Autumn Leaves (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Autumn Leaves" is a much-recorded popular song. Originally a 1945 French song "Les feuilles mortes" (literally "The Dead Leaves") with music by Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert, the American songwriter Johnny Mercer wrote English lyrics in 1947. Jo Stafford was among the first to perform this version. Autumn Leaves became a pop standard and a jazz standard in both languages, both as an instrumental and with a singer. Yves Montand introduced "Les feuilles mortes" in 1946 for the film Les Portes de la Nuit.
French singer Edith Piaf rendered both French and English versions of this song on the radio program "The Big Show," December 24, 1950. [1]
The film Autumn Leaves (1956) starring Joan Crawford featured the song, as sung by Nat King Cole over the title sequence. The French songwriter Serge Gainsbourg paid tribute to this song in his own song "La chanson de Prévert".[2]
It is the corps song of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps.[3]
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[edit] Chart appearances
In 1955 Roger Williams made the song a number one hit in the United States, the only piano instrumental to reach number one[4] and remaining in that position for four weeks.
[edit] Chord progressions
Autumn Leaves offers a popular way for beginning jazz musicians to become acquainted with jazz harmony as it consists almost solely of II-V-I and II-V sequences which are typical of jazz. For example, in the key of G minor it opens with Cm7 (II) - F7 (V) - Bbmaj7 (I). The bridge contains the same sequence as well as Fm7 (II) - Bb7 (V) - Ebmaj7 (I).
[edit] Notes
- ^ The Big Show. "BigShow-02". BigShow. http://www.live365.com/stations/otrnow_live. Retrieved on 2008-12-25. "As carried on Internet radio at"
- ^ François, Corinne (2000). Jacques Prévert, Paroles. Editions Bréal. p. 109. ISBN 9782842917029. http://books.google.ie/books?id=1Bg89F5q3pUC&printsec=frontcover#PPA109,M1.
- ^ Anonymous. "1987 Programs & Ticket Stubs". The Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. http://www.bluecoats.com/media_gallery.asp?year=1987§ion_id=257§ion_name=Programs+%26+Ticket+Stubs. Retrieved on 2006-11-07. "As listed in 1987 program."
- ^ Anonymous. "Roger Williams". Nebraska Music Hall of Fame. http://www.nebrocks.org/bands.asp?band=84. Retrieved on 2006-11-07. "In 1965, Williams added a chorus and charted it again at #10 Billboard Easy Listening as "Autumn Leaves - 1965.""
