My Foolish Heart (song)

"My Foolish Heart" is a popular song that was published in 1949.

The music was composed by Victor Young and the lyric was written by Ned Washington. The song was introduced by the singer Martha Mears in the 1949 film of the same name. The song failed to escape critics' general laceration of the film. Time wrote in its review that "nothing offsets the blight of such tear-splashed excesses as the bloop-bleep-bloop of a sentimental ballad on the sound track."[1] Nevertheless, the song was nominated for an Oscar, losing out to "Baby, It's Cold Outside" by Frank Loesser.

The song was also a popular success, with two recordings of the song listed among the top 30 on the Billboard charts in 1950. Gordon Jenkins's recording of "My Foolish Heart", Sandy Evans, vocal, reached the top ten on the charts. However, Billy Eckstine's version became a million-seller, spending 19 weeks on the charts and peaking at number six.

Allan Jones with orchestra conducted by Frank Cordell recorded it in London on July 14, 1950. It was released by EMI on the His Master's Voice label as catalog numbers B 9948 and IP 607.

Later recordings were made of this standard by numerous artists, including the Arbors, Tony Bennett, Margaret Whiting, Dion & The Belmonts, Bill Evans, Astrud Gilberto, Jan and Dean, Tom Jones, Ben E. King, Al Martino, Carmen McRae, Frank Sinatra, the Teddy Bears, Mel Tormé, The Demensions (charting at #95), the Roommates, Oscar Peterson with Nelson Riddle, Joe Williams with George Shearing, and the Hi-Lo's with Clare Fischer. More recently, "My Foolish Heart" has been covered by Elkie Brooks, Roberta Flack, Susannah McCorkle, Holly Cole (as The Holly Cole Trio), pianists Liz Story and Keith Jarrett, guitarists John McLaughlin and John Abercrombie, Charlie Haden's Quartet West, singers Kurt Elling, Chet Baker, Al Jarreau, Cris Barber, Erasure, Jane Monheit, Jacqui Dankworth and Ann Hampton Callaway, a capella quartet The Idea of North, and the Ska band "The Positive Downside."

In 2004, the song was featured in "The Murder at the Vicarage," an episode of the television series Marple.

In 2008, contemporary jazz guitarist Thom Rotella covered the song from his album Out of the Blues.[2][3]

The original recording was in G major with stringed instruments. Frank Sinatra sang the song in A flat major and Bill Evans performed it in B flat major. Bill Evans performed it in A major on his album Waltz for Debby.

A French version, "Mon faible cœur", was recorded by, among others, Jacqueline François and Line Renaud.

References

  1. ↑ "The New Pictures". Time. 1950-02-06. Retrieved 2007-04-05.
  2. ↑ "Never Can Say Goodbye:Tribute to Michael Jackson overview". Allmusic.com.
  3. ↑ "CD Reviews 2008". BermanMusicFoundation.org.

External links