Prelude to a Kiss ( song ) - Wikipedia Prelude to a Kiss ( song ) This article is about the Duke Ellington composition. For other uses, see Prelude to a Kiss ( disambiguation ). `` Prelude to a Kiss '' is a 1938 ballad composed by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Gordon and Irving Mills. Contents 1 Background and Composition 2 Reception 3 Film usage 4 Notable recordings 5 Notes 6 See also Background and composition This composition is in the key of D - flat Major, but makes extensive use of the secondary dominant chords, secondary ii -- V -- I progressions, diatonic circle of fifths, and evaded cadences. The song is extremely chromatic and complex, employing sophisticated mathematics that were rare at this time in jazz : Ellington 's rising semitones ( G-G # - A-A # - B ) at the end of the bridge mirror the opening of both A sections ( B-A # - A-G # - G ). By the late 1930s, swing music was at the height of its popularity. Using his fame and artistic freedom, Ellington became more ambitious and experimental, writing `` Prelude to a Kiss '', which abandoned the Tin Pan Alley style hooks and dance tempo for melodic lines and harmonies found more often in classical music. Ellington originally recorded this piece as an instrumental in August 1938, before returning to the studio a few weeks later to record it as a vocal number, using lyrics by Irving Gordon and Irving Mills, and sung by a young and relatively unknown vocalist Mary McHugh. Reception Outside of jazz musicians and historians, `` Prelude to a Kiss '' remains one of the lesser known Ellington songs. Prominent jazz historian, Gunther Schuller, described `` Prelude to a Kiss '' as `` One of Ellington 's finest ballads, although too sophisticated in its weaving melody and chromatic harmonies to gain wide public acceptance. '' Film usage The film Prelude to a Kiss ( 1992 ) ( based on Craig Lucas ' eponymous 1988 play ), derived its title from the Duke Ellington / Irving Gordon / Irving Mills tune and was performed by Deborah Harry during the opening credits. Notable recordings Billy Eckstine - single ( 1953 ) Billie Holiday - Velvet Mood ( 1956 ) Johnny Mathis - Johnny Mathis ( 1956 ), A New Sound In Popular Song ( 1957 ), and In a Sentimental Mood : Mathis Sings Ellington ( 1990 ) Sarah Vaughan - Swingin ' Easy ( 1957 ) June Christy - Big Band Specials ( 1962 ), A Friendly Session, Vol. 1 ( 2000 ) with the Johnny Guarnieri Quintet, and Cool Christy ( 2002 compilation of 1945 - 1951 ) Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook ( 1958 ) Archie Shepp - Fire Music ( 1965 ) Nancy Wilson - But Beautiful ( 1969 ) Jim Hall and Ron Carter - Alone Together ( 1972 ) Singers Unlimited - Just In Time ( 1977 ) Nelson Rangell - Nelson Rangell ( 1990 ) Debbie Harry 's recording of the song, for the film Prelude to a Kiss ( 1992 ), was released a promotional CD single Nnenna Freelon - Heritage ( 1993 ) Roberta Flack - Roberta ( 1994 ) Brad Mehldau - Introducing Brad Mehldau ( 1995 ) Jeri Southern - The Southern Style / Prelude to a Kiss ( 1998 ) Keith Jarrett - Whisper Not ( 1999 ) Andy Bey - American Song ( 2003 ) Notes Jump up ^ `` Prelude to a Kiss ''. Jazz Standards. Retrieved 8 June 2009. Jump up ^ Hellmer, Jeffrey. Jazz Theory and Practice. Alfred Music. p. 107. ISBN 9780882847221. Jump up ^ Green, Edward ( 2015 ). The Cambridge Companion to Duke Ellington. Cambridge Companions to Music. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521881197. Jump up ^ Gioia, Ted ( July 2012 ). The Jazz Standards : A Guide to the Repertoire. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199937394. Jump up ^ Green, Edward ( 2015 ). The Cambridge Companion to Duke Ellington. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521881197. Jump up ^ Schuller, Gunther ( December 1991 ). The Swing Era : The Development of Jazz, 1930 - 1945. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195071405. See also List of 1930s jazz standards Duke Ellington Studio albums The Blanton -- Webster Band Never No Lament : The Blanton - Webster Band Braggin ' in Brass : The Immortal 1938 Year Liberian Suite Great Times ! Masterpieces by Ellington Ellington Uptown The Duke Plays Ellington Ellington ' 55 Dance to the Duke ! Ellington Showcase Historically Speaking Duke Ellington Presents... The Complete Porgy and Bess A Drum Is a Woman Studio Sessions, Chicago 1956 Such Sweet Thunder Ellington Indigos Black, Brown and Beige Duke Ellington at the Bal Masque The Cosmic Scene Happy Reunion Jazz Party Back to Back Side by Side Anatomy of a Murder Festival Session Blues in Orbit The Nutcracker Suite Piano in the Background Swinging Suites by Edward E. and Edward G. Unknown Session Piano in the Foreground The Great Summit : The Master Takes Paris Blues First Time ! The Count Meets the Duke Duke Ellington & John Coltrane Featuring Paul Gonsalves Studio Sessions 1957 & 1962 Midnight in Paris Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins Studio Sessions, New York 1962 Money Jungle Afro - Bossa The Symphonic Ellington Duke Ellington 's Jazz Violin Session Studio Sessions New York 1963 My People Ellington ' 65 Duke Ellington Plays Mary Poppins Ellington ' 66 Concert in the Virgin Islands The Popular Duke Ellington The Far East Suite