 1932 Say It with Music – performed by Jack Payne
- 1945 Confidential Agent – performed by Lynn Baggett at the road house
- 1956 Reach for the Sky
- 1959 The Lady Is a Square – sung by Frankie Vaughan
- 1959 The Captain's Table
- 1970 Country Dance – sung by Al Bowlly
- 1978 "The Sweetest Thing" (episode 2 of Pennies from Heaven) – sung by Al Bowlly
- 1980 Rising Damp
- 1990 Come See the Paradise – performed by Mark Earley
- 2004 Death on the Nile – the BBC-TV series with Sir David Suchet as Hercule Poirot – sung by Al Bowlly
- 2004 Spider-Man 2 – performed by Peter Cincotti and The Peter Cincotti Trio
Lyrics extracts
First introductory verse:
- Whether you're 20 and starting in life
- Whether to 30 you've grown
- Whether to 40, a husband or wife,
- Whether you're 50, a Darby and Joan
- There's one thing certain that you'll have to own...
Start of main refrain (nowadays "Verse One"):
- Love is the sweetest thing
- What else on earth could ever bring
- Such happiness to ev'rything
- As Love's old story.
End of main refrain (nowadays "Verse Three"):
- Love is the greatest thing
- The oldest yet, the latest thing
- I only hope that fate may bring
- Love's story to you.