A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affected the relationship.[1][2] The term comes from the saying, "to carry a torch for someone", or to keep aflame the light of an unrequited love. It was first used by the cabaret singer Tommy Lyman in his praise of "My Melancholy Baby".[3]
Someday, I know that Jim will up and leave me But even if he does you can believe me I'll go on carryin' the torch for Jim. I'll go on lovin' my Jim.
John Prine wrote a song entitled "The Torch Singer" which appeared on his 1972 album, Diamonds in the Rough. The song opens with the line, "The night club was burning from the torch singer's song." Prine's narrator feels emotionally exposed by the singer's performance, "standing both naked and bare," and turns to alcohol for solace. [4]
Torch-singing is more of a niche than a genre and can stray from the traditional jazz-influenced style of singing; the American tradition of the torch song typically relies upon the melodic structure of the blues.[2] Examples of a collection are Billie Holiday's 1955 album Music for Torching and Entre eux deux by Melody Gardot and Philippe Powell.
torch, song, other, uses, disambiguation, 1933, film, torch, singer, torch, song, sentimental, love, song, typically, which, singer, laments, unrequited, lost, love, either, where, party, oblivious, existence, other, where, party, moved, where, romantic, affai. For other uses see Torch song disambiguation For the 1933 film see Torch Singer A torch song is a sentimental love song typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other where one party has moved on or where a romantic affair has affected the relationship 1 2 The term comes from the saying to carry a torch for someone or to keep aflame the light of an unrequited love It was first used by the cabaret singer Tommy Lyman in his praise of My Melancholy Baby 3 The term is also explicitly cited in the song Jim popularized by versions by Dinah Shore Billie Holiday Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald Someday I know that Jim will up and leave me But even if he does you can believe me I ll go on carryin the torch for Jim I ll go on lovin my Jim John Prine wrote a song entitled The Torch Singer which appeared on his 1972 album Diamonds in the Rough The song opens with the line The night club was burning from the torch singer s song Prine s narrator feels emotionally exposed by the singer s performance standing both naked and bare and turns to alcohol for solace 4 Torch singing is more of a niche than a genre and can stray from the traditional jazz influenced style of singing the American tradition of the torch song typically relies upon the melodic structure of the blues 2 Examples of a collection are Billie Holiday s 1955 album Music for Torching and Entre eux deux by Melody Gardot and Philippe Powell See also editSentimental balladReferences edit Smith L Elvis Costello Joni Mitchell and the Torch Song Tradition p 9 Praeger Publishers 2004 ISBN 978 0275973926 a b Allan Forte M R Listening to Classic American Popular Songs p 203 Yale University Press 2001 ISBN 978 0300083385 Shanaphy Edward ed 2003 My Melancholy Baby Piano Stylings of the Great Standards Shacor p xi ISBN 978 1 929009 14 5 John Prine Diamonds in the Rough Lyrics Liner Notes Chords Info Archived from the original on 2020 01 07 External links editTorch Songs at AllMusic Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Torch song amp oldid 1218329980, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
