# My One and Only Love

"My One and Only Love" is a 1953 popular song with music written by Guy Wood and lyrics by Robert Mellin. Notable renditions by Frank Sinatra (1953), and later by John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (1963), have made the song part of the jazz standard musical repertoire.

## Structure

Published in 1953, it is a conventional 32-bar song with four 8-bar sections, including a bridge ("Type A" or "AABA" song structure). Typically performed as a ballad, it has an aria-like melody that is a challenge to many vocalists; in the key of C, the song's melody extends from G below middle C to the second D above middle C.

## History

The song originated in 1947 under the title "Music from Beyond the Moon", with music by Guy B. Wood and lyrics by Jack Lawrence. Vocalist Vic Damone recorded this version in the same year and released it as a B-side to "I'll Always Be In Love With You" (Mercury 5072), but it was unsuccessful. In 1952, Robert Mellin wrote a new title and lyrics for the song, and it was republished the next year as “My One and Only Love”.

## Jazz standard

When Frank Sinatra recorded it in 1953 with Nelson Riddle, first released as B-side to his hit single "I've Got the World on a String" (Capitol 2505), it became known as a jazz standard. Then popular saxophonist Charlie Ventura saw the song's "jazz potential" and recorded the first instrumental version in the very same year.
As an instrumental jazz standard, it remained predominantly a song for tenor saxophonists. Ben Webster recorded the tune with Art Tatum in autumn 1956. John Coltrane recorded his version with vocalist Johnny Hartman ten years after Ventura in 1963 (John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman). This was followed by Sonny Rollins in 1964. He re-recorded it in 1977, this time on soprano saxophone. Later interpretations came from Chico Freeman, Michael Brecker, and Joshua Redman.
Vocal renditions of "My One and Only Love" were recorded by Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 29746), Johnny Mathis, Doris Day, Mark Murphy, Chet Baker and Kurt Elling. Cassandra Wilson turned the song into an up-tempo swing number.

## Cover versions

| Date | Performer | Type | Album, notes |
| 1947 | Vic Damone | vocal | single, B-side, as "Music from Beyond the Moon" |
| 1948 | Tony Martin | vocal | single, as "Music from Beyond the Moon" |
| 1953 | Frank Sinatra | vocal | single, B-side; appears on later compilation This Is Sinatra! |
| 1953 | Charlie Ventura | instrumental | Charlie Ventura's Open House |
| 1954 | Art Tatum and Ben Webster | | The Tatum Group Masterpieces, Volume Eight |
| 1955 | Ella Fitzgerald | vocal | single |
| 1955 | Sarah Vaughan | vocal | The Divine Sarah |
| 1957 | Pepper Adams | instrumental | Pepper Adams Quintet |
| 1957 | Carmen McRae | vocal | By Special Request |
| 1957 | Horace Silver | instrumental | The Stylings of Silver |
| 1958 | Johnny Mathis | vocal | Warm |
| 1959 | Henry Mancini | instrumental | The Mancini Touch |
| 1960 | Magni Wentzel | vocal | single |
| 1960 | Jimmy Smith | instrumental | Plain Talk |
| 1961 | Dion | vocal | Alone with Dion |
| 1962 | Dean Martin | vocal | Cha Cha de Amor |
| 1962 | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumental | Ella Swings Gently with Nelson |
| 1962 | Doris Day | vocal | Duet |
| 1962 | Andy Williams | vocal | Warm and Willing |
| 1962 | Grant Green | instrumental | Born to Be Blue |
| 1963 | John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman | vocal | John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman |
| 1964 | Oscar Peterson | instrumental | We Get Requests |
| 1965 | Sonny Rollins | instrumental | The Complete RCA Victor Recordings |
| 1965 | Nancy Wilson | vocal | Gentle Is My Love |
| 1965 | Wes Montgomery | instrumental | Bumpin' |
| 1966 | Joe Zawinul | instrumental | Money in the Pocket |
| 1968 | Chick Corea | instrumental | Now He Sings, Now He Sobs |
| 1970 | Louis Armstrong | vocal | Louis Armstrong and His Friends |
| 1973 | MFSB | instrumental | Love Is the Message |
| 1974 | McCoy Tyner | instrumental | Atlantis |
| 1977 | Sonny Rollins | instrumental | Easy Living |
| 1977 | Radka Toneff | vocal | Butterfly |
| 1978 | Chico Freeman | instrumental | Beyond the Rain |
| 1981 | Joe Henderson & Chick Corea | instrumental | Relaxin' At Camarillo |
| 1983 | Buddy Rich | instrumental | Rich and Famous |
| 1987 | Michael Brecker | instrumental | Michael Brecker |
| 1988 | Cassandra Wilson | vocal | Blue Skies |
| 1989 | Chet Baker | vocal | Chet Baker Sings and Plays from the Film Let's Get Lost |
| 1989 | Chick Corea | instrumental | Chick Corea Akoustic Band |
| 1990 | Kate Ceberano | vocal | Like Now |
| 1991 | Rickie Lee Jones | vocal | Pop Pop |
| 1995 | Sting | vocal | Leaving Las Vegas (soundtrack) |
| 1992 | Ray Bryant | instrumental | Ray Bryant "Plays Blues and Ballads" |
| 1993 | Joe Sample | instrumental | Invitation |
| 1993 | Diane Schuur | vocal | Love Songs |
| 1995 | Joshua Redman | instrumental | Spirit of the Moment - Live at the Village Vanguard |
| 1998 | Fred Hersch & Bill Frisell | instrumental | Songs We Know |
| 2001 | Mark Murphy | vocal | Once to Every Heart |
| 2005 | Rod Stewart | vocal | Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV |
| 2005 | Paula Cole | vocal | To Love Again: The Duets |
| 2008 | Yo-Yo Ma | instrumental | Songs of Joy & Peace |
| 2008 | Irvin Mayfield and Ellis Marsalis | instrumental | Love Song, Ballads, and Standards |
| 2009 | Mark Isham and Kate Ceberano | vocal | Bittersweet |
| 2009 | Kurt Elling | vocal | Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman |
| 2011 | George Benson | vocal | Guitar Man |
| 2011 | Doris Day | vocal | My Heart |
| 2012 | Paul McCartney | vocal | Kisses on the Bottom |
| 2014 | Jamie Cullum | vocal | Interlude |
| 2017 | Bob Dylan | vocal | Triplicate |
| 2020 | VARITDA | vocal | Mood |