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| “...[Jimmy Van Heusen] was the house Mozart for America’s two princes of relaxation, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.” |
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- William Zinsser
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“Like Someone in Love” was introduced in the movie Belle of the Yukon by Dinah Shore who played a dance hall singer in one of her early films. The musical comedy/Western, set during the days of the Canadian Gold Rush, also starred Randolph Scott and Gypsy Rose Lee as his girlfriend (the belle of the title). The film did not do well at the box office, but one of the other Van Heusen and Burke songs, “Sleighride in July,” was nominated for an Oscar. It was Bing Crosby who took “Like Someone in Love” to the charts in 1945 where it reached #15 during its one-week stay.
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Crosby was instrumental in getting the team of composer Jimmy Van Heusen and lyricist Johnny Burke assigned to his motion pictures, requesting them for Road to Zanzibar in 1941 which led to other “Road” pictures and dozens of hit songs.
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“Like Someone in Love” is another one of Van Heusen’s easy-going melodies. As William Zinsser says in his book Easy to Remember: The Great American Songwriters and Their Songs, “...He was the house Mozart for America’s two princes of relaxation, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.” And Burke’s lyrics also invite a relaxed mood: “Lately I find myself out gazing at stars, Hearing guitars like someone in love.” Well, that’s love for you, as Burke suggests. It can provoke conduct that will “astound” you.
The song has had a broad range of interpreters. John Coltrane recorded a memorable version in 1957, and both Ella Fitzgerald and Art Blakey used it as the title cut of their respective albums in 1957 and 1960. Bassist Charles Mingus, vocalist Blossom Dearie, pianist Ahmad Jamal, saxophonist Bud Shank, guitarist Herb Ellis, and the vocal group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross recorded it. New versions have been released by pianist Jessica Williams, vocalist Rebecca Kilgore, trumpeter Ryan Kisor, guitarist Martin Taylor, and saxophonists Eric Alexander and Joe Lovano.
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More information on this tune... |
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- Sandra Burlingame
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| This section suggests definitive or otherwise significant recordings that will help jazz students get acquainted with
“Like Someone in Love.” These recordings have been selected from the Jazz History and
CD Recommendations sections.
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Chet Baker’s live 1956 recording of “Like Someone in Love” (Chet Baker Sings) is a classic example of Baker’s vocals and a fabulous place to begin learning the song. John Coltrane’s lyrical 1957 recording with a piano-less trio (Lush Life) is perhaps the best-loved modern instrumental interpretation. Among the numerous hard-swinging versions of the song, Art Blakey’s 1960 version with Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter (Like Someone In Love) is a standout.
Noah Baerman - Jazz Pianist and Educator
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Musical analysis of “Like Someone in Love” | | Original Key | Eb major | | Form | A1 - B1 - A2 - B2 | | Tonality | Major throughout | | Movement | Generally, upward leaping motion followed by stepwise descent; two descending fifths in “B1.” | Comments (assumed background) | | Some very nice counterpoint between the melodic line and the bass line, which initially descends by step. Although Van Heusen uses ii7-V7 embellishments, the continued linear movement of the bass is strongly implied by the overall harmonic structure. For example, in mm. 3-5 of “A,” he uses F7/A - Bb7/Ab- Gm7 - C7(b9) | Fm7 - Am7 - D7| Gm7 -Bbm7 - Eb7. However, he could have chosen to repeat the linear bass pattern in mm. 4-5: Fm7 - Ab/Eb - D7| Gm7 - Bb/F - Eb7. In either case, a nice sequence is set up; the former is harmonically more interesting, whereas a “classical” composer might have chosen the latter. Both versions have the same voice-leading tendencies, however. “B” starts on the subdominant, then drops a half step (using a tri-tone ii7 embellishment) to G7, resolving to C major. By turning to C minor, it requires only a simple vi - ii7 - V7 sequence to return to the original key. | | K. J. McElrath - Musicologist for JazzStandards.com |
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A fine session from 1956 by tenor saxophonist Stan Getz’ swinging quartet finds him playing “Like Someone in Love” at a medium bounce tempo; a tad unusual, but he pulls it off with aplomb. At the same time another tenor saxophonist, John Coltrane, was creating a stir in the jazz community. His 1957 trio recording of “Like Someone in Love” (accompanied by just bass and drums) garnered him critical accolades. Later that year, the father of the tenor sax, Coleman Hawkins, turned in a mellow version of the tune. Trumpeter Art Farmer’s 1958 date spotlights yet another tenor saxophonist, Benny Golson, who was a friend of John Coltrane. Golson is featured on “Like Someone in Love,” playing in a manner reminiscent of Don Byas. Pianist Bill Evans provides a sensitive accompaniment and solo, and Farmer turns in a marvelous muted solo.
