Autumn Leaves (song)

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"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.

On December 24, 1950, French singer Edith Piaf rendered both French and English versions of this song on the radio program The Big Show, hosted by Tallulah Bankhead. [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]

One of the most referred-to instrumental versions of this song is the one on the Cannonball Adderley album called "Somethin' Else" released in 1958, whose personnel included Miles Davis on trumpet and Art Blakey on drums.

It is the corps song of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps.[3]
"Autumn Leaves"
Sample of a recording of "Autumn Leaves" by Eva Cassidy from the album Live at Blues Alley (1996)
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Contents

[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] Structure and chord progression

The song is in AABC form.[5] "Autumn Leaves" offers a popular way for beginning jazz musicians to become acquainted with jazz harmony as the chord progression 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] An example of chord progression in Gm

Each chord sustains for 4 beats (X- ) unless otherwise noted (X-X-)

(Verse)

Cm7 - F7 - BbM7 - EbM7 - Am7(b5) - D7(b9) - Gm6 - G7  -
Cm7 - F7 - BbM7 - EbM7 - Am7(b5) - D7(b9) - Gm6 - Gm6

(Chorus)

Am7(b5) - D7(b9) - Gm7 -  G7  -   Cm7  - F7     - BbM7 - EbM7 -
Am7(b5) - D7(b9) - Gm7-C7-Fm7-Bb7-EbM7 - D7(b9) - Gm6  - Gm6

The song also contains all seven scale chords in the key, gving the opportunity to utilize all seven scale modes (see modal jazz).

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ The Big Show. "BigShow-02". BigShow. http://www.live365.com/stations/otrnow_live. Retrieved 2008-12-25. "As carried on Internet radio at" 
  2. ^ François, Corinne (2000). Jacques Prévert, Paroles. Editions Bréal. p. 109. ISBN 9782842917029. http://books.google.ie/books?id=1Bg89F5q3pUC&printsec=frontcover#PPA109,M1. 
  3. ^ Anonymous. "1987 Programs & Ticket Stubs". The Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. http://www.bluecoats.com/media_gallery.asp?year=1987&section_id=257&section_name=Programs+%26+Ticket+Stubs. Retrieved 2006-11-07. "As listed in 1987 program." 
  4. ^ Anonymous. "Roger Williams". Nebraska Music Hall of Fame. http://www.nebrocks.org/bands.asp?band=84. Retrieved 2006-11-07. "In 1965, Williams added a chorus and charted it again at #10 Billboard Easy Listening as "Autumn Leaves - 1965."" 
  5. ^ Spitzer, Peter (2001). Jazz Theory Handbook, p.81. ISBN 0786653280.

[edit] External links


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