Body and Soul (1930 song)
A 1930 jazz standard, widely recorded and influential.
"Body and Soul" is a jazz standard that first appeared in 1930. Johnny Green composed the music, while Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, and Frank Eyton wrote the lyrics. The song also served as the theme and background music for the film noir boxing drama *Body and Soul*.
The tune was composed in London for British actress and singer Gertrude Lawrence, who introduced it there. Though published in England, its first U.S. performance came from Libby Holman in the 1930 Broadway revue *Three's a Crowd*. In Britain, the orchestras of Jack Hylton and Ambrose both recorded the ballad in the same week of February 1930, with Hylton's being the first jazz recording. The song quickly gained traction in the United States, and by the end of that year, at least eleven American bands had cut their own versions. Louis Armstrong recorded it in October 1930, but Paul Whiteman and Jack Fulton were the ones who popularized it across the country. Over time, "Body and Soul" became one of the most frequently recorded jazz standards, and multiple sets of lyrics have been written for it.
Musically, the piece is typically performed in D-flat major. A verse precedes the chorus, though it is rarely included; recordings by Billie Holiday are exceptions, but Libby Holman's recording does not include the verse. The main structure follows a repeated eight-bar melody, an eight-bar bridge, and a final eight-bar return to the melody—a 32-bar AABA form common to popular songs of the era. The "A" section uses conventional chord progressions, including ii–V–I turnarounds in D-flat, but the bridge is highly unusual because it shifts tonal center to D-flat major's relative minor or other tonal centers. This bridge has been described as "a bridge like no other." The song is considered challenging to improvise over, yet its unconventional chords offer a "large degree of improvisational freedom."
One of the most famous recordings came from Coleman Hawkins and His Orchestra on October 11, 1939, during their only session for Bluebird, a subsidiary of RCA Victor. The take is unusual because the melody is only hinted at; Hawkins’ two choruses of improvisation over the chord progression make up nearly the entire track. Jazz critic Leonard Feather noted that the recording became Hawkins’ biggest hit and established him as a national name. Its imaginative harmony and break from swing cliches are seen as early
- First jazz recording by
- Jack Hylton and His Orchestra
- Key
- D-flat major
Lore & Background
"Body and Soul" was composed in London for British actress and singer Gertrude Lawrence, who introduced it there. Published in England, it was first performed in the United States by Libby Holman in the 1930 Broadway revue "Three's a Crowd." In Britain, the orchestras of Jack Hylton and Ambrose recorded the ballad first in the same week in February 1930, with Hylton's being the first jazz recording. In the United States, the piece grew quickly in popularity, and by the end of 1930 at least 11 American bands had recorded it. Louis Armstrong recorded "Body and Soul" in October 1930, but Paul Whiteman and Jack Fulton popularized it in the United States.
The song is usually performed in the key of D-flat major. There is a verse that precedes the chorus, rarely performed, although recordings by Billie Holiday are exceptions; Libby Holman's recording does not include the verse. The bridge is typically analyzed as shifting to D-flat major's relative minor or other tonal centers, not D major.
Reader's Guide
"Body and Soul" holds a significant place in both popular music and jazz history. Its 1939 recording by Coleman Hawkins is widely regarded as a landmark in jazz improvisation, foreshadowing the bebop movement. The song's challenging harmonic structure, particularly its unusual bridge in D major, has made it a favorite for jazz musicians seeking improvisational freedom. It has been recorded by countless artists across genres, with notable vocal renditions by Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday. The 2011 duet by Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse, Winehouse's final recording, brought renewed attention to the song and earned a Grammy Award. The song's enduring popularity is reflected in its status as one of the most recorded jazz standards, and its inclusion in the National Recording Registry underscores its cultural and historical importance. The song also provided Tony Bennett with the longest overall span of appearances on the Billboard Hot 100, from 1958 to 2011.
Did You Know?
- Louis Armstrong was the first jazz musician to record "Body and Soul," in October 1930.
- Coleman Hawkins' 1939 recording of the song was entered into the National Recording Registry in 2004.
- Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse's 2011 duet was Winehouse's final recording before her death.
- The song's bridge shifts tonal center to D major, described as 'a bridge like no other.'
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