Too Marvelous for Words - wikipedia Too Marvelous for Words This article is about the popular song. For the Jo Stafford album, see Too Marvelous for Words ( album ). `` Too Marvelous for Words '' Song Published 1937 Genre Pop song Songwriter ( s ) Composer : Richard Whiting Lyricist : Johnny Mercer `` Too Marvelous for Words '' is a popular song written in 1937. Johnny Mercer wrote the lyrics for music composed by Richard Whiting. It was featured in the 1937 Warner Brothers film Ready, Willing and Able, as well as a production number in a musical revue on Broadway. the song has become a pop standard and has been recorded by many artists. Contents 1 Overview 2 Covers 3 See also 4 References Overview The song was used as the love theme for the characters played by Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart in the 1947 film noir Dark Passage, directed by Delmer Daves. It was introduced in a version sung by Jo Stafford, then recurred as an instrumental at important points in the story. Harry James recorded a version in 1947 on Columbia 37851. Alec Wilder has praised the song as a `` model of pop song writing, musically and lyrically ''. He cited its surprising shifts in rhythm and key. The lyrics have won praise as sophisticated and perfectly synchronized with the tune. In the opinion of at least one critic, Mercer borrowed some of the lyric techniques and wordplay from Ira Gershwin. Singer Margaret Whiting was the daughter of composer Whiting and a good friend of lyricist Mercer. She said that Mercer 's lyrics in `` Too Marvelous for Words '' were an enormously original approach to saying `` I love you, honey ''. Covers Bing Crosby recorded the song on March 3, 1937 with Jimmy Dorsey for Decca Records and it went to the top of the charts of the day during ten weeks in the listings. Leo Reisman and his Orchestra also had chart success with the song in 1937, briefly reaching the No. 16 spot. Frank Sinatra covered the song on his 1956 album Songs for Swingin ' Lovers !, arranged by the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. He continued to perform the song on his 1962 world tour, and performed it with a new arrangement by the Count Basie Band in 1965. Other artists who have recorded the song include : Andy Russell Billie Holiday Diana Krall ( on her 2009 album Quiet Nights ) Doris Day ( on the 1950 album Young Man with a Horn ) Ella Fitzgerald ( on her 1964 album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book ) Frankie Laine ( the song was included in the Bear Family album Rawhide ( CD2 ). ) Frankie Vaughan Jo Stafford John Pizzarelli Johnnie Ray ( for his 1958 album ' Til Morning ) Joni James ( on her 1959 album Joni Sings Sweet ) Michael Feinstein ( on his 1993 album Forever ) Pat Boone Rosemary Clooney ( on her 1960 album Clap Hands ! Here Comes Rosie ! ) Nat King Cole See also Tin Pan Alley Musical theatre References Jump up ^ Wilder, Alec ( 1990 ). American Popular Song : The Great Innovators, 1900 - 1950. Oxford, New York : Oxford University Press. ISBN 0 - 19 - 501445 - 6. Jump up ^ Furia, Philip ( 1990 ). The Poets of Tin Pan Alley. Oxford, New York : Oxford University Press. ISBN 0 - 19 - 506408 - 9. Jump up ^ Wilk, Max ( 1997 ). They 're Playing Our Song. New York : Da Capo. ISBN 0 - 306 - 80746 - 7. Jump up ^ `` A Bing Crosby Discography ''. BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved April 2, 2017. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1986 ). Joel Whitburn 's Pop Memories 1890 - 1954. Wisconsin, USA : Record Research Inc. p. 106. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 083 - 0. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1986 ). Joel Whitburn 's Pop Memories 1890 - 1954. Wisconsin, USA : Record Research Inc. p. 366. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 083 - 0. Jump up ^ `` Frank Sinatra : Too Marvelous for Words ''. Merriam - Webster. 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2016. Jump up ^ `` Discogs.com ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved April 16, 2017. Jump up ^ `` 45worlds.com ''. 45worlds.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Discogs.com ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Discogs.com ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017. Billie Holiday Discography Awards and nominations Albums Billie Holiday Sings / Solitude An Evening with Billie Holiday Billie Holiday Billie Holiday at JATP Stay with Me Music for Torching Velvet Mood Lady Sings the Blues Body and Soul Songs for Distingué Lovers Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at Newport All or Nothing at All Lady in Satin Last Recordings The Essential Billie Holiday : Carnegie Hall Concert Recorded Live Lady in Autumn : The Best of the Verve Years Lady Day : The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia 1933 -- 1944 Remixed and Reimagined Songs `` Ai n't Nobody 's Business '' `` As Time Goes By '' `` Billie 's Blues '' `` Blue Moon '' `` Body and Soul '' `` Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans ? '' `` Do n't Explain '' `` Easy Living '' `` Embraceable You '' `` Everything Happens for the Best '' `` Everything Happens to Me '' `` Fine and Mellow '' `` Gloomy Sunday '' `` God Bless the Child '' `` Good Morning Heartache '' `` I Cover the Waterfront '' `` I Loves You, Porgy '' `` I Thought About You '' `` I 'll Be Seeing You '' `` I 'll Get By '' `` I 've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm '' `` Just One of Those Things '' `` Lady Sings the Blues '' `` Left Alone '' `` Love for Sale '' `` Lover Man ( Oh, Where Can You Be ? ) '' `` Me, Myself, and I '' `` Miss Brown to You '' `` My Man '' `` Moonlight in Vermont '' `` Night and Day '' `` No More '' `` Now or Never '' `` Our Love Is Different '' `` P.S. I Love You '' `` Pennies from Heaven '' `` Please Do n't Do It Here '' `` Preacher Boy '' `` Sophisticated Lady '' `` Stormy Blues '' `` Strange Fruit '' `` Summertime '' `` These Foolish Things ( Remind Me of You ) '' `` Too Marvelous for Words '' `` Trav'lin ' Light '' `` What a Little Moonlight Can Do '' `` What Is This Thing Called Love ? '' `` Who Needs You ( Baby ) '' `` Why Was I Born ? '' `` Willow Weep for Me '' `` You Go to My Head '' Related topics `` Angel of Harlem '' Lady Sings the Blues ( book ) Lady Sings the Blues ( film ) Lady Sings the Blues ( soundtrack ) Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Too_Marvelous_for_Words&oldid=792016221 '' Categories : Songs with lyrics by Johnny Mercer Songs with music by Richard A. Whiting 1937 songs Frank Sinatra songs Billie Holiday songs Ella Fitzgerald songs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Norsk Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 23 July 2017, at 22 : 51. 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Question: who wrote the song too marvelous for words
Answer: Johnny Mercer