If Love Were All

"If Love Were All" is a song by Noël Coward, published in 1929 and written for the operetta Bitter Sweet.[1][2] The song is considered autobiographical, and has been described as "self-deprecating" as well as "one of the loneliest pop songs ever written".[2][3][4]

Ivy St. Helier performed the song in the 1933 film version of Bitter Sweet.

In June 2009, an Off-Broadway play of the same name about Coward's relationship with Gertrude Lawrence premiered at Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York City.[5]

Contents

Reception

"If Love Were All" has been described as "self-deprecating" as well as "one of the loneliest pop songs ever written".[3][4] Rod McKuen considers the song to be among the "truly great" songs about "entertaining from the entertainment point of view".[6]

Cover versions

Cover versions appear on Judy Garland's Judy at Carnegie Hall (1961),[7] Pet Shop Boys' Alternative (1995),[8] and Rufus Wainwright's Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall (2007) and Milwaukee at Last!!! (2009).[9] In the latter part of her life, Garland often included "If Love Were All" in her concert and television repertoire.[10]

Other notable recordings

See also

References

  1. ^ Benatar, Stephen; Carey, John (2010). Wish Her Safe at Home. New York Review of Books. http://books.google.com/books?id=HLbvPMcZeI4C&pg=PA264&dq#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
  2. ^ a b Hoare, Philip (1998). Noel Coward: A Biography. University of Chicago Press. p. 204. http://books.google.com/books?id=CkGniAsKUmYC&pg=PA204&lpg=PA204&dq. Retrieved February 5, 2011. 
  3. ^ a b Holden, Stephen (June 6, 1999). "Celebrating A Spirit Most Blithe". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). http://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/04/arts/cabaret-review-celebrating-a-spirit-most-blithe.html. Retrieved February 5, 2011. 
  4. ^ a b Holden, Stephen (February 2, 1983). "Pop-Jazz Series: '12 Days of Torme and Friends'". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). http://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/02/arts/pop-jazz-series-12-days-of-torme-and-friends.html. Retrieved February 5, 2011. 
  5. ^ Gurewitsch, Matthew (June 6, 1999). "Twiggy and Noel Coward Take One More Turn". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0C1EF738540C758CDDAF0894D1494D81. Retrieved February 5, 2011. 
  6. ^ Wilkie, Jane (May 5, 1973). "Seven Years on the Road Results in the Emergence of Rod McKuen's Musical Empire". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.) 85 (18): RM3–RM4. http://books.google.com/books?id=OwkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA38&dq#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
  7. ^ "Judy at Carnegie Hall". Allmusic. http://allmusic.com/album/judy-at-carnegie-hall-r61715/review. Retrieved February 5, 2011. 
  8. ^ "Alternative". Allmusic. http://allmusic.com/album/alternative-r218599. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
  9. ^ Friedman, Roberto (September 3, 2009). "Book marks". Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco, California: Benro Enterprises). http://www.ebar.com/arts/art_article.php?sec=outthere&article=228. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
  10. ^ Fricke, John (2003). Judy Garland: A Portrait in Art & Anecdote. Hachette Digital. p. 15. http://books.google.com/books?id=Wl7VmMIn38kC&pg=PR1&dq#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved February 6, 2011.