Chris Tyle - Jazz Musician and Historian
Stan Getz
The Steamer
Polygram Records 547771
Original recording, 1956
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John Coltrane
Lush Life
Original Jazz Classics 131
Original recording, 1958, Prestige Records
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Art Farmer
Modern Art
Blue Note Records
Original recording 1958
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Additional information for "Like Someone in Love" may be found in:
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Robert Gottlieb, Robert Kimball
Reading Lyrics
Pantheon
Hardcover: 736 pages
(Includes the following types of information: song lyrics.)
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| Click on any CD for more details at Amazon.com |
Chet Baker
Chet Baker Sings
Blue Note Records
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Recorded live in Los Angeles, Baker offers a tender, straightforward vocal ballad interpretation of “Like Someone in Love.” Russ Freeman’s elegant piano accompaniment offers the perfect backdrop.
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Sarah Vaughan
After Hours at the London House (Dig)
Verve
Original Recording 1958
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Vaughan is assertively swinging and sly in singing “Like Someone in Love” on this live recording. The melodic tenor saxophone of Frank Wess is prominent as well.
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Eric Dolphy Quintet with Booker Little
Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, Vol. 2
Prestige
Original recording 1961
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This nearly twenty-minute tour de force begins as a melancholy ballad featuring Dolphy on flute and Booker Little on trumpet. Over time, it builds up steam, eventually reaching a hard-swinging groove, as pianist Mal Waldron and bassist Richard Davis are also featured.
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Dexter Gordon
Our Man in Paris
Blue Note Records
Original recording 1963
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While this track comes from a classic Dexter Gordon album, it is a trio feature for his rhythm section. Pianist Bud Powell recorded numerous versions of this song and this one is among the best of them as well as being a highlight of his later years.
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Ben Webster & Joe Zawinul
Soulmates
Ojc
Original recording 1963
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This classic cross-generational collaboration puts tenor saxophone elder statesman Webster together with pianist Joe Zawinul, who would later become best known for his jazz-rock innovations. The groove is particularly hard-swinging, thanks in large part to bassist Richard Davis and drummer “Philly” Joe Jones.
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Etta Jones
Love Shout
1997 Original Jazz Classics 941
Original recording 1963
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A great arrangement and the unobtrusive support of a small group allow Jones to bring her powerful vocals down a notch and deliver a quiet romantic reading.
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Hilario Duran
Habana Nocturne
1999 Justin Time Records 125
Original recording 1999
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Duran’s fingers (does he have more than ten?) fly across the piano keys at an inconceivable pace, injecting the standard with a heavy Latin influence and leaving the listener’s head spinning.
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Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
Like Someone in Love
2005 Blue Note 64470
Original recording 1960
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Blakey and Co. swing into the title track with sophistication and poise. Trumpeter Lee Morgan and saxophonist Wayne Shorter exercise just the right amount of restraint, and the result is as poignant a reading as can be found, yet it swings mightily.
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Jessica Williams
The Next Step
1994 Hep Records 2054
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“Like Someone in Love” gets the full Williams treatment in this lively solo romp where the pianist takes the tune through rhythmic changes and adds some Monk-like punctuation and several playful quotes. This will bring a smile to your face.
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