A Very Precious Love - Sammy Fain-P F Webster 1958

"A Very Precious Love" is another in a series of songs written for films in the 1950s by the duo of composer Sammy Fain and lyricist Paul Francis Webster (for more, see http://www.irealb.com/forums/showthr...rancis-Webster). This beautiful song was written for the 1958 movie "Marjorie Morningstar" which was based on the Herman Wouk novel of the same name. It was sung in the move by Gene Kelly and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song (but lost to "Gigi). The song is in standard 32-bar AA' form with a lovely tune and lyric.

There are many performances available on Youtube, including a clip from the move with Gene Kelly (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAGSUwffTH4). I suggest you listen to a 1958 live performance by Dorothy Collins (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2iVSHLHHDI perhaps taken from the TV program "Your Hit Parade") as well as a performance by Doris Day. There are two fine performances by Florida jazz pianist Ron Miller (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTO-WiRx4q0 Ron Miller, pianist; Gary Keller, tenor sax of the Frost School of Music, U of Miami and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ano4sZo0Vc with Brandon Wright, tenor sax and Don Wilner, bass) as well as a big-band version by trombonist Dave Steinmeyer & the Army Blues (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFSXAsbSLfQ).

There are also some awful performances. The Ames Brothers had a hit release of the tune; the arrangement has a driving shuffle beat which I find very unattractive and destroys the beauty of the tune (just my opinion). The arrangement behind the Jack Jones performance also has a shuffle beat. Finally, there is a performance by Slim Whitman that to me is simply -----------.

There is one item of musical interest to consider for any performer/arranger of this song: the standard chord changes have each A section beginning with 4 1/2 measures of the tonic chord. Some would fill this space with |I ii |iii ii |I ii |iii ii |, especially if the chord chart has a section with blowing changes. I kept the four measures as originally composed. You can decide for yourselves.

"A Very Precious Love" is a favorite of both my wife and mine. If you don't know it, you are in for a treat.

A Very Precious Love - Sammy Fain - P F Webster

Keith,
I really appreciate your contributions to the forums (both in the support you provide to other members as well as the musicology you share)
Big thanks!
:))BOB

Thanks for the complement. I try to give some background for charts I write because many of the charts I post are for tunes that may be unfamiliar to iRP users. I also want to promote discussions among musicians about how to approach musical problems or issues. That's a way we can learn from each other.

Keith,

Thanks so much for this beautiful tune. I hadn't looked at it in years.

Here's my take on it. A lead sheet for it is at ...

http://www.freejazzinstitute.com/sho...1046_engelbach

Very Precious Love A-Rev JE - Sammy Fain - P F Webster

Cheers,
Jer