But Beautiful
PROFILE | |
Composer | Jimmy Van Heusen |
Lyricist | Johnny Burke |
Year Written | 1947 |
About But Beautiful | |
This song was written for Bing Crosby to sing in the 1947 movie The Road to Rio. The song has been widely recorded, including recordings by Bill Evans, Johnny Hartman, Billie Holiday, Gregory Porter, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. |
Lyrics
Love is funny, or it’s sad
or it’s quiet, or it’s mad
it’s a good thing or it’s bad
but beautiful…
Beautiful to take a chance and if you fall you fall
and I’m thinking I wouldn’t mind at all…
Love is tearful, or it’s gay
it’s a problem or it’s play
It’s a heartache either way
but beautiful…
And I’m thinking if you were mine I’d never let you go.
and that would be but beautiful I know.
Session / Album Information
1975
“But Beautiful” was recorded in June, 1975 and was released that year on The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album.
This recording released on:
- 1975: Fantasy LP 12″: F 9489 — The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album
- 1984: Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab LP 12″: MFSL-1-117 — The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album
- 1991: Fantasy CD: OJCCD-439-2 — The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album
- 1991: Columbia CD: C4K 46843 — Forty Years – The Artistry Of Tony Bennett
- 1992: Fantasy/OJC CD: OJCCD 439 — The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album
- 1993: CBS/Sony CD: SRCS-6641 — Forty Years: The Artistry Of Tony Bennett
- 2000: Fantasy CD: 204392 — The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album
- 2001: JVC XRCD CD: JVCXR-020802 — The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album
- 2004: Columbia/Legacy CD: C5K 92784 — Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett
- 2006: Fantasy CD: FCD-30177 — The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album
- 2009: Concord CD: FAN-31281 — The Complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Recordings
- 2011: Disc #52 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK51) The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album
- 2013: Columbia/Legacy – Sixty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett
2014
“But Beautiful” was recorded in 2014 with Lady Gaga and released that year on Cheek To Cheek. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.
This recording released on:
- 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: B0021493-02 – Cheek To Cheek (standard edition)
- 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: B0021494-02 – Cheek To Cheek (deluxe edition)
- 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: B0021861-03 – Cheek To Cheek (Target edition)
- 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: B0021688-02 – Cheek To Cheek (HSN edition)
- 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: Cheek To Cheek (iTunes edition)