It Only Happens When I Dance With You - Irving Berlin
"It Only Happens When I Dance With You" is a song from the 1948 classic film "Easter Parade" with words and music by Irving Berlin. It is a song of seduction, appearing three times in the film with different couples: an unsuccesful seduction by Fred Astaire of Ann Miller; a successful seduction by Fred Astaire of Judy Garland; and an unsuccessful seduction by Ann Miller of Fred Astaire. All three versions from the film can be found on Youtube. A detailed history of the film's production can be found at http://thejudyroom.com/ep/index.html where it is recounted that Irving Berlin wrote the song specifically with Judy Garland in mind.
The song has an AA' structure, with the second A extended by four measures from the usual sixteen. The melody contains sections of sinuous phrases that I have always found difficult to harmonize. There are standard chord changes, as in The Movie Fake Book published by Hal Leonard. However, I have never been satisfied with them. I listened to many performances before happening on one by Morgana King at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvgiUkNSmuQ (ignore the video). Although I am not a fan of her singing, I was pleased with how the band behind her handled the harmony of the second phrase in measures 5 through 8 and have incorporated this in my chord chart. I also have never been satisfied with Berlin's harmonies at measure 10 through 14 and have substituted my own changes for his.
This is a favorite tune of mine and I hope you like the chord chart. It works well with the Ballad - Swing style at 130 bpm.
It Only Happens When I Dance With You ( k rev) - Irving Berlin
