I'm in the Mood for Love

For other uses, see I'm in the Mood for Love (disambiguation).

"I'm in the Mood for Love" is a popular song published in 1935. The music was written by Jimmy McHugh, with the lyrics by Dorothy Fields. The song was introduced by Frances Langford in the movie Every Night at Eight released that year.^[1]

"I'm in the Mood for Love"
Song by Frances Langford
Published	1935 by Robbins Music
Composer(s)	Jimmy McHugh
Lyricist(s)	Dorothy Fields

It became Langford's signature song. Bob Hope, who frequently worked with Langford entertaining troops in World War II, later wrote that her performance of the song was often a show-stopper.^[2]

History

Other popular recordings in 1935 were by Little Jack Little, Louis Armstrong^[3] and Leo Reisman and his Orchestra with vocals by Frank Luther.^[4]

The song was in the 1936 Our Gang (Little Rascals) short film The Pinch Singer where it was performed by Darla Hood and Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer (on separate occasions). Switzer also performed the song in the 1936 film Palm Springs.

In a 1954 episode of The Spike Jones Show, Billy Barty sang it while impersonating Liberace, complete with toy piano.^[5]

In the 1963 Jerry Lewis film The Nutty Professor, it is one of the songs Buddy Love sings to try to win the affections of Stella (Stella Stevens).

Other recordings

• 1935 Vera Lynn — one of her first recordings. Made for the Casani Club Orchestra.^[6]
• 1944 Coleman Hawkins & The Trumpet Kings — with Teddy Wilson and Roy Eldridge. New York 31/01/1944
• 1946 Billy Eckstine — this single release reached No. 12 in the Billboard charts.^[7]
• 1946 The King Cole Trio — included in the album The King Cole Trio.
• 1949 James Moody's saxophone solo on his recording of this song inspired the song "Moody's Mood for Love".
• 1950 Charlie Parker — for the album Charlie Parker with Strings.
• 1951 Erroll Garner — instrumental (earlier informal recording in 1944)^[8][9]
• 1952 Eddie Fisher — for the album I'm in the Mood for Love.
• 1952 Jo Stafford — included in the album As You Desire Me.
• 1955 Joni James — for the album When I Fall in Love.^[10]
• 1955 Julie London — for her album Julie Is Her Name.
• 1956 Mae West — The Fabulous Mae West.
• 1957 Fats Domino — Here Stands Fats Domino.^[11]
• 1957 Rosemary Clooney — included in the album Ring Around Rosie.
• 1958 Louis Prima & Keely Smith — a single release.^[12] Later included in compilations.^[13]
• 1959 Brook Benton — It's Just a Matter of Time.^[14]
• 1959 Pat Boone — for the album Tenderly.^[15]
• 1960 Paul Anka — Swings for Young Lovers.^[16]
• 1960 Johnny Mathis — for the album Johnny's Mood.
• 1961 Brenda Lee — for the album Emotions.
• 1961 The Chimes — reached No. 38 in the Billboard charts.^[17]
• 1961 Shirley Bassey — included in her album Shirley^[18]
• 1961 Caterina Valente — Italian cover Quando ti stringi a me included in her album Caterina^[19]
• 1962 Marty Robbins — included in his album Marty After Midnight.^[20] Later included in his 1974 album for I've Got a Woman's Love,^[21] as well as the 2004 compilation Love Songs.^[22]
• 1963 Alma Cogan — a single release.^[23] Later included in compilations.^[24]
• 1963 Cliff Richard — for the EP Love Songs.^[25]
• 1965 Lord Tanamo recorded a ska version of the song ("I'm in the Mood for Ska") for Ska Beat label.^[26] * Lord Tanamo's version reached number 58 on the UK Singles Chart in 1990 for three weeks^[27] after being used on the soundtrack of an English tv ad for a brand of food stuffing called Paxo in 1989.^[28]
• 1965 Sam Cooke — for the album Shake.
• 1978 Shirley Bassey — for her album Yesterdays.^[29]
• 1988 Classic hip-hop artist Slick Rick sang a modified version of the first stanza in the song "Indian Girl (An Adult Story)" from his debut album The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.
• 1995 Ava Cherry recorded a version in 1975 produced by David Bowie which was finally released on the album "People from Bad Homes" and credited to Avan Cherry and The Astronettes.
• 1999 Bryan Ferry for the album As Time Goes By.
• 1999 Hip-hop artist Prince Paul sampled the song as the basis for the track "Mood for Love" on his album A Prince Among Thieves, with Don Newkirk singing its original lyrics.^[30]
• 2000 Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra feat. Jamiroquai — performed live on Later... with Jools Holland as well as being released as a single as part of the soundtrack for the movie Kevin & Perry Go Large; a music video was released for the song in 2001; it paid tribute to the recently deceased Julie London, who had previously performed the song (albeit in a different arrangement).^[31]
• 2003 Barbra Streisand — for The Movie Album.
• 2003 Rod Stewart — included in his album As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II.
• 2021 Billie Eilish — performed in the style of Julie London at the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge.^[32]

References

1. "Every Night At Eight Soundtrack". IMDB. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
2. photo, Associated Press file. "Singer Frances Langford with Bob Hope During 1943 WWII Tour". nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2017-12-15.
3. "Louis Armstrong - Biography". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
4. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 523. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
5. Spike Jones Estate (14 December 2016). "I'm In The Mood For Love feat Billy Barty". Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved 26 May 2019 – via YouTube.
6. Vera Lynn, Vera Lynn_I'm In the Mood for Love, retrieved 2020-03-20
7. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 144. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
8. Toop, D. (2016). Into the Maelstrom: Music, Improvisation and the Dream of Freedom: Before 1970. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-4411-0277-5. Retrieved 2020-08-01.
9. Project, Jazz Discography (1921-06-15). "Erroll Garner Catalog". Jazz Discography Project. Retrieved 2020-08-01.
10. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
11. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
12. "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
13. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
14. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
15. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
16. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
17. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 125. ISBN 0-8230-7499-4.
18. "Shirley - Shirley Bassey | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
19. "Caterina Valente - Caterina".
20. Marty After Midnight - Marty Robbins | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2021-01-12
21. I've Got a Woman's Love - Marty Robbins | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2021-01-12
22. Love Songs - Marty Robbins | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2021-01-12
23. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
24. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
25. "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
26. "Lord Tanamo - In The Mood For Ska". Retrieved 28 August 2018.
27. "The Official Charts Company - Lord Tanamo - I'm In The Mood For Love". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
28. Paxo Advert 1989, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZGz5YdcEnI
29. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
30. Smith, Dinitia (April 12, 1999). Guiding Hip-Hop Toward Operatic Leaps; Prince Paul Imagines a Movie as He Makes Rap Relevant for the Suburbs. The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
31. Archived at Ghostarchive and the : "Jools Holland / Jamiroquai - I'm In The Mood For Love (Official Video)". YouTube.
32. Billie Eilish - I'm In The Mood For Love (Julie London Cover) in the Live Lounge, retrieved 2022-09-27