The Jaywalker Studio Sessions, 1957, 1965, 1966, 1967, San Francisco, Chicago, New York... And His Mother Called Him Bill Second Sacred Concert Studio Sessions New York, 1968 Latin American Suite The Pianist New Orleans Suite Orchestral Works The Suites, New York 1968 & 1970 The Intimacy of the Blues The Afro - Eurasian Eclipse Studio Sessions New York & Chicago, 1965, 1966 & 1971 The Intimate Ellington The Ellington Suites This One 's for Blanton ! Up in Duke 's Workshop Duke 's Big 4 Mood Ellington Live albums Duke Ellington at Fargo, 1940 Live The Carnegie Hall Concerts : January 1943 The Carnegie Hall Concerts : December 1944 The Carnegie Hall Concerts : January 1946 The Carnegie Hall Concerts : December 1947 Ellington at Newport Dance Concerts, California 1958 Dance Dates, California 1958 Newport 1958 Jazz at the Plaza Vol. II Duke Ellington at the Alhambra Live at the Blue Note The Great Paris Concert A Concert of Sacred Music In the Uncommon Market Soul Call Yale Concert 70th Birthday Concert Togo Brava Suite Live at the Whitney Third Sacred Concert Eastbourne Performance Collaborations with Alice Babs Serenade to Sweden with Count Basie First Time ! The Count Meets the Duke with Teresa Brewer It Do n't Mean a Thing If It Ai n't Got That Swing with Rosemary Clooney Blue Rose with John Coltrane Duke Ellington & John Coltrane with Ella Fitzgerald Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book Ella at Duke 's Place The Stockholm Concert, 1966 Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur with Coleman Hawkins Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins with Frank Sinatra Francis A. & Edward K. Compositions `` African Flower '' `` All Too Soon '' `` Azure '' `` Black and Tan Fantasy '' `` Black, Brown and Beige '' `` C Jam Blues '' `` Cotton Tail '' `` Day Dream '' `` Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue '' `` Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me '' `` Do n't Get Around Much Anymore '' `` Drop Me Off in Harlem '' `` Echoes of Harlem '' `` Everything but You '' `` I Ai n't Got Nothin ' but the Blues '' `` I Did n't Know About You '' `` I Got It Bad ( and That Ai n't Good ) '' `` I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart '' `` I 'm Beginning to See the Light '' `` I 'm Just a Lucky So - and - So '' `` In a Mellow Tone '' `` In a Sentimental Mood '' `` It Do n't Mean a Thing ( If It Ai n't Got That Swing ) '' `` Just A-Sittin ' and A-Rockin ' '' `` Just Squeeze Me ( But Please Do n't Tease Me ) '' `` The Mooche '' `` Mood Indigo '' `` Prelude to a Kiss '' `` Rocks in My Bed '' `` ( In My ) Solitude '' `` Sophisticated Lady '' Billy Strayhorn compositions associated with Ellington `` Take the `` A '' Train '' `` Lush Life '' `` Chelsea Bridge '' `` Something to Live For '' `` Satin Doll '' `` Blood Count '' Juan Tizol compositions associated with Ellington `` Caravan '' `` Perdido '' Orchestra members Hayes Alvis Cat Anderson Ivie Anderson Harold Ashby Alice Babs Shorty Baker Butch Ballard Art Baron Aaron Bell Louie Bellson Joe Benjamin Barney Bigard Lou Blackburn Jimmy Blanton Wellman Braud Lawrence Brown Harry Carney Johnny Coles Willie Cook Buster Cooper Kay Davis Wild Bill Davis Wilbur de Paris Bobby Durham Mercer Ellington Rolf Ericson Jimmy Forrest Victor Gaskin Peter Giger Tyree Glenn Paul Gonsalves Sonny Greer Fred Guy Jimmy Hamilton Otto Hardwick Rick Henderson Al Hibbler Johnny Hodges Major Holley Charlie Irvis Quentin Jackson Hilton Jefferson Herb Jeffries Freddie Jenkins Money Johnson Herbie Jones Taft Jordan Al Killian Queen Esther Marrow Wendell Marshall Murray McEachern Louis Metcalf James `` Bubber '' Miley Harold `` Geezil '' Minerve Ray Nance Tricky Sam Nanton Oscar Pettiford Eddie Preston Russell Procope Junior Raglin Betty Roché Ernie Royal Al Sears Joya Sherrill Willie Smith Elmer Snowden Rex Stewart Billy Strayhorn Billy Taylor Clark Terry Juan Tizol Norris Turney Ben Webster Arthur Whetsol Cootie Williams Nelson Williams Skippy Williams Booty Wood Jimmy Woode Britt Woodman Sam Woodyard Filmography Black and Tan Check and Double Check Belle of the Nineties Murder at the Vanities Cabin in the Sky Anatomy of a Murder Paris Blues Assault on a Queen Change of Mind Related Duke Ellington Bridge Duke Ellington House Duke Ellington School of the Arts Luther Henderson Irving Mills Sophisticated Ladies Play On ! Sacred Concerts Discography This article about a jazz standard or composition written in the 1930s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. This pop standards - related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Prelude_to_a_Kiss_(song)&oldid=787995752 '' Categories : Songs with music by Duke Ellington Songs written by Irving Gordon Songs with lyrics by Irving Mills Johnny Mathis songs Nancy Wilson ( jazz singer ) songs Jazz songs 1930s jazz standards Lena Horne songs 1938 songs 1930s jazz composition stubs Pop standard stubs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Esperanto Italiano Nederlands Suomi Edit links This page was last edited on 28 June 2017, at 21 : 11. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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Question: who is featured in the tune prelude to a kiss
Answer: Duke Ellington