"Autumn Leaves" is a much-recorded popular song. Originally it was a 1945 French song "Les feuilles mortes" (literally "The Dead Leaves") with music by Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert. Yves Montand (with Irène Joachim) introduced "Les feuilles mortes" in 1946 in the film Les Portes de la Nuit.[1] The American songwriter Johnny Mercer wrote English lyrics in 1947 and 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.
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.[2]
The Melachrino Strings Conductor: George Melachrino recorded a version in London on August 18, 1950. It was released by EMI on the His Master's Voice label as catalog number B 9952.
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".[3]
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, Hank Jones on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Blakey on drums.
The song also crossed over in the club scene when dance act Coldcut recorded a version in 1994, the resulting remix by Irresistable Force became widely regarded a classic of the chillout genre.
It is the corps song of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps.[4]
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[5] and remaining in that position for four weeks.
Structure and chord progression
The song is in AABC form.[6] "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).
An example of a chord progression of the song 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
Notes
- ^ Massin B. Les Joachim – Une famille de musiciens. Fayard, Paris, 1999.
- ^ The Big Show. "BigShow-02". BigShow. Retrieved 2008-12-25.
As carried on Internet radio at
- ^ François, Corinne (2000). Jacques Prévert, Paroles. Editions Bréal. p. 109. ISBN 9782842917029.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Anonymous. "1987 Programs & Ticket Stubs". The Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. Retrieved 2006-11-07.
As listed in 1987 program.
- ^ Anonymous. "Roger Williams". Nebraska Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2006-11-07.
In 1965, Williams added a chorus and charted it again at #10 Billboard Easy Listening as "Autumn Leaves - 1965."
- ^ Spitzer, Peter (2001). Jazz Theory Handbook, p.81. ISBN 0786653280.
External links
- "Autumn Leaves" at jazzstandards.com
- "Autumn Leaves" - Lead sheet at wikifonia.org
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